Comments on: Looking for Warfighters http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2009/01/12/looking-for-warfighters/ Updated information on Veteran Benefits, featured Military Bloggers, the You Served Podcast and various other news and information relevant to Veterans. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:54:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Troy http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2009/01/12/looking-for-warfighters/comment-page-1/#comment-183975 Troy Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:51:54 +0000 http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/?p=956#comment-183975 In Afghanistan, back in 2006 and even now I can tell you that the embedded trainers and mentors with the police and army face 2 very difficult challenges. The first is an invisible enemy that is trying to kill you, the 2nd is an inept and mostly corrupt and uncaring group of Afghans that are supposed to be taking over their own security. The third is a group of folks from all branches that wear the same US Flag that that we all do who think they are on one big annual training exercise, have no clue they are really at war or are more worried about getting another Bronze Star and good wartime NCOER/OER that they will sacrifice anyone to get it. We called it the ultimate triple stack when I was there: ACM, Afghans, and Americans. Any one of them can kill ya, but all three together are just devastating. In Afghanistan, back in 2006 and even now I can tell you that the embedded trainers and mentors with the police and army face 2 very difficult challenges. The first is an invisible enemy that is trying to kill you, the 2nd is an inept and mostly corrupt and uncaring group of Afghans that are supposed to be taking over their own security. The third is a group of folks from all branches that wear the same US Flag that that we all do who think they are on one big annual training exercise, have no clue they are really at war or are more worried about getting another Bronze Star and good wartime NCOER/OER that they will sacrifice anyone to get it. We called it the ultimate triple stack when I was there: ACM, Afghans, and Americans. Any one of them can kill ya, but all three together are just devastating.

]]> By: CJ http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2009/01/12/looking-for-warfighters/comment-page-1/#comment-183927 CJ Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:33:56 +0000 http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/?p=956#comment-183927 I think a great deal of our problem, unfortunately, stem from leadership failures at the senior NCO ranks. Our commanders are greatly influenced by their senior enlisted advisors and their purpose is to keep him advised on enlisted issues. That just doesn't seem to be the case anymore. You just don't see many Senior NCOs at the E9 level mentoring and advising their commanders - or at least that's my impression. When I was in Iraq, I had a Command Sergeant Major when I was in 3/15 Infantry that yelled at us more than once when he saw us coming in from a long patrol in Fallujah. The patrol was fraught with ambushes, weapons caches, and kids throwing rocks at us. It was also 120+ degree temperatures WALKING through an urben environment of mud and concrete. IE: it was hot! To counter this heat, we frequently unbuttoned our sleeves and unbloused our pantlegs allow more airflow onto our bodies. When we'd return, the CSM would call me and the other senior NCOs over and begin to chew us a new one for being out of uniform and setting a bad example. Never mind the fact that our team was the most successful team in the city for identifying, locating, and destroying weapons and explosive caches and safehouses. We're not fighting a two-front war; we're fighting a three-font war: Iraq, Afghanistan, poor leadership/mentorship at the senior NCO ranks. I think a great deal of our problem, unfortunately, stem from leadership failures at the senior NCO ranks. Our commanders are greatly influenced by their senior enlisted advisors and their purpose is to keep him advised on enlisted issues. That just doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. You just don’t see many Senior NCOs at the E9 level mentoring and advising their commanders – or at least that’s my impression.

When I was in Iraq, I had a Command Sergeant Major when I was in 3/15 Infantry that yelled at us more than once when he saw us coming in from a long patrol in Fallujah. The patrol was fraught with ambushes, weapons caches, and kids throwing rocks at us. It was also 120+ degree temperatures WALKING through an urben environment of mud and concrete. IE: it was hot! To counter this heat, we frequently unbuttoned our sleeves and unbloused our pantlegs allow more airflow onto our bodies.

When we’d return, the CSM would call me and the other senior NCOs over and begin to chew us a new one for being out of uniform and setting a bad example. Never mind the fact that our team was the most successful team in the city for identifying, locating, and destroying weapons and explosive caches and safehouses.

We’re not fighting a two-front war; we’re fighting a three-font war: Iraq, Afghanistan, poor leadership/mentorship at the senior NCO ranks.

]]> By: Greg D http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2009/01/12/looking-for-warfighters/comment-page-1/#comment-183913 Greg D Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:45:50 +0000 http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/?p=956#comment-183913 While I know you are talking about the real warfighters I know that the higher leadership starts back at the schools. I totally agree with everything you said. I served more than 20 yrs. While deployed on Bosnia I saw that kind of action completely. 1sg more worried about making sure that soldiers (mechanics) were wearing helmets while working on vehicles in a shop that was on a secured base. Also when I was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds at the brigade level, I never saw so many 1SGs trying to screw over senior NCOs. We had a 1SG that told a SFC that had just come off a profile and had not completed the time requirement for rehab, that if he did not make his ANCOC school date he would take his rank off. The soldier came to me for help and I called his branch schools and got his school date changed. The 1SG had told him that he called his branch school and that they could not change his school date. So while the leadership that is deployed with the real warfighters are not 100% supporting thier solders it stems from the very beginning with the leadership in the schools and non-deployed units. After all the Army really screwed up when the leadership decide they wanted a kinder gentler Army. I am sorry but kinder and gentler do not go with war. As much as I loved the Army I was ready to get out of the baby sitting bussiness (of higher Leaders) that were more concerned about their OER or NCOER thatn they were about doing the right thing. I know this may be a hard thing to believe, but during my last year after I had my retirement orders I was threatened by my rater (a WO4) about my NCOER. I guess he did'nt realize that I had been in for more than 20 years and had come up through the stronger Army and I had to remind him that not only did I not care what he put on my NCOER, but I was retiring and did'nt even need one to retire. While I know you are talking about the real warfighters I know that the higher leadership starts back at the schools. I totally agree with everything you said. I served more than 20 yrs. While deployed on Bosnia I saw that kind of action completely. 1sg more worried about making sure that soldiers (mechanics) were wearing helmets while working on vehicles in a shop that was on a secured base. Also when I was at Aberdeen Proving Grounds at the brigade level, I never saw so many 1SGs trying to screw over senior NCOs. We had a 1SG that told a SFC that had just come off a profile and had not completed the time requirement for rehab, that if he did not make his ANCOC school date he would take his rank off. The soldier came to me for help and I called his branch schools and got his school date changed. The 1SG had told him that he called his branch school and that they could not change his school date. So while the leadership that is deployed with the real warfighters are not 100% supporting thier solders it stems from the very beginning with the leadership in the schools and non-deployed units. After all the Army really screwed up when the leadership decide they wanted a kinder gentler Army. I am sorry but kinder and gentler do not go with war. As much as I loved the Army I was ready to get out of the baby sitting bussiness (of higher Leaders) that were more concerned about their OER or NCOER thatn they were about doing the right thing. I know this may be a hard thing to believe, but during my last year after I had my retirement orders I was threatened by my rater (a WO4) about my NCOER. I guess he did’nt realize that I had been in for more than 20 years and had come up through the stronger Army and I had to remind him that not only did I not care what he put on my NCOER, but I was retiring and did’nt even need one to retire.

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