OT - Killings at Fort Hood

[Webstral]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Yeah, after seeing the past few days, I've had to revise my opinion about him. I thought he was deeply troubled and mentally-ill. But now -- he seems to have been pissed off at the US Government and the US military well before he came into the Army. Strange how he didn't mind the Army paying for his education, huh? He's scum of the worst sort.

It never ceases to amaze me how many soldiers I've met can square their consciences with accepting the Army's money for college but give a poor performance because being in the Army is hard and kinda sucks. I saw them all the time at Huachuca--principally among the new ROTC lieutenants. Having had their college paid for, they were going to coast resentfully through the next four years of service, crossing off each day on the big calendar.

On the plus side, the above observation gives me an opportunity to say something nice about the West Point graduates, which I seldom do. The West Pointers, for all that they tended to believe they crapped gold and roses and that their class rings also functioned as invisible shields, were hard-chargers. They had a LOT to learn about the real Army, but generally they were aggressive and dedicated.

Webstral

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Webstral

On the plus side, the above observation gives me an opportunity to say something nice about the West Point graduates, which I seldom do. The West Pointers, for all that they tended to believe they crapped gold and roses and that their class rings also functioned as invisible shields, were hard-chargers. They had a LOT to learn about the real Army, but generally they were aggressive and dedicated.

Webstral

While they are hard-chargers, it's been my experience that virtually all Pointers lack one critical ability: the ability to understand how to lead real troops (and not fellow Pointers). There are precious few that can actually do that. At 2X, I found that it is pervasive to the the top of at least the Division level (again with very few exceptions). I like the idea Heinlein had in Starship Troopers -- you can't be an officer except by going through OCS, and you can't go to OCS without having spent a certain amount of time as an NCO. Mustangs are by far the best officers.

[Adm.Lee]

I heard on the radio this am that Maj. Hasan was sent to Ft. Hood for two reasons. One is the one everyone suspects-- to get him out of the way where he was. The OTHER is that Hood had the most Army psychiatrists/psychologists of any post, so that he could be watched and evaluated, or at least they could cover for his slacking, if he wasn't any trouble.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

While they are hard-chargers, it's been my experience that virtually all Pointers lack one critical ability: the ability to understand how to lead real troops (and not fellow Pointers). There are precious few that can actually do that. At 2X, I found that it is pervasive to the the top of at least the Division level (again with very few exceptions). I like the idea Heinlein had in Starship Troopers -- you can't be an officer except by going through OCS, and you can't go to OCS without having spent a certain amount of time as an NCO. Mustangs are by far the best officers.

I thought Heinlein's idea was that no one could be an officer until they had seen combat.

[cavtroop]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

While they are hard-chargers, it's been my experience that virtually all Pointers lack one critical ability: the ability to understand how to lead real troops (and not fellow Pointers). There are precious few that can actually do that. At 2X, I found that it is pervasive to the the top of at least the Division level (again with very few exceptions). I like the idea Heinlein had in Starship Troopers -- you can't be an officer except by going through OCS, and you can't go to OCS without having spent a certain amount of time as an NCO. Mustangs are by far the best officers.

One of the worst officers I ever worked with was from the Point (I'm looking at you, MAJ ****, nah, I won't name names). One of the highlights of my career was watching the COL I worked for chew him out for 30 minutes straight, in front of the entire unit for screwing up so badly.

WP graduates have a HUGE chip on their shoulder, they think their sh*t don't stink, and they can do no wrong. I'm not sure if leadership is actually taught at WP, but arrogance sure is.

[Cdnwolf]

It always surprises me how suddenly all this information comes to light AFTER the fact... never before... as if... maybe... they screwed up and now they want to shift the blame.

How many disgruntled employees have walked into their place of employment and opened fire... lots... but label him a Muslim and suddenly he's a terrorist and lets MAKE up evidence to support the fact.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Cdnwolf

It always surprises me how suddenly all this information comes to light AFTER the fact... never before... as if... maybe... they screwed up and now they want to shift the blame.

How many disgruntled employees have walked into their place of employment and opened fire... lots... but label him a Muslim and suddenly he's a terrorist and lets MAKE up evidence to support the fact.

I agree with that. And if everything is true, I hope that the US Army will do its job correctly. I hope that all these people who had known before hand and remained silenced will be prosecuted under the charge of murder.

[Cdnwolf]

Thank you. I was always taught to not to believe what the media and government tells you... to keep an open mind and look at the bigger picture.

I do feel great sorrow for the families of those killed ... but I also feel grief for those of the Muslim faith that will now suffer now because of hysteria.