Why We Need True Miltary Reform

Day 1,194, 17:38 • Published in USA USA • by Teucer

Since war is on the horizon, I felt it was time to voice a few of my opinions about current affairs involving the military. As a bit of background, I served as Lt. General of the Training Corps and I am currently serving as a member of the Airborne, so I have had experience with most levels of the military. I hope my insights will prove valuable to you the reader and may open your eyes a bit.

First off, I have to say that my favorite part of this game has always been teaching new players and watching them grow. I have had the pleasure of watching many young players that I trained go on to serve as Congressmen, JCS, cabinet members, and various other positions. One of the most valuable resources a country has is fresh ideas and the people with those fresh ideas need to be nurtured so that they can hit the big stage and shine.

One of the biggest problems I currently see is slow turnover in our military and the effect it has on the people who serve there. As a new player the military seems absolutely massive and intimidating. You have no clue about what you are doing beyond how to click the attack button, but there are players acting as Commanding Officers to guide you in the right direction. Soon a new player learns how he or she can get immersed in running the beast that is our military and I know how it feels. Your contribution can be seen and soon you’re diving into as much work as possible in order to rise higher. This is the part where a lack of turnover can cause a great many issues.

First, midlevel officers are the true handlers of the military and are the hardest workers you’ll find. They act as teachers, quartermasters, liaisons, and in any other capacity that their troops require. Generals give orders, but those midlevel officers are the ones that make sure they get carried out. When a lack of turnover at the highest levels of the military occurs it makes the job of the midlevel officer absolutely tiresome. Only the most determined can hold out for as long as necessary to reach JCS level, but by then they are so burned out that they can turn into the kind of lazy General that can perpetuate the problem. As a General, one of the first signs that you’ve been there too long is when your Executive Officer or senior level officers start dropping like flies.

Second, the burnout I discussed can be due to a lack of motivation. As an officer it can be very difficult to work as hard as possible when the realization that they may never reach the top becomes apparent. Unmotivated officers can be detrimental to the morale of their troops and can eventually cause defection. One example would be the movement of soldiers to groups like Seal Team 6 or the new Ultramarines. I have already watched several high level Airborne officers move to the Ultramarines, which should send up some red flags to those in charge of the Airborne
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Third, Generals do not report to their troops in any way. Lazy Generals cannot be pushed out except through back channels and even then it can be a futile endeavor. On the other hand, even highly competent Generals can be detrimental if in power too long. Without turnover new ideas hardly penetrate the highest levels and things begin to stagnate all the way down the chain of command.

The first thing I would recommend would be a term limit on all JCS members. A term limit of 2-3 months would be fair to allow those newly promoted JCS officers to implement and oversee changes without staying so long as to cause stagnation among their branch. The second thing I would like to see was also presented in an article tonight by Harrison Richardson (http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/time-for-experience-a-new-white-house-contender1-1692976/1/20), which stated the use of the Secretary of Defense as the manager of the military.

Originally, the position of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was something very similar to what Harrison Richardson has proposed and was appointed by the President. I would like to see the SoD replace the position of CJCS entirely. The JCS should not be allowed to appoint their own leader as it only consolidates their power more. With the SoD present to oversee operations, the President has the freedom to do more than just be Commander-in-Chief and it gives the JCS a direct liaison to the President who has the President’s position and direction in mind.

With these changes, I believe some of the current problems could be alleviated entirely and would get more fresh blood into our system of government. New blood is needed to revitalize the military and the current power structure is cutting off that flow. The new amendment to the Constitution is a start, but it is not nearly enough to reverse what has been put in motion by more than a year’s worth of decisions by military leaders.