Ann Dunwoody poised to become the Army's first four star general, heading up Army Material Command.
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Glass Ceilings
24 Jun 2008 02:41 pm
Comments (20)
First female four star general.
I'm pretty sure there are already some four-star generals in the Army.
First female four star. There should be a mirrored Yglesias site with wiki functionality where your commenters can fix what you've written.
No, I think Matt's trying to say that star inflation has set in. Soon you'll have to give everyone four, five, even six stars just to keep them from complaining all the time. You'll get two or three just for signing up for the service, etc.
Also - and this is much more mundane than the hilarious typo noted above - but it is Army MateriEl Command, not MateriAl Command.
But, yes, she is going to be the Army's shopper in chief.
It's a slippery slope, my friends. Next thing you know, women are gonna want the right to vote.
AKA the four star Army general in charge of shopping. Some breakthrough.
If she can find bargains and shop wisely, as compared to Bush's Dept. of Defense blowing cash and getting crap in return, kudos to her. It would be a nice change to have somebody in this position with brain, a bit of common sense, and sense of decency.
She's still a Bush appointee, LFC. Let's not get our hopes up.
Shopper in chief is the most important job in the American Army.
Let's face it, the American Army has never been known for unusual tactical brilliance. The American way of war has long been to outproduce the enemy, to drop absurdly large numbers of bombs on a problem until it goes away. Logistics is the unique strength of the American army, and she will be in charge of getting it right.
SCTM: There should be a mirrored Yglesias site with wiki functionality where your commenters can fix what you've written.
That's a brilliant idea. Seriously.
@Ian: Amateurs study strategy, generals study logistics.
the four star Army general in charge of shopping
“Amateurs study strategy, professionals study logistics”--Omar Bradley
And I hadn't seen Drew's post when I posted mine . . .
Now here is a woman who has faced some sexism. I was in the Army for 4 years as a lowly enlisted scum. I saw it/faced it all the time. That's just the mindset. Most women get fed up & get the hell out; so kudos to her for sticking in there.
To hear HRC bitching about people making fun of her laugh or hairstyle compared to what this woman has had to put up with is mind-boggling. It's like comparing
"Amateurs study tactics, pseudo-intellectuals study logistics, professionals study promotion." - Alison Brooks.
Srsly, props to Gen. Dunwoody and her promotion if it goes through is progress, but don't forget for a moment that the first principal component of the US Military is a special case of public choice theory in action.
She's still a Bush appointee, LFC. Let's not get our hopes up.
Posted by Cliffy
Why exactly are your "hopes" so deeply tied to who has charge of Army gear in Inventory, base equipment and ties to Transport Command?
To a military person, the expression of "hope" that the next commander will be a white Catholic, a black with a physical handicap, a female Jew would simply be bizarre. The cancer of identity politics entering the military and warping mission leadership and focus.
Unless it is a "political general" like Wesley Clark or a minority one getting the infrequent use of reverse discrimination bonus points -fortunately, the military runs as a meritocracy and promotions are not based on Party affiliation.
Typically, promotion Boards have no idea what Party a group of NCO or commissioned officer candidates belongs to, nor do they factor in ethnicity, gender, class, or other affirmative action "special consideration" when making selections.
No, I think Matt's trying to say that star inflation has set in
There is a colonel of truth to this (*rimshot*)
The first 4 star ranks IIRC weren't until Pershing and Dewey around the turn of the 20th century.
There was of course a bubble in flag ranks in the 1940's, which got reduced immediately post war and then pared down throughout the cold war.
But, I believe there are about as many flag officers today as there were in 1992, despite both the navy and army being about 20% smaller.
So, anyone who doesn't recognize that Cliffy's comment is stupid: it is. The generals aren't exactly administration appointees as such, though the SecDef does appoint certain generals to particular positions. She'll still be a four-star in the next administration and they might move her command some but probably not.
So, anyone who doesn't recognize that Cliffy's comment is stupid: it is. The generals aren't exactly administration appointees as such, though the SecDef does appoint certain generals to particular positions. She'll still be a four-star in the next administration and they might move her command some but probably not.
Comments closed July 08, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
AKA the four star Army general in charge of shopping. Some breakthrough.
Posted by phil | June 24, 2008 2:58 PM