Generals and Geographic Bachelors

american thinker ^ | November 15, 2012 | G. Murphy Donovan

[Uri’el-2012]

General David Petraeus illuminates two grand military issues at just the right moment: officer corps character and flag officer performance. Petraeus could be the poster child for a clueless Gilbert and Sullivan character too -- "The very model of a modern major-general." Major-general was the highest rank to which an officer might aspire to in the last century. Grade inflation has created the contemporary glut of four stars, including Petraeus.

Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/11/generals_and_geographic_bachelors.html#ixzz2CJv3fjUF

[Uri’el-2012]

Read this and comment

[Uri’el-2012]

Petraeus could be the poster child for a clueless Gilbert and Sullivan
character too -- "The very model of a modern major-general."

[neverdem]

Thanks for posting.

[Uri’el-2012]

Where is NOW ?

[Uri’el-2012]

ping

[Uri’el-2012]

ping

[Uri’el-2012]

ping

[blueunicorn6]

Some truth, but he’s painting with a pretty broad brush. I knew a lot of Officers who went on unaccompanied tours and didn’t fool around. Plenty of Enlisted Soldiers, too. You can make the Officer programs as moral as you want, but the cadets and candidates have 18 years of American culture before they show up for training. Honestly, don’t look to West Point or the Army for Petraeus’ problems. He is first and foremost, an American.

[clintonh8r]

"The very model of a modern major-general." Major-general was the highest rank to which an officer might aspire to in the last century

Whenever I read something that blatantly inaccurate it always calls into question the rest of the piece. A major general is two stars...There were hundreds of three star (lieutenant general) and four star (general) officers in the 20th century (which was the "last century"), and even a few five stars. (I'm including admirals as well as generals...all flag officers).

[Uri’el-2012]

Whenever I read something that blatantly inaccurate it always calls into question the rest of the piece.

My understanding is that when G&S wrote,
a Major General was the highest rank achievable.

[Ratman83]

Grant was a 4 star.

[Uri’el-2012]

Are you familiar with Gilbert and Sullivan ????

[JoeFromSidney]

A couple of days ago I remarked to my wife that these revelations made me really glad I retired as a Colonel. I spared myself and my family from getting involved in the corruption among the Flag ranks. At the time I retired, I didn't know how bad it was, but apparently it was pretty bad then already. Now it's incredible.

[Ratman83]

Yep one died in 1900 Grant was a four star in the Civil War (1865 ish).

[Uri’el-2012]

I once asked my dad why he never wished to be a General.

Same answer.

That was fifty years ago.

[1010RD]

Chop the officer corps, end rank inflation and raise the bar on honesty. Officers need to be held to the standard of gentlemen. They lie all day long to meet the “standards”.

[Graybeard58]

Major-general was the highest rank to which an officer might aspire to in the last century. Grade inflation has created the contemporary glut of four stars, including Petraeus.

I beg to differ, there were plenty of 3 and 4 stars in the 20th. century.

[Uri’el-2012]

Major-general was the highest rank to which an officer might aspire to in the last century. Grade inflation has created the contemporary glut of four stars, including Petraeus.

I beg to differ, there were plenty of 3 and 4 stars in the 20th. century.

Did you read the article ?

It was referring to British military in the 19th century
when Gilbert & Sullivan were writing the Pirates of Penzance.

The reference was to the words of Major General Song

Or the Youtube

Perhaps the satire was lost in translation.