Nice to know there are others that feel the same way I do, and I'm not just a disgruntled former ADA Captain. Your typical 3/4 star general is so far removed from the troops, they forget who they are. And let's face it, their "experience" came from fighting the last war, not the current war, or the war to come.
Our current crop of generals are Courtney Massengales and bureaucrats, not warriors. Who in their right military mind is in favor of building an aircraft that's going to run half a billion a pop? With today's drone technology, you can put hundreds in the sky for less than what you'd pay for one of these newer planes.
As a young Captain, I was put in an Operations Officer job that was slotted for a Lieutenant Colonel. The CO was my Battalion Commander back in Germany, and I was his S-4 for about 18 months. I was proud to be part of a team that took a C-3 battalion to a C-1 in less than two years.
There is no doubt in my mind that a hard-charging, energetic Colonel would do a great job as a Division or Corps Commander. I served with several LTC's and COL's that would go on and get stars. THAT's the part of the Army I miss.
We had many of the same experiences, I am a retired ADA Major and served as a Brigade S1 after battery command time. Did time in the ADA battalions in the 1st AD, 101st and 108th ADA BDE. The Brigade and Battalion Commanders I worked for in the 101st and at Brigade level were outstanding warriors. I would follow them anywhere.