Another long day. Who came up with this idea? Oh yea, me. Remind me to kick my self.
Its been an interesting insight into the way our military does business these days. If I were a Flag officer I would go through my command center and rip out every VTC (Video teleconference) cable for 2-5 days, just so I could allow my department heads to get something done.
I have a sick vision:
It’s 1944 and technology has evolved differently. Halsey is embarked in USS New Jersey full of steam to head north after Ozawa’s carriers. Instead of making a decision he stays steaming in circle while, He and his subordinate commanders are sitting in front of a VTC camera. Some JO in a starched khaki shirt is reading from a powerpoint slide.
” Sir in the last 24 hours TAFFY-3 got schwacked, there are indications of Jap carriers North of Luzon and our battleships in Surigao straight are still stocked at 100%. Pending your direction that concludes my brief…..”
” Admiral Halsey this Chet Nimitz, where is Task force 34? The world wonders”.
BOOM! 18 inch shells from Musashi start penetrating the Iowa’s armor…………
Technology can be a wonderful thing. It is also a curse. Seems to me that today’s flag officers spend more time parked in front of a VTC camera than making command decisions. With their staffs around them of course………..
Then again, this “all day VTC” strategy could be a way to keep the senior officers engaged and allow JO’s to get on with winning the war. Napoleon did not need a VTC to take Austerliz…………..
Don’t even get me started on Powerpoint.
Speaking of Flag Officers watched Joe Sestak on TV tonight. I found it laughable that he was railing against the war in Iraq when he was in the belly of the beast when some of the decisions were being made. I’d love to be able to ask him:
” Sir. You drove a horde of fine officers out of the Navy because you were a workaholic and a psychopath…….Why now should I elect a known back-stabber and bastard to the US Congress?”
Then again, he would probably fit right in.
