Great topic. Accountability is one of those 'everyone talks about it, but it still is in short supply' kind of things. It's also usually a lagging indicator....lack of accountability is revealed after 'the Bonhomme Richard burns'. Accountability is being immune to the 'Someone Else's Problem' Invisibility Field. Accountability is found is those extras that one may not be required to do per se, but future mission success is best supported by doing them even so. Accountability is owning the mission and treating your unit like it's the best damn unit in the DoD and you are a part of that. Accountability is a 3-way street between the leader, the led, and one's Duty. Accountability is only a cliche, except when it isn't. Thanks Compass Post.
Today CDR Salamander posted “2023 INSURV Report” in which he identifies that “our navy suffers from the cancer of a culture of untruth.” Basically it details the very dangerous levels of maintenance or lack thereof predominantly in the surface fleet, but overall across the Navy. It’s worth a look. That said, as to accountability, need we look any further than to our own? To this day, as far as the writer knows General Kenneth McKenzie CentCom commander during the NEO at HKIA in August of 2021, has never truly honestly acknowledged the overall debacle of the effort. Focusing instead on the fact that 120,000 plus human beings were transported by airlift out of Kabul, and never truly taking responsibility for the 13 dead American servicemen and woman, with a further 45 WIA. While it would not change the overall circumstances and outcomes, can we imagine how different our view of his performance would be, if he had simply gone before Congress when called upon and said, while there were extenuating and mitigating circumstances, the ultimate responsibility was mine and said, “The fault is entirely my own.” Rather, we are subjected to his Sunday morning babbling on the various “news” shows, basically pretending he knows what the Hell he is talking about. In a effort to respect the decorum of CP, fair to say, the writer, would not follow General McKenzie to the head out of idle curiosity, let alone give him a stop sign as a crossing guard at a local middle school. In contrast the “surprise Taliban” attack on Camp Bastion in September of 2012, lead to the two commanders tendering their resignations and retiring, taking full responsibility for the outcome. Further, while Commandant Amos didn’t want to “fire” these two generals, he knew to not do so, no matter the extenuating and mitigating circumstances, would send a very bad signal, and that ACCOUNTABILITY was key and required. In further contrast, those very senior leaders of Chowder Society II are treated with contempt and silence by those that currently “lead” the Corps (managers is more apt), and refuse to be accountable to anyone. But, why be surprised when the current Secretary of Defense simply checks into Hospital and doesn’t tell his boss for a week, one can see why the word accountability would get lost in the chaff. It starts at the top and respect is earned and not given, and as we all know, 1000 atta boys are wiped out with one Aw Sh*t. There is a of aw Sh*t going around these days.
Agree with your observations here! But with respect, JEB Stuart's CSA Cavalry was missing during the crucial lead up to Day 1 of the Battle of Gettysburg, so Gen Longstreet shouldn't be held accountable for the inactions of such. Also, Gen Lee refused to heed the sane and objective assessments of Gen Longstreet by refusing to allow Gen Hood to use better and safer tactics in his ill-fated fight at "Devil's Den", and then Lee refused to heed the strong advice NOT to conduct the insane and suicidal Pickett's Charge. Gen Lee rightfully assumed blame for the disaster and defeat.
As for the Corps, our leaders have surrendered to the "PC" and leftists crowd and pundits by allowing our "warrior ethos" to be weakened and by the FD2030 insanity that has ruined our MAGTF capabilities and our ability to be the US "Force-in-Readiness" in "every clime and place"!
Concerning the loss of HMNZS Manawanui, there are a few things to bear in mind. HMNZS Manawanui started out in the civilian natural gas sector. So, It wasn't designed and built as a warship and was missing the related ability to withstand damage and damage control measures.
Also, HMNZS Manawanui was lost in Samoan coastal waters, not New Zealand waters.
Below are two articles that might interest the reader.
What better proof of concept than the continued service of thoroughly modern Millie, Austin powerless and spuds McKenzie, three of the woke generation's class of Generals. With the real warfighters either sidelined by the last three Commanders in Chief, or self selecting themselves for retirement, they are now our best and brightest. A sad commentary, indeed!!
This article really caught my attention for some reason, and I thought it was going somewhere. The lack of senior leader accountability in the Marine Corps (and in fairness, in many other venues) in recent time has been noteworthy. Then, it ends with this:
“…But if the Marine Corps ever loses its commitment to accountability, it will have suffered a much more serious loss.”
Wait……….
……..that’s it? If we ever lose our commitment? So, I guess we’re still OK then, right? Just a warning; you know-- watch out for that bad stuff happening elsewhere. Don’t let it infect “Our house.”
Can we really treat this problem as if it doesn’t grossly affect our own leadership?
When is the last time any of our Generals was held accountable (much less held THEMSELVES accountable,) for failure in a meaningful way? I think it was Gurganus and Sturdevant after the attack on Camp Bastion. Well Compass Points, that trash happened over 11 years ago. You might have noticed that we’ve had some bad stuff go down recently. Until we openly acknowledge the disaster that was our Afghanistan withdrawal – which, I don’t think I need to remind this crowd…was led by a MARINE CentCom CG, and lay that blame SOMEWHERE, how do we sit here and talk seriously about the subject of accountability? Our own house is filthy, and NOT A SINGLE ONE of our GO’s cares to speak up on it.
I get it, it was Biden’s call and the right thing would have been for he and/or Austin to own it accordingly. But they didn’t – and if THEY are not going to do the right thing, SOMEONE needs to, right? I thought our code of honor dictated such.
So, where was McKenzie then? He certainly could have come out publicly and resigned (….crickets…..)
OK, if he won’t do it, how about Berger? Spare me the lecture that he isn’t in the chain of command. He’s the Commandant (at the time), and I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to mean a lot at any given moment regarding the moral leadership of the Corps, among other things. (….crickets….)
How about Troy Black? One could make a good argument that his office is the beating heart of Marine leadership. (…silence….)
OK…Anyone? Really? No one? 84 or so GO’s at any given time, and NO ONE has the stones to come out and say to the world “this is wrong – and if no one else will take it, put it on me.”
These guys spend inordinate time wringing their hands over the idea of the health of the Institution. Think about the power that would have had in the long run for the moral authority of the Corps with the American people!
I watched multiple of my own peers suffer under accountability that I am sure they’d acknowledge their part in – one as a battalion commander and one as a squadron commander who lost Marines in training accidents. Both very good men, but I bet they’d agree with those calls. We’re trained from day one that you are responsible and accountable for everything your men do or fail to do – and it’s your ass if bad things result on your watch. When the price of failure is the lives of the Sons and Daughters of America, it can’t be any other way.
Author here likes to use Civil War analogies – great example of a fight where you had 30 year-old Generals and 25 year old Colonels in some cases – so, it can be done. And unless we’re willing to take a look at a wholesale clean sweep of our own GO leadership, I think we’re just pissing in the wind at this point.
Great topic. Accountability is one of those 'everyone talks about it, but it still is in short supply' kind of things. It's also usually a lagging indicator....lack of accountability is revealed after 'the Bonhomme Richard burns'. Accountability is being immune to the 'Someone Else's Problem' Invisibility Field. Accountability is found is those extras that one may not be required to do per se, but future mission success is best supported by doing them even so. Accountability is owning the mission and treating your unit like it's the best damn unit in the DoD and you are a part of that. Accountability is a 3-way street between the leader, the led, and one's Duty. Accountability is only a cliche, except when it isn't. Thanks Compass Post.
Today CDR Salamander posted “2023 INSURV Report” in which he identifies that “our navy suffers from the cancer of a culture of untruth.” Basically it details the very dangerous levels of maintenance or lack thereof predominantly in the surface fleet, but overall across the Navy. It’s worth a look. That said, as to accountability, need we look any further than to our own? To this day, as far as the writer knows General Kenneth McKenzie CentCom commander during the NEO at HKIA in August of 2021, has never truly honestly acknowledged the overall debacle of the effort. Focusing instead on the fact that 120,000 plus human beings were transported by airlift out of Kabul, and never truly taking responsibility for the 13 dead American servicemen and woman, with a further 45 WIA. While it would not change the overall circumstances and outcomes, can we imagine how different our view of his performance would be, if he had simply gone before Congress when called upon and said, while there were extenuating and mitigating circumstances, the ultimate responsibility was mine and said, “The fault is entirely my own.” Rather, we are subjected to his Sunday morning babbling on the various “news” shows, basically pretending he knows what the Hell he is talking about. In a effort to respect the decorum of CP, fair to say, the writer, would not follow General McKenzie to the head out of idle curiosity, let alone give him a stop sign as a crossing guard at a local middle school. In contrast the “surprise Taliban” attack on Camp Bastion in September of 2012, lead to the two commanders tendering their resignations and retiring, taking full responsibility for the outcome. Further, while Commandant Amos didn’t want to “fire” these two generals, he knew to not do so, no matter the extenuating and mitigating circumstances, would send a very bad signal, and that ACCOUNTABILITY was key and required. In further contrast, those very senior leaders of Chowder Society II are treated with contempt and silence by those that currently “lead” the Corps (managers is more apt), and refuse to be accountable to anyone. But, why be surprised when the current Secretary of Defense simply checks into Hospital and doesn’t tell his boss for a week, one can see why the word accountability would get lost in the chaff. It starts at the top and respect is earned and not given, and as we all know, 1000 atta boys are wiped out with one Aw Sh*t. There is a of aw Sh*t going around these days.
Agree with your observations here! But with respect, JEB Stuart's CSA Cavalry was missing during the crucial lead up to Day 1 of the Battle of Gettysburg, so Gen Longstreet shouldn't be held accountable for the inactions of such. Also, Gen Lee refused to heed the sane and objective assessments of Gen Longstreet by refusing to allow Gen Hood to use better and safer tactics in his ill-fated fight at "Devil's Den", and then Lee refused to heed the strong advice NOT to conduct the insane and suicidal Pickett's Charge. Gen Lee rightfully assumed blame for the disaster and defeat.
As for the Corps, our leaders have surrendered to the "PC" and leftists crowd and pundits by allowing our "warrior ethos" to be weakened and by the FD2030 insanity that has ruined our MAGTF capabilities and our ability to be the US "Force-in-Readiness" in "every clime and place"!
Semper Fidelis!
Joel "Big Country" Bowling, SGT/E5 USMC 1985-91; CWO2 (ret) NCARNG 1991-2013
Concerning the loss of HMNZS Manawanui, there are a few things to bear in mind. HMNZS Manawanui started out in the civilian natural gas sector. So, It wasn't designed and built as a warship and was missing the related ability to withstand damage and damage control measures.
Also, HMNZS Manawanui was lost in Samoan coastal waters, not New Zealand waters.
Below are two articles that might interest the reader.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350444681/i-was-captain-navy-ship-manawanui-just-sank-mine-almost-sank-too
https://unclas.wordpress.com/2019/05/13/hmnzs-patience/
But, Commander Yvonne Gray is still responsible for the loss of HMNZS Manawanui.
What better proof of concept than the continued service of thoroughly modern Millie, Austin powerless and spuds McKenzie, three of the woke generation's class of Generals. With the real warfighters either sidelined by the last three Commanders in Chief, or self selecting themselves for retirement, they are now our best and brightest. A sad commentary, indeed!!
This article really caught my attention for some reason, and I thought it was going somewhere. The lack of senior leader accountability in the Marine Corps (and in fairness, in many other venues) in recent time has been noteworthy. Then, it ends with this:
“…But if the Marine Corps ever loses its commitment to accountability, it will have suffered a much more serious loss.”
Wait……….
……..that’s it? If we ever lose our commitment? So, I guess we’re still OK then, right? Just a warning; you know-- watch out for that bad stuff happening elsewhere. Don’t let it infect “Our house.”
Can we really treat this problem as if it doesn’t grossly affect our own leadership?
When is the last time any of our Generals was held accountable (much less held THEMSELVES accountable,) for failure in a meaningful way? I think it was Gurganus and Sturdevant after the attack on Camp Bastion. Well Compass Points, that trash happened over 11 years ago. You might have noticed that we’ve had some bad stuff go down recently. Until we openly acknowledge the disaster that was our Afghanistan withdrawal – which, I don’t think I need to remind this crowd…was led by a MARINE CentCom CG, and lay that blame SOMEWHERE, how do we sit here and talk seriously about the subject of accountability? Our own house is filthy, and NOT A SINGLE ONE of our GO’s cares to speak up on it.
I get it, it was Biden’s call and the right thing would have been for he and/or Austin to own it accordingly. But they didn’t – and if THEY are not going to do the right thing, SOMEONE needs to, right? I thought our code of honor dictated such.
So, where was McKenzie then? He certainly could have come out publicly and resigned (….crickets…..)
OK, if he won’t do it, how about Berger? Spare me the lecture that he isn’t in the chain of command. He’s the Commandant (at the time), and I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to mean a lot at any given moment regarding the moral leadership of the Corps, among other things. (….crickets….)
How about Troy Black? One could make a good argument that his office is the beating heart of Marine leadership. (…silence….)
OK…Anyone? Really? No one? 84 or so GO’s at any given time, and NO ONE has the stones to come out and say to the world “this is wrong – and if no one else will take it, put it on me.”
These guys spend inordinate time wringing their hands over the idea of the health of the Institution. Think about the power that would have had in the long run for the moral authority of the Corps with the American people!
I watched multiple of my own peers suffer under accountability that I am sure they’d acknowledge their part in – one as a battalion commander and one as a squadron commander who lost Marines in training accidents. Both very good men, but I bet they’d agree with those calls. We’re trained from day one that you are responsible and accountable for everything your men do or fail to do – and it’s your ass if bad things result on your watch. When the price of failure is the lives of the Sons and Daughters of America, it can’t be any other way.
Author here likes to use Civil War analogies – great example of a fight where you had 30 year-old Generals and 25 year old Colonels in some cases – so, it can be done. And unless we’re willing to take a look at a wholesale clean sweep of our own GO leadership, I think we’re just pissing in the wind at this point.
Rob Vuolo
U.S. Marine (ret.)