McChrystal and the Bootlickers: Reprise

A bit more on that topic on which I have no competence whatever--McChrystal and the bootlickers. This from a friend of a friend,

I would angle that slightly: This was a career spec ops warrior who cut against the grain of the military bureaucracy and was not known for condoning weakness, in any form. I’m guessing that his mistake was allowing too many rough around the edges type on his staff who don’t give a damn who hears what they say, rather than attracting weak boot lickers. Generals are politicians and he forgot to make sure that his staff had some of those skills.

Interesting, but sounds a bit starry eyed to me. Just in general, guys who enjoy their rep as professional bad boys are more trouble than they're worth (my favorite example is here).

Meanwhile, my friend Ignoto points out that an awful lotta special ops types retire out at colonel, i.e., before they have to learn the ways of generalship (or because they can't). And I'm remembering my friend Rob who was a police lieutenant, shift commander. I asked him if he wanted to be a chief. Nah, he said. It's an entirely different job. Oh, and I remember Fletcher P. Daniels.