http://blog.lifecourse.com/2009/12/generation-kill-doesnt-do-powerpoints/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss Neil Howe's Generational Blog Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://blog.lifecourse.com/2009/12/generation-kill-doesnt-do-powerpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-4925 Steve Florman Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:26:00 +0000 http://blog.lifecourse.com/?p=327#comment-4925 Vaccaro graduated from Norwich in 2004 or 2005, so figuring a college graduation age of 22, he's either a very late 13er or a very early Millennial. At any rate, he's got an Xer attitude. Ironically, many of those colonels he castigates are Xers, my age, in their mid- to late-40s. It's the damn generals and politicians, Boomers to a man, who not only clog up the decision-making process but who clog up field-grade Xers by conditioning them to be too cautious. Vaccaro graduated from Norwich in 2004 or 2005, so figuring a college graduation age of 22, he’s either a very late 13er or a very early Millennial. At any rate, he’s got an Xer attitude. Ironically, many of those colonels he castigates are Xers, my age, in their mid- to late-40s. It’s the damn generals and politicians, Boomers to a man, who not only clog up the decision-making process but who clog up field-grade Xers by conditioning them to be too cautious.

]]> http://blog.lifecourse.com/2009/12/generation-kill-doesnt-do-powerpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1773 lloydconway Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:26:35 +0000 http://blog.lifecourse.com/?p=327#comment-1773 The Germans were actually the most decentralized army in WW II, as in WW I. That's why a Rommel could, as a 1st Lieutanant, command a half-battalion for expeditions over extended periods of time. What he did in WW I was SOP for the Gewrman Army, and remained so when his generation commanded in WW II. German forces maintained a 1.4:1 ratio of casulties inflicted to casulties taken, as Martin van cerveld found in researchin one of his books. <br> Germany made the same mistake as 5th Century Athens in the Pelloponesian war: They took on too many enemies at one time. (Prophet-generation hubris?) The Germans were actually the most decentralized army in WW II, as in WW I. That's why a Rommel could, as a 1st Lieutanant, command a half-battalion for expeditions over extended periods of time. What he did in WW I was SOP for the Gewrman Army, and remained so when his generation commanded in WW II. German forces maintained a 1.4:1 ratio of casulties inflicted to casulties taken, as Martin van cerveld found in researchin one of his books.
Germany made the same mistake as 5th Century Athens in the Pelloponesian war: They took on too many enemies at one time. (Prophet-generation hubris?)

]]> http://blog.lifecourse.com/2009/12/generation-kill-doesnt-do-powerpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1704 ericlanke Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:31:48 +0000 http://blog.lifecourse.com/?p=327#comment-1704 I've always heard that one of the reasons the Allies beat the Germans in World War II was because the Allies allowed for decentralized decision-making and the Germans didn't. Captains and even sergeants on the ground were given the latitude to make operational decisions, while their German counterparts were stuck waiting for orders from commanders far behind the front lines. If true, is there a connection to your generational theory? I've always heard that one of the reasons the Allies beat the Germans in World War II was because the Allies allowed for decentralized decision-making and the Germans didn't. Captains and even sergeants on the ground were given the latitude to make operational decisions, while their German counterparts were stuck waiting for orders from commanders far behind the front lines. If true, is there a connection to your generational theory?

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