Originally Posted by Botnst

Soldiering is a brutal line of work. A mistake by a noncom in action can mean death to scores of people. A mistake by a general officer can mean hundreds or thousands dead. A mistake by a civilian leader can be far, far worse. But so can failure to act result in even more death, destruction, loss and misery. The American military trains it's people to take risk and responsibility at the lowest level of decision. This results in a very dynamic, responsive force. It can also result in awful mistakes. Placing decision-making power into the hands of 20-somethings is a huge risk, especially given the available ordnance. It's a tough balance.



B