Closing the war colleges and the academies (III): Who said this?

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 3:20 PM Share

Do military officers benefit from attending a civilian graduate school after having learned their trade as warfighters and during a period in their careers that permits them to spend a year or two 'away from the troops'? The short answer is yes....
"The first and most important [reason] is that a stint at graduate school takes military officers out of their intellectual comfort zones...
"Of course, West Point has changed enormously over the years and it is a true national treasure, but despite the varied curriculum and experiences it provides, it is not an institution that puts creativity, individuality and discovery before all else."

Two points to the first person who identifies the writer.

AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:SERVICE ACADEMIES , EDUCATION, MILITARY

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REXW

9:00 PM ET

April 22, 2009

Certainly cannot identify the

Certainly cannot identify the writer and on another matter entirely....Photos of Petraeus have always amused me and my friends. Does he also have ribbons on his back as well, just to even himself up?.

One day, someone should identify all those awards and explain how a man with so little combat experience can end up wth a chestful of fruit salad as he displays.
It is a joke but much more a joke outside US circles.
There's a project for someone, Tom. You would be doing all the sceptics out there a great favour by telling us he is not a fraud, because I think he is.
Even Macarthur and Patton, two of the greatest ever egomaniacs didn't sport that array of medals.

TOM RICKS

9:09 PM ET

April 22, 2009

I strongly disagree

I'm a big believer in freedom of speech. I don't take down posts that attack me or others. But I strongly disagree with this post. I am not responding to it because I think General Petraeus can defend himself.

I do wish that those posting such abusive comments would sign their real names.

CHARLIEFORD

10:01 PM ET

April 22, 2009

a modest array of medals

www.flickr.com/photos/mbell1975/3157281059/

JAMES S.

8:24 AM ET

April 23, 2009

I find your lack of knowledge disturbing

The chest of ribbons Gen. Petraeus has is not as large as it seems. Because the collar of his uniform would cover many of his ribbons they are offset to his left. The bottom row has four ribbons. The next few rows up have three each. The top couple have 2 each. There is only one at the very top. It makes the number of ribbons seem larger than it is to the untrained eye. This is completely authorized by AR 670-1 Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. At a glance at least the bottom three rows are service and campaign ribbons. These are ribbons we get for serving overseas, serving with other branches or with NATO, some schools, and the various actions that we participate in (Southwest Asia, Korea Defense Service, Kuwait Liberation, ect…) These ribbons are not for valor. They are for participating in the events that make our history. That does not make them any less important. If you have doubts about his military experience then just look him up on Wikipedia.

MARCOS EL MALO

1:10 PM ET

April 26, 2009

Move On, Buddy

Go back to moveon.org. Adults are talking here.

BILL KELLER

12:10 AM ET

April 23, 2009

Petraeus is to West Point's Balance Sheet a very strong asset..

Assets these days are exceptional things from any institution.

He and his Army contributed to our Nation some time to deal with its own internal issues and to democratically remove an old stain and a new malignancy.

Nice investment return from West Point and that New Jersey institution built upon the booty seized from an executed pirate.

HEAVILY ARMED TOURIST

3:22 AM ET

April 23, 2009

West Point and Petraeus as an example

The person who said that is General Petraeus himself but you are taking it out of context Tom. Its a graduate education he refers to that augments a strong undergraduate training program and the military education system. Its a system of educating officers. The military academies are a vital part of the checks and balances. To claim that all of the ROTC's are better as a whole is a leap of fact that is staggering. I have had some absolutely horrifyingly bad ROTC officers serve with me as well as some West Pointers. We don't blanket either group with scorn because of the failed grads. To use Petraeus to buttress your arguments is patently ridiculous. He is a both a graduate of the academy as well as a former instructor, whom I had the privilege of having. The education I got there and from him is unparalleled. No, most of my instructors were not Phd's and thank God cause I know some complete idiot Phd's and I met them at our nations number one school. I got an education to make me a future leader from real proven combat leaders. The school curriculum is only part of what I gained at the academy. The military immersion is what really made me.

On the knucklehead up top commenting on the generals ribbons it boggles the mind to criticize an officer who has earned so many awards fairly. There aren't any fake Silver Stars from one engagement. There aren't any underserved medals. He wears his uniform in strict accordance with the Army regulations and that means every badge and ribbon is worn. GEN Petraeus spent 46 months in Iraq! I don't know of any other soldier with more time in combat than that...period. He went out and got hit by IED's and sniped. He walked patrols with soldiers both US and Iraqi. He isn't a desk jockey.