I bet he doesn't have cool T-shirts.

Now HE slices like an F'en hammer!

And when he bans you, you stay banned!

That's right: don't mess with my brother!

Like kryptonite to FUBAR.

Ha.

Since you can't respond to the man anonymously and civilians apparently can't get access, his statement is a much-used load of crap. No one is going to tell him what he doesn't want to hear...unless, of course, they WANT their careers ruined.

ALL higher-ranking officers give that sort of pep talk to encourage feedback, and most soldiers know not to actually take them up on it. Giving feedback via the Internet is even worse because the general would then have a WRITTEN copy of your "suggestions." Dumb, dumb, dumb.

The only people who would use this service would be morons or brown nosers.

Later,
bbeck

Bbeck,

I wouldn't be so pessimistic. I'd view it more as an attempt to harness the power of a distributed network within a closed environment. Its success or failure will depend on how the general uses it.

If he asks a bunch of questions that amount to "ain't I great", then it will be a big waste of time. If he asks things more along the lines of "Anyone know how to..." and then judges response on their merits, then it might speed the flow of information to where it is needed.

The USMC is an organism under tremendous selection pressure for improvement. If it doesn’t adapt, its members literally die. I am not that surprised to see them try something novel like this.

I look forward to “Top 10 nicknames for my bayonet”

Speaking of gobbledegook, how about this from Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead:

Music is necessarily the mathematics of perception.

Wow! You'd have to be very stoned not to see thru this hosedump.

Ayes, we'll just have to disagree. I've heard the same tired "Don't worry about coming to me -- I'm ASKING you to" line from superior officers (and their wives) for 20 years, and I've heard about it from my military family connections for years longer. It's not just disingenuous, it's a trap that's been consistently used against people, even if the suggestions are good ones -- uh, ESPECIALLY if the suggestions are good ones that contradict a superior's ideas.

Don't get me wrong, I love the military, I've just seen this sort of schtick before, and the only thing that's different is that it's using modern technology.

Later,
bbeck

This is cool. And a great idea.

I have to confirm some of bbeck's pessimism at this digital suggestion box.

One of the best ways I found to survive in the military was to stay OFF the radar screen of Colonels and above.

I can think of two exceptions... but other than that, it was always a disaster whenever a general officer made his way through our shop... actually giving suggestions or feedback when he asked for it simply wasn't done (not with your O-6 commander scowling behind him). Many people still consider the chain-of-command sacrosanct.

Even so, on a deployment a general actually came and sat down for lunch with myself and a bunch of surgeons (FYI, NEVER ask a surgeon what he really thinks...). To the general's credit, he sat there and listened... even had some decent insights. He was a spec-ops type, however... dealing with operational people makes a world of difference.

"...dealing with operational people makes a world of difference."

THAT is veryveryvery true, NewGuy. Thing is, most higher ups are pencil pushers and schmoozers. And it's a shame.

Later,
bbeck

Many was the time that I told anyone and everyone who would listen exactly how things worked, what was wrong with them and how to fix them.

And, by God, then one day I woke up and I was running the whole damn Senate.

That's right, the US Senate.

So don't let anyone tell you that the cream rises to the top.

Heh. Never get tired of using that line.

Whoops.

I meant, "Don't ever let anyone tell you that the cream DOESN'T rise to the top."

Because it does.

And if you're like me, it can fly 20 feet across the room and hit a pre-designated spot ten feet up on the wall.

A MUST READ - How blogs are shaping communications within organizational structures

Also see my humble comment in the comment thread:

Link Here