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Wesley Clark - Useful Idiot
By oceanguy | June 30, 2008
I once described Wesley Clark as one of those military officers who believed their Fitness Reports… I still believe it.
I don’t think the military is unusual in having a problem of inflated evaluations, but it’s a system I’m very familiar with. Whatever the cause of the phenomenon, I lived it during a 20 year career in the Navy, both as an evaluator and as one being evaluated. Grades are inflated to the point that Ratings of “above average” are just a slap in that face and could even be be career killers. “Superlatives” were merely average grades. The whole evaluation process was often laughable. I had one evaluation as a young 24 year old Lieutenant Junior Grade which described me as “sagacious” and “perspicacious.” Yeah, at 24 I may have thought I was, but I still laughed at the comments, and was almost embarrassed during my evaluation interview.
Later, as a squadron department head, I had a Commanding Officer rank 3 of the 4 Department Heads as being the “#1″ of the group. With grade inflation and descriptors approaching the ridiculous, the ranking of the peer groups was the only true value of relative strength… and even that was corrupted by this poor leader who thought he was doing everyone a favor. Since we were in different year groups, our records would likely never be in front of the same selection board at the same time, so he felt safe in ranking us all as “1 of 4.” Again, I thought it was funny, but it was also harmful to everyone involved.
Of the three “top guys,” one really took it to heart. Unfortunately he was not unique. In every unit there were a couple of guys who actually believed what was written in those fantastic fitness reports. Those people often became insufferable, as the system just moved them along, promoting them and giving them more responsibility until, eventually, the Peter Principal would govern.
I look at Wesley Clark and I see one of those men who believed their fitness reports. For his entire career he was almost certainly told he was superlative… just like 90% of his peers… if he hadn’t been “superlative” he’d have never been a General… and through the luck of timing, and maybe a politically minded mentor, or through his own burning ambition, he wound up in charge of something important at a momentous time. The fact that he was basically fired, doesn’t matter, because through it all, even after he was removed from the post, he believed his fitness reports. In fact his firing was publicly presented in such a way as to keep his superlative self-esteem intact. He was a success while being fired.
It’s not at all surprising to me that such a man, one who feels great about his accomplishments while ignoring the reality of the results, winds up as a voice in today’s Democratic Party. A sympathetic press, eager to have a military hero as a Democratic spokesman, rush to hold him up as an icon to their commitment to National Security. It’s not at all surprising that, given that platform and his unfailing belief in his own fitness reports, that he would pull out his crank and stomp on it while attacking a genuinely courageous and soft-spoken hero. It’s extremely offensive, but not at all surprising.
Clark is like a man who incessantly calls himself a Capital ‘G’ Gentleman… like a man who refers to himself as a mensch… or a man who tells everyone within earshot about his latest Mensa group get-together. Since we haven’t read his fitness reports, he must read them to us. You know, I wouldn’t say he’s a fraud, but he’s definitely not suffering from a lack of self-esteem .
Clark might be a more compelling figure if he exhibited a bit more humility, but he seems to prefer the limelight and playing the useful idiot for a group that has so little respect for, and even less knowledge of, our Country’s Armed Forces. The Obamarama campaign appears intent on attacking McCain’s military service, and all military service in general, but Clark isn’t bright enough to understand that; he only cares about those flattering things written about him.
Meanwhile, John McCain is humble about his service to a fault.
Wesley Clark, STFU.
Topics: As a Democrat |
June 30th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Thanks. Very well said, and puts WC into proper context.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I had no idea the American military suffered from the same grade inflation so damaging to American public schools. I have to say that I left your post feeling quite depressed — and that’s separate from the depression that falls on me when I realize people are actually taking Weasely Clark seriously.
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 am
Excellent, and a tad scary.
I linked to this and quoted you a few times. I hope you don’t mind.
July 8th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Fascinating to read your insider’s POV on the military evaluation system as applied to Clark.
July 11th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I agree with Gail regarding your “inside” view of the Clark situation. I am quite ticked off at Clark, who the Left likes to trot out everytime someone questions its knowledge of any and all things military.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Taking July off from blogging?
July 16th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
No Gail.. it’s just busy at work and life is a mess at the moment. I’m reading a small portion of what I usually read and finding very little time to write on the blog… thanks for asking
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Ah. Sorry to hear it, Mr. Ocean. I hope things clear up for you soon. Your blogging is missed.