Fall back to spring forward

Ya can't see the forrest for the trees if you're standing too close. You need to take a step back to see the big picture. So, take a deep breath and step back ... step forward. Step back. Step forward. And now we're doing the cha-cha. To quote Chris Knight.

So, it began with a nifty little article from Slate explaining the difference between the Reserves and the National Guard. And the article included an interesting link to a recent memo detailing concerns with the current approach to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).

Last month, OCAR (Office of the Chief, Army Reserve) sent out a very thought-provoking memo which warns of the dangers of creating a "broken force" should the US continue its current policy of hobbling together its force in a patchwork manner. The current system uses financial incentives to entice "volunteers", creating something more akin to a group of mercenaries, rather than relying on the natural cohesiveness inherent in deploying entire units. In short, current DoD policy favors filling slots with warm bodies rather than experts or specialists. In addition, the "anyone's guess" approach to deployment lengths and mobilization creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and needless stress.

Currently, DoD seems to be taking a short-term look at the war(s) and isn't seeing the big picture. Sometimes, in order to take two steps forward, you need to first take one step back...