They're Breaking My Army

The Small Wars Journal is reporting that Colonel H.R. McMaster has been passed over for promotion. To remind the reader, Colonel H.R. McMaster has been responsible for:

• Graduated from West Point in 1984
• Commanded Eagle Troop of the 2d AR CAV during Operation Desert Storm, notably participating in the famous Battle of 73 Easting
• Taught history at West Point for two years
• Wrote a book titled Dereliction of Duty in 1998 as his doctoral thesis
• Worked on CENTCOM staff directly for GEN Abizaid
• Commanded the 3rd AR CAV Regiment in 2004 and subdued the town of Tal Afar, attracting the attention of the president (in a good way)
• Worked for the Institute of International Strategic Studies on counterinsurgency operations
• Working for GEN Petraeus on same subject

So what should we think about the fact that Colonel H.R. McMaster has been passed over for the rank of brigadier general not once, but twice? Is the Army leadership lashing back at the star of counterinsurgency strategy because he's too close to the White House and a little too biting in his criticisms? If so, the Army leadership shows its inelegant grace by eating its young and shooting itself in the foot.

Comments

[Robot Economist]

This shouldn't be too surprising. Once you pen a book that is critical of Army leadership -- regardless of how well it is received -- you will never make general officer. The flag rank is just too tight of a fraternity for Army leaders with "high-risk" attitudes.

Just ask Andy Krepinevich.

[morinao]

Who sits on these promotion boards? If it's a bunch of one-stars and two-stars, seems like there's a perverse incentive to pass over the most impressive candidates, because they'll all be competing for the same three-star and four-star jobs a couple years down the road.

[Mike]

I had then MAJ McMaster for part of my senior year at West Point. He was a fascinating instructor, and I wish I'd been able to serve with him (I left he 3rd ACR before he took command). It's unbelievable to me that he's been passed over.

Commanding an ACR in combat is almost like commanding a division - it's a huge, huge combined arms team that executes it's mission independently. To do that as a relatively young COL is awesome. To do it with the success he had, and the unconditional admiration, and respect of his troops and the Iraqi's he worked with is remarkable.

[Minnesotachuck]

IIRC, it was either Liddell-Hart or Fuller who was talking about an up-and-coming British officer he'd known in The Great War: "He was the most brilliant, capable officer I ever met. Of course, he never made it past colonel."

[Charles Bowery]

Wow. All I can say. Wow.