International News
See other International News Articles
Title: American Colonel Sacked After Afghan Rant
Source:
Telegraph
URL Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor ... rican-colonel-sacked-after-Afg
Published: Aug 30, 2010
Author: By Ben Farmer in Kabul
Post Date: 2010-08-30 00:29:20 by Murron
Keywords: None
Views: 36234
Comments: 57
FWIW! This story may have been pulled from the link provided, I checked and it wasn't there but Joe Snuffy got it at LP, it may show up later. American Colonel Sacked After Afghan Rant A senior American staff officer has been sacked after publishing a rant against the bureaucracy and endless PowerPoint briefings at Nato's Kabul headquarters. By Ben Farmer in Kabul Col Lawrence Sellin was sent home after generals read an opinion piece he had written revealing "little of substance" was done at the coalition's joint command in Afghanistan. He went on to paint a picture of a bloated organisation, swollen by the vanity of commanders, where endless slide show presentations are given to brief "cognitively challenged" generals. A spokesman for the joint command confirmed Col Sellin, an army reservist with a PhD who was on his second tour of Afghanistan, had lost his job because of his remarks. "He's no longer working at the joint command, he has been sent back to his unit." Col Sellin's piece, written for the news agency UPI and called "PowerPoints 'R' Us", was published on Tuesday, but appears to have been born of a long period of frustration. Beginning by acknowledging the piece may not benefit his career, but explaining it would be therapeutic, he wrote: "I have been assigned as a staff officer to a headquarters in Afghanistan for about two months. During that time, I have not done anything productive. Fortunately little of substance is really done here, but that is a task we do well." He said the international coalition's sprawling joint command, which oversees operations across Afghanistan, was probably founded "to provide some general a three-star command". It had grown from a small group of "dedicated and intelligent officers" to "a stove-piped and bloated organisation, top-heavy in rank" where "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a colonel". However he reserved his deepest criticism for the daily slide show presentations junior officers must give to keep top brass updated. "For headquarters staff, war consists largely of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information," he wrote. Giving good presentations had become an end in itself, he said, suggesting "random motion, ad hoc processes and an in-depth knowledge of Army minutia and acronyms are also key characteristics of a successful staff officer." Actual progress in the war had become "optional", he believed. The cornerstone of HQ life, the commander's update, was delivered to "semi-comatose" audience of one and two-star generals where each briefer has "1 or 2 minutes to impart either information or misinformation". "Usually they don't do either. Fortunately, none of the information provided makes an indelible impact on any of the generals." Col Sellin said the joint command was to grow even more because "an officer, who is currently without one, needs a staff of 35 people to create a big splash before his promotion board". Soldiers have long complained of the growing reliance on slide shows to brief people and the time dedicated to writing the presentations. A spokesman for the Nato joint command said Col Sellin had been sacked because he had failed to clear his comments with public affairs officers. Colonel Hans Bush, chief of public affairs said: "His comments do not reflect the reality of the work done every day at [joint command]. "His insights are his own, however, his duty position and responsibilities did not offer him the situational awareness needed to validate his postings to the media."
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Murron (#0)
Its justified,.....cuz Mad Dog says its TOTAL WAR! and in TOTAL WAR,....you just do, and as GI says You just suck it up and do! You go hunt that Taliban ,...with the donkey and the RPG Just do it!
Colonel Kicked Out of Afghanistan for Anti-PowerPoint Rant By Spencer Ackerman Consider it a new version of death by PowerPoint. The NATO command in Afghanistan has fired a staff officer who publicly criticized its interminable briefings, its over-reliance on Microsoft’s slide-show program, and what he considered its crushing bureaucracy. Army Col. Lawrence Sellin, a 61-year old reservist from New Jersey who served in Afghanistan and Iraq prior to this deployment, got the sack Thursday from his job as a staff officer at the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Kabul. The hammer fell barely 48 hours after United Press International ran a passionate op-ed he wrote to lament that “little of substance is really done here.” He tells Danger Room, “I feel quite rather alone here at the moment.” The colonel’s rant called into question whether ISAF’s revamped command structure, charged with coordinating the day-by-day war effort, was much more than a briefing factory. Or, as Sellin put it, “endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information.” According to Sellin, when his commanding general (whom he doesn’t want to name) saw that Sellin described IJC as a blinkered bureaucracy, he informed the colonel that it was time to pack his things. “He was very polite and shook my hand and wished me luck,” Sellin says. A spokesman for the command cited the specific regulation that sealed Sellin’s fate: NATO Directive (95-1); failure to clear “written or oral presentations to the media” through a designated public-affairs officer. “His comments do not reflect the reality of the work done every day at IJC,” says its director of public affairs, Colonel Hans Bush. “His insights are his own, however, his duty position and responsibilities did not offer him the situational awareness needed to validate his postings to the media.” Effectively, that means enlisted men and officers are freer to speak their minds in front of embedded reporters than they are while serving on headquarters staff. Additionally troops are basically free to provide their opinions on a blog — as long as it doesn’t violate operational security, and as long as they don’t claim to be speaking for the Defense Department officially. Had Sellin blogged or tweeted his critique rather than published it through a wire service, maybe he’d still have his job. Sellin says he tried to send constructive criticism up the chain before he typed out his UPI piece. He gave his superiors a briefing on “proven organizational methodologies” to streamline IJC, but it went nowhere. “It was only my rant that everyone read,” he says. “My hope is that after they stop being angry at me, maybe they will take a serious look at how they operate.” The irony? His briefing was a five-slide PowerPoint. Apparently, not everyone at IJC was as gracious as Sellin’s boss when the op-ed began to circulate. Sellin says that a two-star general — whom he declines to name — told him “I was a coward, unpatriotic, ignorant, petty and that he had no respect for me.” Sellin gauges that lieutenant colonels and lower-ranked officers support him, as do a few colonels. “In regard to most of the other colonels,” he concedes, I have marks all over me from where they have been touching me with ten-foot poles.” Sellin is going to head home to Finland, where he’s worked for the past several years for an information-technology company that he asks me not to name. He doesn’t wish any of his now-former colleagues in IJC any ill will. But he wonders if recently-admitted problems training the Afghan security forces — the U.S.’s ultimate ticket out of the ten-year old war — is going to yield any greater sense of urgency from IJC. “Mine is not an indictment of people or am I questioning their intentions, just some judgments that are being made and the methods that are being used,” he says. “It can be done better. We can fulfill our national security needs and get out.” Update: Sellin wrote a lot more for UPI than just his thoughts on PowerPoint. Check out his full archive of columns here.
I'll just bet that donkey looks mighty tempting, since your the pervert who took the time to find it! If it's a war of words you want with Mad Dog, take it back to LP you sniveling coward, because any discussion on this article is way above your IQ!
You mean the contraction for 'you are' = you're.
Well...she's Boofer by injection and his abuse of grammar in general is pretty well known... But, get this, she claims to be a journalist.
No way!
"For headquarters staff, war consists largely of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information," he wrote.
#2. To: All (#0)
#3. To: Parrot with speed dial (#1)
#4. To: Murron (#3)
I'll just bet that donkey looks mighty tempting, since your the pervert who took the time to find it!
#5. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
(Edited)
#6. To: war (#5)
But, get this, she claims to be a journalist.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#7. To: Fred Mertz (#6) (Edited)
Chyea...The Daily Shinny I'd imagine...
#8. To: war (#7)
I saw that she gave you redneck dating advice...har..de..har..har.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#9. To: Fred Mertz (#8)
I missed that...will look...
I saw that she gave you redneck dating advice...har..de..har..har.
#10. To: Fred Mertz (#8)
Do you think she has a beehive hairdo? I think she does...
#11. To: war (#9)
I can't remember who she posted it to, maybe liberator... Big hair? You think?
I missed that...will look...
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#12. To: war (#10)
I'm good...
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#13. To: Fred Mertz (#12)
You are...she didn;t pING me, tho. Wish she would have...could have used that advice about writing the name down first...on the other hand...her name is really "MORON" and look how she spelled it...
I'm good...
#14. To: war (#13)
This has got to Bizarro World...Moron flirting with BOTH badeye and Tull... I don't get it.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#15. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
This thread had nothing to do with me fred, but you've learned from the best how to destroy a good thread and article, I hope you're proud, and it was worth it, friend, and neighbor!
#16. To: Ferret Mike, Fred Mertz (#15)
Sorry Mike, not feeling so good today, the above post was meant for fred.
#17. To: Fred Mertz (#14)
I don't get it. She would be flirting with Hitler or Mao in different circumstances.
This has got to Bizarro World...Moron flirting with BOTH badeye and Tull...
"Look you leftist pervert, make sure you keep your Mr Winky away from your family's new addition or I will send some fellow salad tossers to square away your sorry butt. Got it??"
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
#18. To: Ferret Mike (#4)
Yes I did, I really should use spell check, but most know I what I meant.
You mean the contraction for 'you are' = you're.
#19. To: Murron (#15)
I just hope you don't have another one of your bipolar meltdowns over some little thing. This past weekend I learned that the little things in life are most important and memorable. My sister was nicknamed Bunny. She died in her sleep nine years ago. Bunny.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#20. To: mininggold (#17)
Where you been? I thought we lost you.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#21. To: Fred Mertz (#20) (Edited)
I thought we lost you. Evidently Tull's pissed at my tagline so he got Stone to "warn" me in the name of free speech I guess. This site's getting too much like LP anyway. These idiots are going to lose bigtime because of their nastiness like they did the last time, too bad the neocon pubby wing had to resort to hiring felons to do their dirty work.
Where you been?
"Look you leftist pervert, make sure you keep your Mr Winky away from your family's new addition or I will send some fellow salad tossers to square away your sorry butt. Got it??"
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
#22. To: mininggold (#21)
Funny how that works. Stone started a thread at Jethro's site that Jethro then pulled. Then Stone posts it here and grovels at Jethro's feet about it. It does make you wonder who really runs this site now.
Evidently Tull's pissed at my tagline so he got Stone to "warn" me in the name of free speech I guess.
"How many confirmed NV Mig kills do YOU have general? I only have three." - Mad Dog, the village idiot's hemorrhoid.
#23. To: mininggold (#21)
You've got me LOL - my dog and (hopefully not) neighbors will think I'm going whacky. Tull does pull aka loser's strings from what I can tell. I'm going to try to change that or be banned for life.
Evidently Tull's pissed at my tagline so he got Stone to "warn" me in the name of free speech I guess.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#24. To: mininggold (#21)
You've given me one week's worth of laughter already. Thanks!
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#25. To: Skip Intro (#22)
It does make you wonder who really runs this site now. Then Stone in the good Christian tradition posts a similiar about buckeroo. As if anyone here really could give a rip about either poster. There really is a father/son quality about the Stone/Tull relationship. I would bet one was reared without a daddy.
Funny how that works. Stone started a thread at Jethro's site that Jethro then pulled. Then Stone posts it here and grovels at Jethro's feet about it.
"Look you leftist pervert, make sure you keep your Mr Winky away from your family's new addition or I will send some fellow salad tossers to square away your sorry butt. Got it??"
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
#26. To: mininggold (#25)
Buckeroo posted it. I renamed it.
Then Stone in the good Christian tradition posts a similiar about buckeroo
#27. To: A K A Stone, sneakypete (#26)
aka loser, please be your own man. Like petey said, try not to have a 1st Amendment problem. I'm cheering for you. Your two-bit site has more activity than elPee. Don't fuck it up.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#28. To: mininggold (#21)
You got a "time-out"? Geezus...LP Lite...
#29. To: mininggold (#25)
...I'd not bet against it...
I would bet one was reared...
#30. To: Fred Mertz, A K A Stone (#27)
Sound familiar?
#31. To: Fred Mertz (#23) (Edited)
C'mon...Tull WANTS this site to do well. Can't you tell by the way he continually encourages Stoney to be tolerant of different opinions - much as Tull does at his goomah's site?
Tull does pull aka loser's strings from what I can tell. I'm going to try to change that or be banned for life.
#32. To: war (#31)
I wish I could be more magnanimous....but that's as good as I get.
Your two-bit site has more activity than elPee.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#33. To: mininggold (#21)
I just read your tagline for the first time dummy. I have the power to change it. But it don't change it. Because I don't give a shit about it.
#34. To: A K A Stone (#33)
Did you give mininggold a timeout, Goldi Jr.?
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#35. To: A K A Stone (#33) (Edited)
That "tagline" was a post that Tull made to me. You banned me because of a lesser comment I made to Whitey and for which you went Postal over. This is a PRIME example of the consistency you lack.
#36. To: A K A Stone (#33)
Consistency...prune juice...oatmeal...
This is a PRIME example of the consistency you lack.
"Lets [sic] rent a room." ~ Tull to Rotara
#37. To: Fred Mertz (#32)
Ha... Your ..."one nickel at a time" education betrays you sometimes...
#38. To: war (#28) (Edited)
Geezus...LP Lite... For no reason stated but bait to impress his daddy after one of his stupid accusations which would not pass even light scrutiny. I'll let Stone try to prove a negative on this one.
You got a "time-out"?
"Look you leftist pervert, make sure you keep your Mr Winky away from your family's new addition or I will send some fellow salad tossers to square away your sorry butt. Got it??"
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
#39. To: mininggold (#38) (Edited)
I suffered the same fate for calling that fat fuck of a NJ Governor that fat fuck of a New Jersey governor. Tull and Boofer thought it worse than Clinton lying about a blow job.
#40. To: war (#39)
These politician worshippers and their obsessive neediness for a Messiah to save them from themselves, are ruining this country. And they are trying to switch the standards of the process by implying it's now the citizens having to prove they are good enough to vote for whatever royal elite is throwing in their hat to further screw the country.
suffered the same fate for calling that fat fuck of a NJ Governor that fat fuck of a New Jersey governor. Tull and Boofer thought it worse than Clinton lying about a blow job.
"Look you leftist pervert, make sure you keep your Mr Winky away from your family's new addition or I will send some fellow salad tossers to square away your sorry butt. Got it??"
The good "cop", Jethro Tull explaining how to prevent a Palin family tradition in YOUR family.
#41. To: Murron (#18)
Heehee, no worries; spell check has let me down too. We had bugged Stone about this until he learned how to write 'you're,' so I was just being silly about it in the spirit of that. Posting on forums 15 years has vastly improved my spelling and writing, and I've seen you improve over the years too - as with others I read a long time. Keep on posting. Reading, writing, thinking, debating, these are all good things not enough people do enough of. ;-)
"Yes I did, I really should use spell check, but most know I what I meant."
.
.
.
Comments (42 - 57) not displayed.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]