Engineer Memoirs _____________________________________________________________________
A:
Well, I don't think engineer colonels today are going to become maneuver brigade
commanders.
Q:
Well, not anymore.
A:
There are going to be a few of them become Chiefs of Staff, and that's good and we've had a
few as Chiefs of Staff. We have an engineer Chief of Staff of an airborne Corps now.
General Reno, who's replacing me here, was G3 of the 1st Infantry Division and an
assistant deputy chief. There'll be more of that. General Vuono, you see, is one guy who
says, "I really want that colonel in the division," because the guys he's relied on for
understanding terrain have been his engineers. The trouble is, if the engineer of today is out
executing with his battalion, he's not up at division doing that for his division commander.
So, EForce really solves a lot of problems.
You find a few staffers opposed, most at the major or maybe even the lieutenant colonel
level, people who don't understand who offer that, but guys who've been there say, "I want
the colonel in the division."
Q:
Well, you know, you think of the engineer officers that came up in World War II and became
division commanders. All of them came out of that system you're talking about basically, the
regimental system where they served in an engineer regiment serving in a division. I mean,
they knew the inner workings of a division very much more than they probably do now. I'm
just thinking that maybe there is a new day, like you say.
Is there anything more you want to discuss on that particular subject, AirLand Battle,
anything key that you think that we didn't cover? It's a large subject so it's very difficult to
do it in a short time.
A:
Well, I think I've really discussed it.
Q:
Okay. Could you describe your personal philosophy of leadership, command, and
management?
A:
Well, yes, I will. I come from the school that says people are basically well motivated. I think
the Army does a pretty good job of growing them up through the system at whatever level
they are--I'm talking about all the grades--to be ready for that particular time for the
requirements of their position. So, I think that it's my responsibility, as commander or
commandant, to set the vision of what needs to be, to build a framework for getting there, to
allow the subordinate elements of the organizational structure to move to accomplish that. I
believe I recognize that people make mistakes on the way, and we don't have a perfect
organization, or perfect people, especially in an Army where we're always preparing for
something that we hope never to do--that is, fight--and thus we're putting people
continually into a growth position to grow to the next level of expertise. Consequently, I
believe in establishing an environment where a person can charge on with his own initiatives
and not be afraid of being dashed by me and has the capabilities to grow and develop.
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