Subject: An Officer.......
From: Ed Rasimus
Date: 2/23/04 6:51 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 22 Feb 2004 19:22:38 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

An officer never complains.

Show me a group that isn't griping, and I'll show you a group with a
morale problem.

An officer never explains.

Show me an officer who won't explain to those he is leading the why of
the issue and I'll show you a poor leader.

And an officer never allows himself to be put on the defensive.

If you don't find yourself on the defensive occasionally, you are
little more than a caretaker and not being either innovative or
aggressive. Reaching beyond the horizon will occasionally put you on
the defensive. How you deal with it is the measure of how good you
are.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8


We learned our jobs at a different time and in a different war. And we didn't
do all that badly in the process. I guess we learned to something right. Show
me an officer who complains and I'll show you a whining wimp. How an officer
behaves always trickles down to his men and his complaining can demoralise
troops and result in defeat. Be strong, always be strong. When an officer's
decisions are challenged by those below him explanations are signs of weakness
and make for poor leadership.
And when challenged he need only be secure in his decisions and demand his
orders be followed. That is a strong leader. Once troops qustion a leaders
decisions, he has lost both the control and faith of his troops. But I was
trained in the army. You were trained in the Air Force. That may be the
difference. No offense of course.




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer