Trying Too Hard

We have the case of a General who tried too hard to get his position adopted.  It wouldn’t be the first time, but it can be the last, especially when you are on the National Security Council.  Air Force Brig. Gen Robert Spalding was moved off the NSC for pushing a little too hard on the idea that the government should take over the 5G core network in the US so the Chinese could not get into the one we are going to build.  Too late for that, but that is not what got him in trouble. [note: it seems Fox is the only news outlet carrying this story this morning

I saw many Generals, especially the Service Chiefs, spend their spare time on the Hill trying to get programs approved.  The Secretary of Defense can stop that, but they frequently don’t.  Looks like our current one does not approve of that kind of positioning.  When I worked for DoD , it was always a good idea to check back with the folks who paid my salary before making statements about what I was going to do to help out on the Hill.  You are committing your superiors to a path they might not want to go down.  It is only fair to consult them.  Even business people are wise to keep their Congressional Offices informed about their projects and if their is any political exposure to what you are doing.

I was walking down the hall one day and a Congressman stopped to talk to my boss who was from a big company I won’t name.  The Congressman said, “Oh, I remember you from that software project.  I thought I would never see anyone from your place up here again.”  Then he walked off.  “It’s a long story” doesn’t really tell it very well, but it was five years before that this software was cancelled because it did not work the way it was supposed to.

It is a very unforgiving environment to work in, but nobody gives any training before sending you over there.  That wouldn’t hurt.  General Spalding probably was a smart guy who had a good idea.  That sometimes can get pushed up the chain in the military, but when it gets to the NSC there are 400 of those to consider.  Somebody should have told him.