“I want somebody who I know will kill an enemy without a problem, hesitation or remorse if required”, Doug was telling me. Another late night conversation speculating on the really important issues of life (excluding God, the afterlife and true questions of faith) when we should be sleeping. “I want a leader who if they have to will shoot them dead and just keep on moving. No tears, no second thoughts at the time. Somebody who can make a decision!”
“Is that it? Anything else you want from a leader?”
“Yeah! I want a guy who if we are in combat and one guy gets killed like say, Morales, he says, “Well. Damn! That sucks! He was a good guy and I am going to miss him! Johnson! Get your ass up here and move out! You are in charge of this now! Or maybe Hey! Jones! Get the radio off of Morales and let’s move out!”
“Do you think you can tell who can do that and who can’t in this group?”
“Yeah. You know we were making a list in the shop. People who we would go with no problem and some others who, hmmm, well we have a little doubt.”
“Don’t elaborate on names. I don’t want to know, except where do I fit in?”
“You?! Oh yeah. No, you are okay. I know you would have no problem with either of that. I want a guy like in “Blackhawk Down”, that Battalion Commander?”
“I didn’t see it. I don’t want to watch Blackhawks get shot down.”
“Well, the rangers are driving on to rescue those guys and there are bullets flying and shit all over and he is just standing there all calm directing people to do this and that, picks up a wounded guy, throws him in the back and then stars directing guys again. Or like in “Saving Private Ryan” that opening scene where the radioman gets his face blown off and he says it, like, “Johnson! Smedlys dead. Get the radio and let’s go! That is what I want in a leader. I don’t have to like him but I need to trust that he will do the right thing.”
“I think that is what we always wonder about. If the bullets are flying and people are dying who will keep leading? I don’t want to see your list. I already have my own. And you and all of your team I know are on it.”
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