Reply #36: I've met some stellar flag and general officers

[MADem]

For every lousy one, there are at least two who are true professionals and take their responsibilities seriously. The real good ones are rather humble, too. And that's smart--because the responsibility can be awesome, and if you do the job right, it weighs on you. The good leader worries about every single person in their command.

It helps if they stay operational as much as possible. Spend too much time in DC, and some of them get that Potomac Fever...but the ones who regularly return to operational assignments, and don't try to minimum-tour them so they can get back to the bright lights, are the ones who are worth their weight in gold. Tony Zinni was like that--he never let the grass grow under his feet.