I highlighted the paragraph that made me post this. I think part of the reason is Rumsfeld.
A most impressive general ...
Tom Barnett
Dateline: back in the Shire, Indy, 8 August 2005
Spent about 90 with the Chief of the Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. James R. Helmly, in his Pentagon office today. Kinda cool. I cite a speech of his that was covered in the Post in BFA.
Knew nothing of me or my work, besides reading a review of the book. Heard my pitch, with me pulling out my Mac and running a few slides. We go back and forth on a lot of issues, and I realize there is no sale to be made--the man is already there big-time on the SysAdmin concept and what it means for the Reserve Component.
Going no further, he asks if I can speak to fellow Reserve Component generals at one of two upcoming conclaves.
Will have to make at least one happen. How do you say no to the Army Reserve when they're dong that much fighting and dying in Iraq right now? I mean, you charge the big fees when you can to cover when no fee is appropriate; or you charge Peter and comp Paul. I got people to feed like anybody else, but your sense of duty says you help where you can with no questions asked. You're just happy to make a difference and feel useful to people with very difficult jobs.
Helmly is one of those Southern-drawling generals who measures his words like most people write checks. I mean, you really pay attention no matter where he is in the sentence. If Oliver Stone made a movie with him in it, he'd be played by Powers Boothe.
I always say, you walk out of an office in DC with one of two feelings: who the hell is that jerk? Or, thank God we got somebody like that in that job!
Helmly definitely strikes the latter chord, and I'm no pushover. I've met more dumbass flags than I can count, but the frequency gets closer and closer to zero the further we get away from the Cold War. We have the best military in the world because we have the best flags in the world.
I wish every American could spend time with some of these individuals. They're that impressive.
The Helmly meet (I didn't get to meet the head of the Army Nat Guard Gen. Vaughn because he was called to testify on the Hill at the last moment) was a legacy of TED, if you can believe it. A retired Army officer Jim Crupi, who's also with Leigh Bureau (my speaking agency) saw me at TED. Then he came to The New Map Game. When he set up this meet I frankly thought full of shit for doing so: what in God's name was I going to tell this guy? I do the big picture, and this guy's running hundreds of thousands of troops going into and out of a combat zone.
But you never underestimate the power of the strategic vision. Helmly finds a use, and I'm more than happy to be useful.
So I take my hat to Jim Crupi. As always, I am basically the worst judge of my own utility. I get things done when I trust people who "get it" (and me) better than I do.
Amazing what a little trust in your fellow man will do..
thomaspmbarnett.com |
