Re: [Phys-l] Smart Students

[Hugh Haskell <hhaskell@mindspring.com>]

At 20:27  -0500 5/30/06, Jack Uretsky wrote:

> Only true for the junior grades where the statutory attrition is
> negligible.  So the rule for grading junior officers actually makes some
> practical sense because a bad fitness report at the beginning of a career
> can make the whole career a dead end.

Not so. Unless they have changed the system a whole lot since I 
retired in '78. I consistently had marks on my evaluations that were 
in the best column, except for one or two in the next best column. It 
still wasn't good enough to get me to screen for command or get 
promoted to Captain.

In retrospect, they did me a favor. I've had a much better career 
since I left the Navy than I would have had if I had stayed in. But 
it didn't feel that way at the time. Officers with a PhD but limited 
combat experience were not looked upon favorably. Unlike the other 
services, the Navy has never looked very favorably on those who are 
not in the command track, regardless of their evaluations, or other 
qualifications.

Hugh
--

Hugh Haskell
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<mailto:hhaskell@mindspring.com>

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