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Notes -
I believe the only way to prevent the standards dropping and deluge of paperwork is to have a more severe conflict or war. Peacetime militaries are concerned with peacetime issues, mainly not getting fired. So the people who excel at that are profoundly middling, the shut up and color types. The dirt bags get forced out and the superstars move on to bigger and better things. So, after a decade or two of incrementally adding extra rules and handicaps to pad a FITREP saying I made this 5% safer and saved the Govt $10 or whatever, we have filled the GOFO ranks with politicians smart enough to do nothing.
To address your larger point, you mentioned the Patron/Client relationship, presumably a reference to Ancient Rome. At what point was the Roman Republic salvageable? The descent (or perhaps ascent in some points of view) into autocracy seems almost inevitable, the only people who could prevent it would require the cooperation of those who stood to lose the most from maintaining a stable, more democratic government. Anyway if the republic is destined to fall, you might as well get yours; even if it's only $1776.
P.S. fwiw I really haven't seen any struggle sessions about being an evil yt. Perhaps it's different cultures in different branches. I haven't been in as long as you but I'm not brand new either.
P.P.S. I agree I think there will be a lot of resistance to change from SECDEF's changes.
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