Clearly we have to have input from experienced people into Government processes and decisions but my real worry is that, in the long term, success in paper-pushing will be seen as more important than front-line experience.
If multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and a few other places have shown me anything, it is the power of PowerPoint!
Stop sniggering at the back there.
I thought it was barking too when I first heard that said, but given the limited amount of resources when stacked up against a usually mammoth stack of demands that far outweighs the HQ's ability to service those demands, it is those officers who know their way around the system and can produce a well written case or a decent PPoint slide for the HQ responsible for apportioning said assets that get the toys and therefore the operational effect. If an hour spent in planning and producing a decent bit of operational staff work gets you the fast air, ISR or aviation you need to execute your op, it is time well spent.
Geeez, never thought I'd find myself sticking up for staff work ... that's depressing. I'm off to lie down in a dark room to recover.