Recruitment campaign by NZDF…
…ummmmmmm. Actually when it comes to the New Zealand Defence Force, I think patience is a virtue and impatience can kinda lead to war crimes. I’m not sure I want people with an itchy trigger finger being the frontline of NZ diplomacy, do you? I’d like really patient people making those kind of decisions in stressful conditions. People who think rather than react, you know?
I’m just not sure trying to appeal to people who like to be impatient into the armed forces is necessarily a good thing for anyone.
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Agree. But what are our armed forces for? Overseas enemies, we currently believe in a ‘comfortable’ way. I am sure that John Key would say he was ‘comfortable’ with that ad.
Others who feel comfortable, I recommend you to read Noam Chomsky’s ‘Hegemony or Survival’. See how the US perverted the armies of Latin American countries to suppress their own populations.
But that could not happen here, could it?
Nextbillboards to come real soon…
“Sloth is a virtue”
“Greed is a virtue”
“Lack of hygiene is a virtue”
“Random firing of your gun is a virtue”
“Bad mouthing your colleagues is a virtue”
“Filing fraudulent electoral returns is a virtue”
It’ll be interesting to see the ‘calibre’ of recruits attracted…
Not supporting drone strikes that kill foreigners is a virtue.
Not supporting drone strikes that kill NZers is a virtue.
That first one could actually make a lot of sense (much more than the actual ad) if this quote is anything to go by:
“I divide my officers into four groups. There are clever, diligent, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and diligent — their place is the General Staff. The next lot are stupid and lazy — they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the intellectual clarity and the composure necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is stupid and diligent — he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always cause only mischief.”
Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord
I think you are taking this to a bit of an extreem. The bill board is more trying to appeal to those who want to try and progress quickly. Joining the NZDF as an officer if you have the appropriate skills can afford opertunities to gain leadership training (far superior to anything I have experienced in civilian work) and progression at a good pace.
Any implication this comes at the cost of a lack in proper training with regards to the laws of armed conflict and tactics a completely incorrect. Right from junior levels through to the most senior levels they are drilled into all uniformed personel. You then have to go through them again if you are going on an operational deployment. NZDF takes this sort of thing very seriously.
At what point is undergoing oloc and deloc training a exercise in impatience?
At what point is constant drill, focus on perfect execution of IA’s a exercise in impatience?
At what point is basic, corp, Jnco, Snco, Officer, Coy commander ect ect training/courses under stress to find per’s that crack under the strain, a exercise in impatience?
Doing the job properly inspite of external stress factors such as instructor/staff “impatience” was the key. The advert is tendentious, you do the job correctly inspite of “impatience” not because the Army placed a premium on ADD fuckos making any decision good or bad and ignoring the results.
NO ….no no no no noooooo….WRONG !!!!!!!!!!
The add is directed at field decisions and the ability/quality of lower ranking officers to be able to quickly assess a situation and act accordingly. As such, ..this may mean life saving actions in a civil situation in a region receiving relief and aid from natural disasters as much as in actual combat conditions.
Lets go a little easy on our armed services and discern between ‘Theater’ and ‘Field’ operational procedures..the add here is appealing to young people to train in making direct and immediate decisions in field conditions..ie : tactical , not overall strategic ‘Theater’ planning .
Senior commanders involved in operational planning in Theater are well known (and in fact , vetted on ) for being considered , patient and methodical in their thinking and character.
You need both groups to effect any objective. Eisenhower being a classic example of a ‘Theater’ planner..who wasn’t directly involved in the fight per se’…and General ‘Blood and Guts’ Patton who WAS directly involved with the fighting AND led from the front.
Lets see the add for what it is…a humorous pun on the old virtue of patience appealing to people with a penchant for direct action under pressurized conditions. And lets also remember that many of our folk in the services are decent folk trained not to cause a war through being overly trigger happy. Far from it.
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