Sounds like COL Hackworth. Not sure the opinion of the board members, but to me it showed that if someone speaks out in the public arena, a cruxification awaits them.

He may well have some interesting things to say and I'm sure he and the guy helping him write it will make some insightful and well fused observations, however; the odds that he, as a general officer, had a decent understanding of what the ground truth was on his watch is unlikely. I have seen a couple GO's go down to the ODA or platoon level to get an honest perspective but that is literally a couple....two, MG Allen and MG Townsend (and I mean they went and sat with the soldiers without their entourage and personally took notes). It is easy to disparage those at the top or the bottom, I'm fortunate in that I've been able to see and be a part of both at least in Iraq and Afghanistan. Watching yet another retired GO come out and tell everyone what went wrong after years sitting on his hands means little to me. It would be great if there is another COL Hackworth out there ready to give some insight on what happened in Iraq or Afghanistan but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Timing helps....
 

I was in the same IOBC as 2LT Dan Bolger. Out of a circa 200 man class, i seem to recall he graduated within the top few - and deserved it. All that said, the below quote places a decision to delay publishing until 35 years into a wee bit of context....just sayin'.....

"Before the law was changed, typical retired pay for a four-star was $134,400. Now, a four-star retiring in 2012 with 38 years of service gets a yearly payment of about $219,300, a jump of nearly $85,000. A three-star with 35 years gets about $169,750 a year, up about $39,000."

"Why We Lost".....
Because we try 'nation building' in places where they don't even understand what a Nation is.
Because there is no real central power to address or influence.
Because we have no clue as to the motivating factors in an Islamic/mafia run country (term used loosely to describe a geographic entity).
In an environment like Astan you kill all the bad guys with extreme prejudice and leave...you just fking leave.
We win.
If they start down the same path again you return and kill them all again and their goats.
They understand that.
We win, and save our soldiers and our wealth.

The SF hearts minds crap is wasted there....seeds cast on concrete...maybe a weed will grow in a crack but that is it.
Our nation building worked in Japan/Germany due to educated societies that could reason.

If the General doesn't say something similar then he's an idiot too.

"Before the law was changed, typical retired pay for a four-star was $134,400. Now, a four-star retiring in 2012 with 38 years of service gets a yearly payment of about $219,300, a jump of nearly $85,000. A three-star with 35 years gets about $169,750 a year, up about $39,000."

I may have just thrown up in my mouth a bit.

PRB..spot on.