• Maggoty@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Vance was not an officer. I don’t mean that disparagingly, he just wasn’t. He served a 4 year enlistment.

    If you’re comparing their careers, a sergeant major is a titan compared to a corporal. One of them was primarily concerned with taking pictures and not getting shot. The other made a career studying the art of leadership. It’s literally not even a contest.

    • merc@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      Oops, I thought Vance was an officer, not an enlisted member. Thanks for the correction.

      As for Walz, I don’t know how quickly he advanced through the ranks, but IMO a Command Sergeant Major is one of the most impressive titles. It’s a leadership rank but done the hard way. If you enter the military as an officer, you immediately outrank 80% of the military. A Command Sergeant Major has to practice the difficult art of leading people who technically outrank them.

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Yeah. And quite often they’re the ones responsible for standing up to the officers to protect the privates. I’ve had bad ones but a good sergeant major can make a huge difference in a unit.