Too many of those "lessons learned" have been paid for in dignity and blood, and not by the learners.

I have to believe that there is some fair sized amount of folks in there that are biding their time until they get people LEADING, who are hard charging and crusty and could give a damn about being pretty about it man-o'warsmen.

Sort of, I guess, the nervewracking wait in days of sail, guns loaded, ready to engage, but having to wait for being in range, knowing that the enemy is in range of your guns, you were in range of his....

The English Prince Harry, on being told that once he graduated Sandhurst (West Point, British version) he would be steered away from combat, said something along the lines of "I did NOT go though this school and this training just so my mates could get shot at while I sat on my ass in the rear."

Spoken like a LEADER, as well as a Prince.

Admiral Jonas Ingraham said it well ninety years ago..."The Navy has no place for good losers! The Navy needs tough sons of bitches who can go out there and win!"

SecDef Mattits may, I think, get some of the overdone p/c crap infesting the Armed Services dialed way back or altogether eliminated.