{"product_id":"the-spit-shine-syndrome-organizational-irrationality-in-the-american-field-army-hardcover","title":"The Spit-Shine Syndrome: Organizational Irrationality in the American Field Army - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eChris Bassford\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThose interested in reforming the Army's personnel and evaluation systems will find The Spit-Shine Syndome's fairly detailed proposals both interesting and thought-provoking. \u003ci\u003eArmed Forces Journal\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBassford's comprehensive proposals put him in an altogether different category from other self-proclaimed  defense reformers.' . . . Bassford criticizes but he also offers a package of solutions. His frustrations seem to be shared by at least some of the Army's leadership. Gen. John Galvin, our top commander in NATO, has lamented the  grindstone of bureaucratic business' that undermines combat readiness. In his approving foreword to Bassford's writing, retired Lt. Gen. Robert Elton declared:  The potential is there to mold a truly great Army. . . . This book screams for someone to listen.' And perhaps more important, to act. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe problem of adjusting American military organization to new social, political, and strategic realities has perplexed military thinkers since the closing days of World War II; proposals for reform have proliferated since the end of the Vietnam War. Practical solutions, however, have proven elusive. In this volume, the author examines the various existing approaches to reform and concludes that most are either unworkable or irrelevant--if not actually counter-productive--to improving the effectiveness of American combat forces. The author rejects suggestions that perennial American military failure can be traced to the inadequacies of military personnel or of American society in general; he argues that neither a return to the draft, imposition of an ethical code for military leaders, nor creation of a General Staff will address fundamental issues. Likewise, he argues that structural reform, while needed, can only strike at symptoms, not causes. It is the author's view that the roots of American military ineptitude lie in the military services' organizational methods, not their organizational structure. These methods are the natural product of the unique evolution of American military institutions. They are incompatible with the structure, role, and doctrine of the armed forces as they exist today.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCHRISTOPHER BASSFORD served from 1981 to 1986 as a field artillery officer with tours in both Korea and Germany.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 188\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.5 x 9.21 x 6.14 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 07, 1988\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53377421246771,"sku":"9780313262159","price":151.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/3Z4jaG1vwF9780313262159.webp?v=1779321147","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/en-ca\/products\/the-spit-shine-syndrome-organizational-irrationality-in-the-american-field-army-hardcover","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}