Connor: The Way Forward In Afghanistan

By Red Bank Bar on August 16th, 2009 at 5:33 am

Attorney Connor: I appreciate the information and certainly understand your utilizing the campaign services provided you by Mr. Folks through this blog.

I am aware your law firm assists in the prosecution of defendants charged with criminal domestic violence. Did y’all assist in Mr. Folks’ successful prosecution?

I work in the criminal justice arena. I have daily contact with municipal and town police forces throughout the Midlands area. As you’re aware, Bush Administration policies placed tremendous burdens on Reserve and National Guard units throughout the United States. Those policies devestated law enforcement in small communities as small-town police and county sheriffs’ departments’ personnel were called up for active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan in great numbers.

I have had many converstaions with these law enforcement officers concerning your candidacy. These are men and women who are very conservative. They vote Republican for the most part. Their virtually unanimous comments have not been complimentary of you.

“Ticket-puncher” is one of the kinder phrases used. “Know-it-all” is used by 100%. I have heard several descriptions of your firing your side arm through a lowered Humvee window at distant small arms fire while your driver urged you to raise the d*mn window all so you could claim exposure to combat.

They also had an interesting comment and prediction:

Due to your rank, you will be able to garner a few written endorsements from men and women you served with in Afghanistan. But, no one you served with will stand up with you at any campaign event and endorse your service in Afghanistan and urge anyone to vote for you. We’ll see how their prediction holds up.

By Okay on August 16th, 2009 at 9:31 am

Sounds like a good candidate to replace Stan Spears. Why won’t he run against Dean Allen?

By Berkeley County GOP on August 16th, 2009 at 10:50 am

Bill Connor, please go back to whereever you came from. I don’t know for one second why you are throwing your hat into the political arena. When you came to the state convention, you were fake, phony, and seemed a little downright overconfident in yourself.

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate your service to our country, but you are not ready to run for the second highest office in the state, especially after you were interested in running for Sup. of Education only a few years ago. Why the change of heart?

As a public school teacher, I cannot vote for someone that has his own kids in private school yet whines and complains about the public school system. I didn’t vote for our world famous Mark Sanford because of his private schooling for his children, and I will not vote for you because of the very same reason.

I am ready for Tim Scott to get in the race. There, I said it.

By Gillon on August 16th, 2009 at 11:45 am

Mr. Conner,
A very informative piece, and thank you for your service to our country. You describe Afghanistan’s “long-term key’ to success as revolving around three areas:
1. “Fix the unity of command problem.”
2. “Develop a comprehensive but clear plan of success from the tactical to the strategic level.”
3. “More quickly transition the Afghans to take control of their own country.”
So basically what Afghanistan needs is unity of leadership; better long-term planning; and more public participation in its everyday affairs and future.
Now think about it: what state can you think of that clearly exhibits all of these needs and suffers from a lack of them?
For your next article ,just change the details of this piece a bit and re-title it “The Way Forward in South Carolina.”

By I'm All In!!!! on August 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

So we have:

A Citadel grad who never commanded in uniform beyond the company level,

An attorney who has, at best, a couple of years of practical experience,

A potential Hatch Act and ethics violator if he has not retired from the Guard, since he is attempting to capitalize on his uniformed service in a partisan election. If he has retired from service, his shameless shilling of service is in very poor taste,

A military leader, if accounts are true, who puts his troops at unnecessary risk,

A neophyte in public service who wants education reform but patronizes private schooling,

A published author who wrote most of his book when he should have been serving his troops and country.

Got it! Bill Connor, Esq is no Mark Sanford. Bill’s not even Adjutant General material, even if his great, great, great grand daddy fought on the right side in the War of Northern Aggression.

Aww, what the heck. I’d support this poser for Speaker, President Pro Tem, or Chief Justice. We need the comedy relief.

By Keith Pounds on August 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

I’ll probably kick myself for posting too early. I typically like to wait until there has been some intelligent responses before I offer mine. But here goes…

First are the convenient, anonymous posts. Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it a million times, but being able to post anonymously does indeed present us many times with relevant information, but behind each of these posts is a real person, but one afraid to divulge their identity. The fear stems either from bogus information, being a panty-waist, or a combination of the two. We all know that it is typically the latter. But the “freedom” of the Internet implies that anonymous posts are ok… so be it.

Not sure who Red Bank Bar is but we must acknowledge that his initial comment is a jab at Connor for “utilizing campaign services provided by Mr. Folks through this blog.” Thanks for straightening us out Red Bank Bar. From now on, according to you, no media outlet should be allowed to give Connor pen or paper. So much for the diversity of ideas, eh?

Next, Red Bank Bar implies a twisted, confusing accusation about Connor being involved in the prosecution of Mr. Folks. If Red Bank Bar is not an angry female, his post supports my position that men can indeed suffer from female hysteria. This guy is angry and can’t control himself.

Next, Red Bank Bar admits working in the Criminal Justice arena. So much for our searching for the root of her hysteria!

Red Bank Bar alleges that she has “daily contact with municipal and town police forces.” Who? Where? When? What officers? More hysterical anonymity! At this point, the lack of testosterone in Red Bank Bar’s post begins to get under my skin.

Red Bank Bar seems to have close relation to law enforcement officers who deployed vis a vis Afghanistan and Iraq. No mention of his own deployment though. While not volunteering so that he were in a position to deploy himself is certainly his choice, it doesn’t leave one in much of a position to judge someone else’s service. More female hysteria!

By the way, what law enforcement officers are not complimentary of Connor? Any last names? First names? And what were their “virtually unanimous” uncomplimentary positions? Or is this another hysterical ranting of an uncontrollable feminine persona?

Hmmm… “several descriptions of your firing your side arm through a lowered Humvee window… so you could claim exposure to combat.” Several descriptions? Makes one wonder how many people were riding in one Humvee at a time.

Re-set the presses! There’s breaking news! Connor lied about his combat experience! What a headline! Someone under fire has the mental capacity to strategize about how he’ll “fudge” his combat experience in order to beef-up his resume for a candidacy he intends to mount a year later. Let me give you a first hand account of combat Red Bank Bar. Shut up!

Lastly, it’s interesting that Red Bank Bar claims that no one will stand up and endorse Connor’s candidacy while he himself simultaneously attacks Connor from behind an anonymous curtain with distorted accusations and innuendo. You blame others for not “standing up”? Ha! What’s your name?

Maybe we should know who Red Bank Bar is. But I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that this person is timid, afraid, and lacking in testosterone. Many of us who are military veterans are very familiar with this. We’ve heard dozens of men tell us that they have always regretted that they did not serve in the military. It’s a man thing, I guess. There is a lingering doubt in many men about their own masculinity, because they chose not to volunteer for the most masculine thing one could do – Serve as one of your nation’s warriors.

I don’t fault anyone for not volunteering. What I do fault is the thought that it is somehow apropos to challenge, much less question, someone else’s service when you haven’t any.

As for “Make Money Make Money Money,” thank you too for the anonymous accusation. This blog is full of hysteria. I must say it feels good to bring some testosterone to the discussion.

Berkeley County GOP wrote “When you (Bill Connor) came to the state convention, you were fake, phony, and seemed a little downright overconfident in yourself.”

Let me explain a little something about human behavior. And, for the record, as an organizational psychologist, I might know what I’m talking about. Human beings have an innate tendency to degrade those who present as threats to their security. They will demean anyone who appears to disrupt group cohesion. Something about Bill Connor threatens Berkeley County GOP. While he or she doesn’t divulge enough information for us to determine what that threat is, as one who often finds himself to be the only Alpha Male in the room, I think I know what Berkeley County GOP is afraid of.

Berkeley County GOP further wrote “Bill Connor go back to wherever you came from… As a public school teacher, I cannot vote for someone that has his own kids in private school yet whines and complains about the public school system.”

Now if that’s not hysteria, I don’t know what is! Settle down, honey. It’ll be alright. Come over here and sit down. I’ll make it all better!

Not That Simple wrote “…you recite chow line complaints commonly voiced by troops than those of a properly positioned and informed U.S. advisor in Helmond… your recycled rote renderings display a remarkably simplistic diagnosis of the complex problems and required solutions in that region. Regrettably, most readers and voters will not understand this.”

Finally! A post that’s almost intelligent. Too bad all Not That Simple did was whine and complain herself. More hysteria!

P.S. – before anyone hurls accusations of chauvinism, my use of the terms “hysteria” and “femininity” apply to both men and women. Therefore, my terminology is beyond accusations of sexism. So don’t try it.

Keithpounds.com

By Archer on August 16th, 2009 at 9:48 pm

Mr. Pounds, please spare us your rambling dissertations. Holding an MBA from a trouled online college does not qualify you to make psychological assessments:

Additional allegations specific to AIU include reports that the school misrepresented its programs and classes, made a practice of admitting students who had not graduated from high school, and included in its enrollment numbers students who had never attended class.

One of its most outspoken critics of AIU and CEC has been founder Steve Bostic, who concluded that “CECO’s Board has allowed management to lose sight of the Company’s primary mission of providing quality education services; under these directors, CECO management has sacrificed the quality of student programs, resulting in the severe escalation of student attrition – all for the sake of a ‘top-line growth strategy’ that cannot be sustained.”

Maybe you have a point about anonymous posters. But the rambling B.S. that you posted shows about the same degree of narcissim that your friend Connor shows. You’d have done yourself a favor by not putting your name on it.

But at least you didn’t bail on being involved in Orangeburg schools, unlike your buddy, so I guess I’ll give you a little credit for that.

However, it does not take away from the fact that your buddy is a pompus REMF screwball who thinks that being in the military gives you the power and the right to snowball people and talk down to them. But don’t worry, as you’ve seen here, there’s a lot more to the Bill Connor story that may not have made it into the book, but is still well worth talking about.

By Keith Pounds on August 16th, 2009 at 10:17 pm

It’s official! “I’m All In” has got the goods on Connor!

“I’m All In” has a problem with Connor because he never commanded above the company level? Let’s inform the legislature that a new law be written – no running for office unless one has served as a high ranking military officer. Let’s see, who all would that eliminate?

“I’m All In” wrote that as an attorney Connor has “at best, a couple years of practical experience.” Guess we’ll take that up with the legislature. Can’t run for office anymore unless you have “several years” of lawyer experience. Ok, got it!

“I’m All In” calls Connor “a potential Hatch Act and ethics violator” because he is running for office having not yet “retired” from the Guard. I’m no legal scholar but doesn’t the Hatch Act apply to federal employees and not to actively serving uniformed members of the armed forces who fall under the Department of Defense Directive 1344.10 (DODD 1344.10, “Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces”) Disobeying this order places a military member in violation of Article 92 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. But still, it only applies to Active Duty members. Connor is not on Active Duty!

“I’m All In” writes that “if accounts are true” Connor put his troops in unnecessary risk. What accounts? What accounts!!!

“I’m All In” says Connor “wants education reform but patronizes private schools.” Ok – so Connor shouldn’t care about kids who are “forced” to go to underperforming schools. Got it!

“I’m All In” complains that Connor “wrote most of his book when he should have been serving his troops and country.” Ok, let me get this straight… “I’m All In” suggests that troops shouldn’t have any “down time” at all while in combat areas. Ok, got it!

“I’m All In” has all the goods on Connor!

But is that it? Is that all you have to complain about? Connor is a college graduate, but not from a good enough college? He’s a military officer, but not a high ranking enough military officer? He wrote a book, but not a good enough book? His kids go to private school, but not a good enough school? He’s a lawyer but hasn’t been a lawyer long enough? Oh, and let’s not forget, there must be SOME law out there SOMEWHERE that Connor MUST HAVE broken.

keithpounds.com

By Not That Simple on August 17th, 2009 at 2:10 am

No whining on my part, Keith, simply observations from the cheap seats towards one who has posited authoritative offerings in the public discourse.

I would very much have enjoyed hearing the candidate’s views on the complexities of successful coalition interoperability, multiple combatant commander equities in the region as they implement a cohesive national security strategy, balancing international security assistance with Afghani self-determination, reconciling historical attributes of an agrarian, tribal culture with emerging nationalism and a democratic system of governance, establishing a viable alternative rule of law that can compete with existing efficient, effective, but backward Islamic justice, overcoming a national educational gap presently fueled by madrassas that makes South Carolina look like a best-in-class world model, fielding a competent workforce that can facilitate commerce and governance, building a provincial and national governance model that provides for the public order and good, creating a viable alternative to the lucrative opium trade, achieving a social alternative to Jihad for Afghani young and old, creating room for a Taliban party in a national political system, rationalizing all the non-combatant deaths to extended families and tribe members, and removing safe havens for Al Qaida.

Any “hysteria” on my part is invested divining precisely what qualifies Mr. Connor to stand on his military credentials as he campaigns for constitutional office in our state. If he answers the aforementioned conundrums, he still may not get my vote, but he will certainly have a better intellectual, if not professional, footing for public office consideration.

Regrettably, I do not have a web site. Nor have I shilled for same on other sites or published any books on “military” experiences or management psychology. I do try to stay abreast of the issues of the day, work hard for the wages I bring home, and periodically post when my fancy is struck, my tickle bone is touched, or my BS alarm is agitated. In this, Mr. Connor is a perfect storm.

As the ol’ raccoon said to the hound dog: “Come-on in, the water’s just fine!”

P.S. Where I come from, we have a name for intellectuals who write about their daddy’s military service instead of following in their footsteps and try to inoculate themselves against labels of chauvinism as they attempt nuanced communications that might be deemed unsettling in these United States of the Offended. We still call them “Pussies.” Not that there’s anything wrong with that…….

By U.S. First on August 17th, 2009 at 8:52 am

This article perfectly shows the flawed thinking which will bankrupt our country.
17 thugs, mostly from Saudi Arabia, flew airplanes into our buildings and now 8 years later we have self-described military whiz bangs stating,
“First, we fix the unity of command problem. It may hurt feelings, but the Southern Region should be a primarily US region under an American General.”

WTF

We have no business being in Afghanistan. Osama ain’t there. No invading country has ever controlled this country and we will not be the first. Our boys are dying over there every week at a cost billions of dollars we do not have. Are you sober when you think we are going to wipe out their opium poppy production?

Let’s leave those people alone – if more thugs, primarily from Saudi Arabia, come over here and screw with us ,lets wipe them out.
We have serious domestic problems to address at home- we do not need more politicians elected to office who favor unjust wars in far off lands bleeding us slowly to death.

By Make Money Make Money Money on August 17th, 2009 at 10:00 am

Keith Pounds, where did you come from?

I thought the mental hospital on Bull St closed.

By the way, my name is Jeff.

By dirtbogger on August 17th, 2009 at 10:15 am

I Agree US First. But what made building 7 fall at the rate of gravity on 9-11 it was not hit by a plane BTW

By Earl Capps on August 17th, 2009 at 10:47 am

Simple … you forgot to add one thing: Those who have a job and teach (like me), don’t have a life, can’t get a date, and are only slightly less likely to live in their mother’s basements than Star Trek fans (I have my own place).

Thanks for the translation. Someone’s got to apply some real smarts here to keep the facts straight.

By K Trane on August 17th, 2009 at 12:54 pm

So if we have property rights in Afghanistan, how do we gain access to the Caspian Basin if its bordered by northern Iran, southern Russia, western Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and eastern Azerbaijan? Something I’m missing here?

By Keith Pounds on August 18th, 2009 at 2:41 pm

Direct quotes from Bill Connors “Officer Evaluation Reports” of service in Afghanistan

View the actual documents at voteconnor.com. Click “About Bill” and scroll down to the “evaluations” link

Lieutenant Colonel Connor stood out among a cast of superstars. He led from the front demonstrating personal courage in the face of the enemy fire on a near daily basis… LTC Connor led a 2-week clearing operation around the villages of Kariz de Baba and Kariz de Chalgah resulting in 100 Taliban KIA and 50 Taliban captured. Despite over TICs and multiple indirect fire attacks, not one ANP was wounded or killed. British General McKay singled LTC Connor out for praise.

Find him a Lieutenant Colonel position in the South Carolina National Guard. Make him a Battalion Commander. He has the potential to be a Brigade Commander and wear a star.

Lieutenant Colonel Bill Connor has performed in an absolutely outstanding manner as the Afghan National Police mentor in Helmand Province, Afghanistan… he has performed well under intense fire and always leads from the front… Unlimited potential, select for battalion command followed by attendance at a senior service college…

MAJ Connor is a fearless, consummate combat leader. He has served as a brigade-equivalent operations officer and as a battalion-equivalent commander of all Police Mentor Teams (PMTs) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, the most volatile province in southern Afghanistan… Bill led a combat convoy that survived a massive Taliban ambush involving small arms, automatic weapons fire, RPGS (including 2 vehicle hits), mortars, and IEDs for over 7Km without a single US casualty. Bill placed himself in harm’s way numerous times to accomplish his missions…

Select this warrior for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel now, and send to Senior Staff College upon eligibility…

An absolutely outstanding performance as a Provincial Police Team Mentor in Southern Afghanistan. Major Bill Connor has few peers within this command. He possesses unquestionable competence, leadershiop savvy, and a broad perspective to excel as one of our Army’s brightest future senior leaders. He is unflappable and a seasoned, mature decision maker… A tough combat leader Major Connor has performed well under intense enemy fire and always led his men from the front. Promote to Lieutenant colonel, select for battalion command.

By Not That Simple on August 19th, 2009 at 12:49 am

A few more reflections:

One almost wants to triangulate this latest installment with a handful of contemporary national politicians: Kennedy, Webb, Kerrey, Kerry, McCain, Cleland, and Obama and see what the optics say.

Consider the following attributes:

Military controversies: Kennedy’s heroics with PT-109 came about from reckless exposure of boat and crew in combat; Webb’s stands on principle (women can’t fight, resignation as SECNAV over shipbuild; Kerrey’s MOH tainted by Thanh Phong massacre; Kerry’s three PHs, BS and SS in record time with fallacious combat claims; McCain had none; Cleland’s self wounding, received BS and SS; Obama – no military experience.

Military “street cred” with peers and subordinates (would you serve with him again): Kennedy – moderate, almost too popularized; Webb – high; Kerrey – high; Kerry – controversial; McCain – average with high POW factor; Cleland – above average with sympathy; Obama – none.

Books: Kennedy – “Profiles” as a statement of values; Webb- “Sense of Honor”, etc; Kerrey – memoir in 02; McCain – “Flags of Our Fathers” before POTUS run; Cleland – none; Obama – two biographies.

Experience before national/prominent politics: Kennedy: military as gateway to politics; Webb: military, author, lawyer, professor, public sector, business; Kerrey: medically retired from military, businessman for 10 years; Kerry: military, protestor, DA, private law, LtGov; McCain: military; Cleland: medically retired from military, state legis. Obama: community organizer, state legis.

Juris doctorate: Kennedy- no; Webb- yes; Kerrey – no; Kerry – yes; McCain- no; Cleland – no; Obama – yes.

Natural constituencies: Kennedy: democrat populist/machine; Webb: democrat populist, veterans; Kerrey: democrat populist, veterans, business; Kerry: democrat populist/liberal, attorneys, unions; McCain: moderate republicans, business, veterans; Cleland: moderate democrats; Obama: liberal democrats, unions.

Ripeness for prominent office sought: Kennedy – young possessing relevant experience; Webb – well qualified; Kerrey – mature business and leadership portfolio; Kerry – reasonable political progression; McCain – natural transition from mature military career; Cleland – reasonable political progression; Obama – limited experience beyond campaign stage.

The Silver Bullet: Kennedy – Family money, power, charisma, machine politics; Webb – The genuine article; Kerrey – MOH and American Pie in the corn-fed state; Kerry – Manufactured facade operating in liberal machine politics; McCain – POW with second wife’s money and influence; Cleland – Purple Heart and moderate democrat presence; Obama – mastery of optics and machine politics in the campaign mode.

Would you trust him to run a government? Kennedy – no; Webb – yes; Kerrey – yes; Kerry – no; McCain – maybe; Cleland – yes; Obama – maybe.

Would you drink a beer with him (mainstream populist perception)? Kennedy – yes; Webb – yes; Kerrey – yes; Kerry – no; McCain – yes; Cleland – yes; Obama – maybe.

Would you trust him with the life of your son/daughter: Kennedy – no; Webb – yes; Kerrey – yes; Kerry – no; McCain – yes; Cleland – yes; Obama – maybe.

Success after achieving office: Kennedy – mixed; Webb – trending up; Kerrey – yes; Kerry – marginally yes as a Senator with limited signature legislation; McCain – yes; Cleland – moderate; Obama – maybe.

What does all this mean?

-SC does not have a recent history of electing constitutional office candidates with military experience comprising the bulk of their vitae. Even the Adjutant General usually has experience beyond the uniform.

-Having an image and track record of achievements and experience that allows voters to understand a candidate usually helps get votes. You need at least one of the two above (see Obama below).

-The book thing worked for Obama, but generally is not used by prospective candidates to introduce themselves to electorates.

-Relevant experience is usually a reasonable predictor on future successes in office (see Obama and early Kennedy years).

-The voting public will generally not consider deeper than/beyond a record of successful uniformed service.

-Having a JD is revenue neutral, unless you are Rudy Giuliani or Elliot Spitzer or specialize in the defense of child molesters.

-Resilient natural constituencies can make a successful electoral run easier.

-Timing is everything in the electoral process. Even a blind pig will find an acorn on occasion, and particularly in a barren field.

Getting back to triangulation, one can take the above attributes and rack and stack our candidate for some interesting comparisons and contrasts, since there are precious few leading SC pols who have tried to run on, much less possess, military service as their main draw card.

By Kelly on September 10th, 2009 at 9:00 am

Sorry about that. the link is actually http://palmstatepolitics.blogspot.com

By It Kinda Is That Simple, Sometimes on September 18th, 2009 at 12:10 am

Mr. Pounds,

As amusing as lectures in manhood from a sailor are, I’m not buying what you’re selling. Listen, my “alpha-male” friend, serving as a Corpsman on Camp Lejeune, while honorable, doesn’t exactly constitute serving “with” the Marines. To paraphrase you; for the record, as a Marine who served on Camp Lejeune, I might know what I’m talking about. Same goes for the scary impressive “Lebanon/Grenada-era military veteran” thing on your web page. Not everyone serves in combat (psst, that’s a good thing). There’s nothing to be ashamed of about that. Playing fast and loose with language as pertains to your military service in order to seem more butch like you did? Lil’ bit shameful. Just saying.

Being the author of several books is impressive. Being the author of several books that you published yourself through a vanity publishing site? Less so. Another thing, on-line degrees aren’t exactly worthless but they aren’t exactly good enough that you can put on airs. Know what I’m saying? Don’t get me wrong, brother, I have one too. They’re good for moving up the ladder in the service. That said, not rubbing anybody’s nose in my Thomas Edison Bachelor of Arts degree.

As pertains to MAJ Connor’s OER, or candidacy in general, I have no dog in this fight. I stumbled across this site because someone complained on a different site about attacks on candidate Connor. I came here to see what was what. For what it’s worth, the language in both evals is pretty boilerplate. Noteworthy is that he was rated “center of mass” in his first eval. To quote George Piccirilli, the Total Army Personnel Command officer evaluation system chief, “A senior raters’ ability to give above-center-of-mass ratings is limited by regulation to less than 50 percent of the reports rendered in a particular grade,” Piccirilli said. “It allows senior raters the opportunity to advance their best, with the confidence others can’t inflate.” That means that out of 14 Majors rated, MAJ Connor was 8th, at best. He made above center of mass on his final in-theater eval. Shitbag? Not in the least. You can, and may very well, earn promotion with those evals. Should his observations from the front be taken as gospel? Eh, maybe not as much.

So, does candidate Connor have the most impressive record for a Lt.Governor? I’ve seen better. Seen worse too. It’s typically a ceremonial position anyway. That said, it’s important to vet your Lt. Governors carefully. If you want proof of that, check out what happened in New York.

Rob

P.S. By the way, Mr. Pratt? I’m a member of the Democratic Party and I have a Bronze Star. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Does that medal make me an expert on foreign affairs or exempt from criticism? Not hardly.

By Army Human Resource Manager on September 25th, 2009 at 10:58 am

It Kinda Is That Simple got the OERs in the wrong order. Major Connor got an “Above Center of Mass” on his first evaluation (ending 30 Nov 2007) when compared with the 19 Majors that Senior Rater was responsible for evaluating. Since Senior Raters can only put 50% (or less) in that top block that makes him the 9th best Major (at the worst).

Interesting to note this is an Annual evaluation; but the language indicates MAJ Connor changed jobs during the year. That should have generated an evaluation in almost all cases. Wonder why the chain of command didn’t do that evaluation?

On MAJ Connor’s end or tour evaluation (ending 25 Apr 2008) he received a “Center of Mass” rating. Compared to 14 in that group again that means he’s the 8th best Major rated (at the best).

The words on the evaluations, while impressive, are as previously stated very standard boilerplate statements. If you were on a promotion board you’d read nearly the same statements over and over except for those that are truly extraordinary or in desperate need of elimination from service. There is nothing exceptional about these evaluations.

Moving from 9th at the worst to 8th at the best is a pretty narrow band. Clearly LTC Connor fell smack dab in the middle of the other Majors he served with in Afghanistan.

Unfortunately this undermines the argument that his service is so exceptional as to provide evidence of his fitness to be second in command of South Carolina.

Fortunately for us as Americans, that means we have a fantastic set of Officers out there defending us.