The old saying "sergeants are the backbone of the Army" drives home the point that officers make policy and plans and enlisted men and women carry them out. This Marine — full disclosure: I was a sergeant — doesn't know much about the Army, but does know that no branch of the military can function without its noncommissioned officers, the corporals and sergeants, or their equivalent, who get things done.
That's one reason I'm happy to see Chuck Hagel confirmed as secretary of defense, which happened on Tuesday after the political squabbling and posturing over his nomination had ceased.
Hagel is a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War — a first for a defense secretary. And he served as a sergeant, never an officer — another first for someone that high in the chain of command.
Because Hagel was a sergeant, I can only assume that he has the mix of idealism, skepticism and pragmatism necessary for NCOs, who are responsible for the care and feeding of the officers above them and the enlisted troops below them. He'll probably find this combination of traits useful in carrying out his new mission.
Sgt. Hagel was no doubt used to listening respectfully to hare-brained schemes put forth by his superiors, militarily speaking, that he knew didn't have a chance in hell of succeeding while he quietly figured out how to achieve the desired result without disaster. Sgt. Hagel also probably mastered the art of getting those same superiors to believe the plan's successful result was their own doing. Sergeants are, necessarily, politicians as well as leaders of men.
And because he served in Vietnam, a war cursed with a home front actively hostile to all military personnel and returning troops in particular, Chuck Hagel must surely possess the thick skin — let's call it "body armor" — necessary to forge ahead in the face of unexpected and undeserved opposition. This single-mindedness, another characteristic of successful sergeants, stood him in good stead during his confirmation hearings and will be important in future political skirmishes.
Hagel's Vietnam service also means he is already practiced in what has been called "the continuation of policy by other means" — war — and its unpredictable ripple effects. He had a mud- and blood-stained view of the terrible cost of decisions made without, or sometimes in spite of, true understanding born of experience.
As secretary of defense, Hagel cannot make military decisions with the detachment that made it difficult for some previous defense chiefs to comprehend the consequences of their actions. This is a promising background for the person charged with ensuring that our armed forces can respond to any military threat. It's also a very good thing for those who will carry out that response.
Dan Daly, a legendary Marine who won two Medals of Honor, in 1901 and 1915, once said: "To be a sergeant, you have to know your stuff. I'd rather be an outstanding sergeant than just another officer."
From all accounts, Chuck Hagel was an outstanding sergeant. As secretary of defense, I hope he'll continue to be one.
Bill Federman is a Times Union editor. His email address is bfederman@timesunion.com.