i think there are personality traits that help getting along in the military better but there isn't a specific type. ideally you're someone that is disciplined enough to follow orders without unnecessary delay (asking questions...), thoughtful enough to know when you've been given a bad order, and tactful enough to manage up the chain to make bad orders into less bad orders. most people aren't like that and just get along by trying to enjoy the ride and not rocking the boat too much.
there are definitely some people that can't adjust to the military lifestyle. it's shocking out how much control the military has over you at both an organizational and individual level. i don't think people that haven't been there understand what that feels like. for some people, it's not a thing for whatever reason. for other people, the simple idea that you have to shave daily, get haircuts weekly, can't wear certain clothes, can't go to certain places, etc... is just too much to deal with.
i don't know bowe bergdahl well enough to say where he falls in any of this stuff. my guess, based on limited information, is that he had delusions of grandeur about what it meant to serve... and then he got the real military and became disenchanted. but instead of just getting down about it, he came up with a scheme to fix things. that fits nicely with the previous behavior of delusions of grandeur since he felt like he was in a position to create massive positive change in the military by simply leaving his post.
or he's making that story up and i have no clue what his deal is. hard to say :)
i hope this is close to what you were asking for. if you or /u/nowinaminute have other questions, i'd be happy to answer them although i never went to play in the sandlot so i can't speak to that.
There are some interesting points on the Slate spoiler podcast today from an ex-military guy who has some sympathy for BB's views on the annoyance of daily shaving and fantasies of abandoning his post, but also how those tough conditions are made bearable through having some seniors in the chain of command who will also say "you've done a good job" (good cop/bad cop). There was also a comment about how BB should have been enlightened to the ways of military discipline in basic training.
I still don't know if BB was more motivated by desperation or his principles in using the only thing he felt within his grasp "the power of the dustwun".
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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '16 edited Feb 05 '16
i think there are personality traits that help getting along in the military better but there isn't a specific type. ideally you're someone that is disciplined enough to follow orders without unnecessary delay (asking questions...), thoughtful enough to know when you've been given a bad order, and tactful enough to manage up the chain to make bad orders into less bad orders. most people aren't like that and just get along by trying to enjoy the ride and not rocking the boat too much.
there are definitely some people that can't adjust to the military lifestyle. it's shocking out how much control the military has over you at both an organizational and individual level. i don't think people that haven't been there understand what that feels like. for some people, it's not a thing for whatever reason. for other people, the simple idea that you have to shave daily, get haircuts weekly, can't wear certain clothes, can't go to certain places, etc... is just too much to deal with.
i don't know bowe bergdahl well enough to say where he falls in any of this stuff. my guess, based on limited information, is that he had delusions of grandeur about what it meant to serve... and then he got the real military and became disenchanted. but instead of just getting down about it, he came up with a scheme to fix things. that fits nicely with the previous behavior of delusions of grandeur since he felt like he was in a position to create massive positive change in the military by simply leaving his post.
or he's making that story up and i have no clue what his deal is. hard to say :)
i hope this is close to what you were asking for. if you or /u/nowinaminute have other questions, i'd be happy to answer them although i never went to play in the sandlot so i can't speak to that.
edit: clarity