--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What bothers him most about today’s…" description: "\"“What bothers him most about today’s military, he goes on to say, is careerism. It has eroded the other services, he warns, and is creeping into the Co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/thomas-e-ricks-2-39857_quote_what-bothers-him-most-about-today-s-mili_728404.jpg" --- # What bothers him most about today’s military, he goes on… ![“What bothers him most about today’s military, he goes on to say, is careerism. It has eroded the other services, he warns, and is creeping into the Corps. The only thing you should worry about, he tells the assembled second lieutenants, is taking care of your people. In fact, he recommends adding…” quote by Thomas E. Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/thomas-e-ricks-2-39857_quote_what-bothers-him-most-about-today-s-mili_728404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/thomas-e-ricks-2-39857_quote_what-bothers-him-most-about-today-s-mili_728404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/thomas-e-ricks-2-39857_quote_what-bothers-him-most-about-today-s-mili_728404.jpg) > ““What bothers him most about today’s military, he goes on to say, is careerism. It has eroded the other services, he warns, and is creeping into the Corps. The only thing you should worry about, he tells the assembled second lieutenants, is taking care of your people. In fact, he recommends adding one new little box to the officer evaluation reports: It would say, Does this officer care more about his career than about his troops? A “yes”mark would terminate that officer’s career.”” [Thomas E. Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-ricks-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes that caring for subordinates outweighs personal ambition in effective leadership. **In simple terms:** Put people before career. Key Takeaway Prioritize troops over self‑interest. Themes leadership ethics military service careerism Mood serious determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - officer training - unit cohesion - performance reviews - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts Duty self‑sacrifice accountability Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal ambition with responsibility to others? - What systems can enforce genuine care for subordinates? A Different Perspective May overlook personal growth and retention challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I think we may well have some kind of presence there over a period of time... The level of activity that we see today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/i-think-we-may-well-have-some-kind-of-presence-there-over-a-period-of/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) ## More by Thomas E. Ricks > [“Ask an American soldier to identify himself, and he probably will say he is “in the Army.” By contrast, a Marine— especially if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-ricks-2/ask-an-american-soldier-to-identify-himself-and-he-probably-will-say/) [Thomas E. Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-ricks-2/) > [“The natural state of man is war. 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