MovieChat Forums > Stars Earn Stripes (2012) Discussion > What I REALLY wanted Gen. Clark to say i...

What I REALLY wanted Gen. Clark to say in the 1st AAR

posted 12 years ago by DanPhx
16 replies | jump to latest

"Now, as you know, 2 people didn't complete the mission, Terry & Dolvette (sp?)."

"In the world of elite special operatives, not succeeding does not typically trigger punishment. It creates a teachable moment. That moment is right now."

"And although it may be a completely foreign to folks in this room or watching us at home who only have experience in civilian and maybe political life, the subject of these lessons learned is not Terry and it's not Dolvette. It's me."

"I told you all when we started that I would not send any of you into the field on a mission without proper training. I failed. When this mission was planned some team members lobbied for water training, some suggested no water training. Ultimately, I decided for no water training. This was my decision. It was the wrong decision. When we vetted you for participation we made sure you knew how to swim. That was insufficient."

"I failed each and every one of you celebrities and it's important to me right now that you understand how very sorry I am. And its equally important for everyone to understand what these ops could probably tell you is the After Action Review item for me... every mission will be reviewed again not just for safety, but also for training before you get within a country mile of it."

"We take on dangers for a living. But we mustn't ever do it recklessly."

"So rest assured I and the people behind the scenes commit to you all we are redoubling our efforts. And... one last item from me personally. I said no punishment, but that doesn't mean no consequences. One of the smartest things the U.S. founding fathers did that they get the least recognition for is they made the head of the military the civilian commander in chief, the President of the United States. He's got the hardest job because his boss is every citizen of the country, but under him, we all answer to one person, including me.

"I've informed Mark Burnett, executive producer in charge, my boss, that I have vacated 100% of my salary for this project and asked that he donate 1/2 to each of your charities, Dolvette and Terry. That's how seriously I take my job. I will not let any of you down again."

@DanFarfan

[–] Sgt_G 12 years ago

From talking with people that served under Clark's command, the man never took responsibility for a bad decission in his military carrer. Why do yu think he'd start now?

[–] fishinbuddy2 12 years ago

Ya right, he made it all the way to the rank of General by just skating thru, un-noticed, un-checked, simply because he was the most popular little soldier out there. No doubt you voted for George W Bu$h.

[–] AllenRes 12 years ago

To reach that rank requires a lot of internal military politics. In the end, it is often a popularity game despite what people want to portray otherwise.

[–] fishinbuddy2 12 years ago

Oh give me a break. General Stormin Norman whats-his-name was fawned all over because he was a Republican and so was General Powell. They were both given immediate respect and no whispering campaigns about how they didnt deserve to make it to the rank of general.

General Clark is a democrat so people would rather sew their buttholes shut than acknowledge he deserves credit for making it to General. Bu$h is the one that had internal politics working for him when he joined the military and got sent to a cushy job in Alabama that still has unexplainable holes in the paperwork. It too was a popularity contest and the name Bu$h got special treatment.

[–] AllenRes 12 years ago

I think it is funny you assume I am a Republican, when I am not. I have never voted Repulican in my life. You made that crap up all by yourself and it is clear you like to go off the deep end and throw Bush into every argument and accuse people of voting for him. Pretty stupid on your end.

I never said he didnt deserve credit, I just said that there is a lot of internal politics. They just don't wake up one day surprised that their noble and unassuming actions resulted in this massive promotion. No one makes that rank without knowing how to work the entire system; they know what they are doing. Senior ranked officers play a lot of military and external politics; to think General Clark was one in a million that never played internal politics is extremely naive. But of course, since you don't know that personally, you could just continue your "I hate Bush and you must be a Republican" rant like a political loony.

Fyi, General Wesley Clark has a degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, is a West Point graduate, and is involved in politics outside of his military career. That man is no novice when it comes to internal poltics, so no, I will not "sew my butthole shut" as you said.

[–] fishinbuddy2 12 years ago

You say I go off the deep end and accuse people of voting for Bu$h. If I accuse people, then what would you call yourself when you pretend to know how General Clarke made it to the rank of General?

How do you know for sure that he played "politics?" You ASSUME. Just like you said that I assumed that you're a Republican. I'll admit, I dont know if you are or not; but to assume and insist that Clarke got there only because he played politics is a unsubstantiated reach.

Just because he has a degree in Philosophy and Politics does not mean he used it to advance his career. No one can fake their way thru for decades to eventually arrive at the rank of General without their being some validity of their skill-set showing through.

If, as you say, he used his Philosophy and Political degree that would mean that he has outsmarted, for 3 decades, every commanding officer that he has served under and pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. 3 decades is a long time to pull a scam and not be found out by someone.

If this is true, then an entire paper trail of his military service was signed by commanding officers who were fooled. I find that highly unlikely. As they say: "You can fool some of the people some of the time; but you cant fool all of the people all of the time".

[–] AllenRes 12 years ago

Yes, he did play internal military poltics. They all do. I never said he didn't deserve the rank, you made that up along when you made up that I was a Republican.

No one makes that rank without knowing how to work politically inside the military. Hell, even someone who makes it to E8 or E9 in the military has played internal military politics. I have seen it.

You know, the military is not all about ammo, bombs, launching missles, and war all the time. It is a well oiled machine of men and women working a system to get the job done; internal military politics and pissing matches are part of that. You keep thinking General Cark didn't have an end game of becoming a senior ranked officer and was surprised when it happens. If you want to keep operating under the impression that internal politics don't hold power, I am just going to keep up the assumption game we play and say you have never worked a day in your life outside your home. As another person pointed out, all jobs have politics within it. The military is a paradigm of internal politics....especially with senior ranked officers. Even enlisted do it; I knew a potential Sergeant Major in the USMC who said it is all about "who you know and who you blow" before he made his final rank. The cream of the company, military, corporations and politics all worked the system to get there. It is true throughout civilian or military life. When I said he knows how to work internal military poltics does not denote me saying "he didnt deserve it." Just give up already, you obviously have never stepped foot on a military base in your life and live by a romanticized view of generals.

Oh wait, you didn't call me a Republican this time, want to edit your response and call me that?

[–] JeffAtlanta2004 12 years ago

General Clark is a democrat so people would rather sew their buttholes shut than acknowledge he deserves credit for making it to General.

The OP wrote "internal military politics" not "political party affiliation".

"Internal politics" is the same thing as "office politics". It means that a person knows how to how to play the game internally - impress higher ups but not make any enemies that can derail your career.

It's how people move up in the workplace. Very few professions base their advancement on purely merit.

[–] Sgt_G 12 years ago

I never said he "skated thru". All in all, he was a better than average officer, so I've been told. But in talking to someone that served with then-Major Clark and someone else that served under then-Colonel Clark, the man made some really dumb decisions and somehow made it look like other people's fault. I knew a First Lieutenant that was like that, and last I heard he's now a full-bird Colonel and hasn't really changed all that much.

Not that it matters, no I did not vote for Bush. Why should you care?

[–] fctiger 12 years ago

Look I wont get into the crazy debate people got going here about Clark since I dont pretend to know much about him or his career to comment. But concerning the actual show, can someone tells me what the hell does he do for 90% of the show?? I see him looking at some table which I know is suppose to be the cam of the participants and the 'mission', but what the hell is he suppose to be doing? I mean is he suppose to be giving an analyse of how each team did, plus and minuses? Is he giving them instructions if they need it or is he just standing there watching in a seperate room pretending to be important?

I'm sorry I dont get it? Besides reading off a script and telling us what the missions are in the beginning and who is up for elimination in the end, I dont see him having any real role in the show! Or am I wrong?

[–] nobodyspecialishere 12 years ago

He's doing what he does best, being (Ret) General Clark.

[–] fctiger 12 years ago

Thanks but that doesn't really answer the question.

[–] nobodyspecialishere 12 years ago

Really, that's all it is.

He's Wesley Clark and that's what he brings to the table for this show.
His name, his face.

The briefing is done by him and the in ops directions, which can be done by anyone else, really, so what does he rally bring to the table other than himself aka name recognition, nothing else that I can see.

[–] fctiger 12 years ago

Ok fair enough. So basically they pay him to use his name at the end of the day.

[–] DanPhx 12 years ago

..nothing else that I can see.

Which is to say only the people actually behind the scenes (on the set, in the planning meetings, editing bay, etc) know what happens beyond what gets aired.

[–] bizzyziggy 12 years ago

Oh please, Terry and Dolvett, two posers. They can't hold a candle to any of the other contestants. Every other one of them had their own issues, and they all fought through them. What did they think they were signing up for. Please, always looking for a leg up.