What does one have to do to be declared the worse Colonel I ever saw?

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Aug 25, 2012
Who would want to be known as the "The Worse Colonel I Ever Saw"? I was reshuffling some older Michigan History Magazines I had never completely read and on the cover of the January/Februarys 1996 seen an article by Robert C. Myers, "The Worst Colonel I Ever Saw". The article is about Colonel Francis Quinn of the 12th Michigan Infantry.

The article is interesting but I am not in a situation to know if Quinn was the worse Colonel. Well having the 12th Michigan Infantry charge him with eight separate charges to include cowardice, neglect of duty, incompetence, inhumanity, and disobedience of orders. The problem stemmed from the Battle of Shiloh. Quinn was a political appointed officer who was arrogant and incompetent but was he the worse colonel?
 
I think it should be the worst officer not just Col as a Col is a separate breed, either their trying to make Gen or they know they won't. In my years in the US Army Ive seen good ones, bad ones and GREAT officers from 01's to 07. My 3 Great ones that I served under are General Stormin Norman and General Tommy Franks and 1st LT John Mayo who went on to be a Col. Best Lt I ever had.
 
To answer the lead question I reckon one would have to serve under the individual to be able to make that charge/determination. Those of us that have been there have seen some sorry O types over the years.

It would also depend on individual bias or circumstances. One's perception can be colored by a number of things, some or none of which may actually make the individual a bad officer.
 
I would have to think about the worse Colonel I ever knew. Do JAG Colonels count? Just kidding about the poor JAG officers we had four assigned to use at a time and they did a good job at being JAG officers, they were not real good in the field. Well they always had great cigars to share with me while in the field and always had hot coffee.
 
Can't really say, of course a bird colonel in the army is a captain in the navy, and as ucvrelics.com says, like a colonel, a captain is lookin to make admiral or he knows he's not goin too so they could be similar in outlook I guess.
 
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