I could never do it. Military aides have to have poise, must be able to perform under stressful conditions, and have the gift of instant recall – especially when it comes to names. I have none of those traits.
But the military, or more precisely the top leadership of the military, depends on them to take care of all the distractions surrounding their bosses so that they can make the important decisions to keep things running smoothly. Without them, the flag and general officers would never be able to keep their heads clear long enough to issue orders, and chaos would ensue.
They are the embodiment of Radar O’Reilly, anticipating the Admiral’s thoughts and the General’s needs. They know the best restaurants in every city in the world and where to get a uniform pressed in an hour, and can turn a senior leader’s tirades into palatable sound bites.
No, I could never be one. But I sure could use one.
