Band Of Brothers Owe Its Imperfect Capt?

May the man who has never sinned … or failed … cast the first stone might be part of once hidden truth about the controversial ‘Band of Brothers’ commander: “Capt Sobel was called an incompetent leader but drilled Easy Company into a stellar unit.”

According to the Fox News story, the elite WWII commander of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne was “both despised & admired by his own troops.” Sound familiar? As in Gen. George “Blood & Guts” Patton who was accused of spilling his men’s blood with his guts during the Italian Campaign & during which he infamously slapped a shell-shocked private. Or, even earlier, ala legendary holy roller General Stonewall Jackson who constantly sucked on lemons & road alongside his men with one arm raised “to balance the blood flow”, while unmercifully marching his troops from one battle to another as if they were marathon runners.

The big knock on Sobel, a Fox reporter suggested, is that he had trouble reading a road map and was, therefore, “bound to get his own troops killed in battle.” Yet, others described Sobel in interviews as a born strategist who could shine when he would bear down to solve a problem; maybe he was a “harsh drill sergeant,” but “became integral in shaping the company into the best it could be.” Know what? Sounds familiar, like a lot of us trying our best to be the best we can be in life let alone during its most trying times & worst challenges. We, too, often have limits if not failures on our life's resume. But, on balance, most of us bear down 24/7/365 as best we can. For God. For Country. For our employers & communities. For our families. For ourselves.

Davd Soul