I served over 20 years in the US Army and had 8 years of ROTC experience before that. Not what you might think—I took junior ROTC at Xavier High School, the Jesuit Military Academy in New York. However, throughout all those years, there was one event that always brought me a sense of accomplishment, mixed with a bit of dread—the promotion!
In the military, a person's success is measured in three ways when not actually in combat: surviving, ensuring your unit members survive, or advancing on the enemy with fire and movement to achieve or hold your objective. In other words, winning battles and wars. However, throughout a war or a career, awards and medals for accomplishments, gallantry, and similar achievements are sometimes complemented by promotions. The Army does not provide cash bonuses like the civilian sector; therefore, promotions (which include longevity steps) are the only tangible form of compensation... the gift that keeps on giving. And they definitely boost the ego.
Medals are symbols of achievement
While many who serve their country may publicly dismiss the need for such recognition, most of these sentiments are simply nonsense. Nearly everyone appreciates acknowledgment, and in the military, promotions are the main form of recognition, besides gallantry awards. During the era of the Yankee Doodle Spies, the promotion of officers was highly important.
And just like their British counterparts, the American officer corps was highly political. Congress controlled promotions and commands at the highest levels. Officers actively lobbied congressional representatives to advance their careers. The American agents in France, Silas Deane and Benjamin Franklin, even sought rank and command for foreign officers and civilians. John Adams, disgusted by this military politicking, wrote that he “wearied to Death with the Wrangles between military officers, high and low. They Quarrell like Cats and Dogs. They worry one another like Mastiffs Scrambling for Rank and Pay like Apes for Nuts.”
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| Silas Dean |
Military pride almost cost us our independence. More importantly, a denied promotion or command often played a key role during the war. Note the less-than-honorable service of General Charles Lee, Washington's second-in-command, who avoided excelling whenever it threatened Washington's authority. The scheming of General Horatio Gates, victor at Saratoga, became the focus of an anti-Washington group aimed at replacing Washington with him. Furthermore, pride, as harmful to the nation's fight for independence, is most famously shown by the treason of General Benedict Arnold, whose grievances (and they were many) included the unfair denial of a well-deserved promotion to Major General. Each of these men turned against Washington and, therefore, against the cause, because of excessive pride.
Horatio Gates
We often forget that the men who served as our First Patriots were human beings with families and obligations. Promotion meant prestige and honor, which were highly valued traits in the 18th century. These promotions also brought higher pay, and most officers, along with all enlisted men, were not wealthy landowners but rather teachers, shopkeepers, small farmers, and so on. Therefore, the possibility of a promotion and the potential for increased earnings were important considerations. They all (correctly) believed that a higher rank during the war would lead to greater prestige, which could be helpful after the war. Again, they weren't much different from people today. In an ideal world, patriotism would be its own reward. But, in reality, patriotism should be rewarded fairly.
Unfortunately, a promotion in the Continental Army did not always come with a pay raise. In fact, payments for officers and enlisted personnel were irregular. Congress had to request funds from the states to pay the Army, and the states often delayed or refused whenever they could. Without going into detail here, this nearly undermined the new republic before it even began, and only swift action by George Washington himself prevented a disaster. It also shaped Washington's political views toward a strong central government, one capable of funding national defense and serving the common good. Interestingly, the politics of promotion played an important role in both the war's progress and the country's formation.
Continental Army Officers
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