“Cognitively challenged generals"

“'War consists largely of endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides'

Afghanistan officer fired after complaining about PowerPoint, brass

By Kevin McCaney

Aug 27, 2010

An Army Reserve colonel serving at the International Security Assistance Force Joint Command in Afghanistan was fired after writing a harsh criticism of the military’s use of PowerPoint slides in what he says is an unproductive, top-heavy environment.

Lawrence Sellin, who has written regularly for UPI’s Outside View column, wrote recently in a column titled “PowerPoints ‘R’ Us” that, “For headquarters staff, war consists largely of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to spoon-feed them information.”

His acerbic column also took the IJC, as the command is known, to task for being overloaded with with brass (“Around here you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a colonel.”) and said officers’ days are spent on the presentation, and viewing, of slideshows.

“Each day is guided by the ‘battle rhythm,’ which is a series of PowerPoint briefings and meetings with PowerPoint presentations,” Sellin writes. “It doesn't matter how inane or useless the briefing or meeting might be. Once it is part of the battle rhythm, it has the persistence of carbon 14.

“And you can't skip these events because they take roll – just like gym class,” he adds.

After reports of Sellin's criticisms began to cirulate, Sellin's commanding officer told him it was time to pack up and go home, Wired reported.

While it’s doubtful that Sellin’s overall views reflect those of the military, or even many other military officers, he does have company in his claim that the military overuses PowerPoint, or uses it badly.”