only a few weeks into the war in Iraq marine col. dowdy had both accomplished a grueling military mission and been removed from his command by Maj. Gen James Mattis. The eling military mission and conflicting tales of why Col. Dowdy was dismissed are beyond the scope of this text, but one issue that came under examination was the differing styles of Col. Dowdy and Gen. Mattis as well as the difficult ,age-old wartime tension of “men versus mission”
Gen. mattis has been referred to as a “warrior monk” consumed with the study of battle tactics and a leader whose own battle plans in Iraq were considered brilliant. Gen. mattis saw speed as integral to success in the early days of the Iraqi war, pushing for regiments to move quickly to accomplish a mission despite significant risks. For Col. Dowdy ,some risks seemed too high, and he made decisions that delayed his mission but butter protected his marines. Col Dowdy was beloved by his followers because he was deeply concerned about their welfare, paid attention to them as individuals, and treated them as equals, going so far as to decline certain privileges that were available only to officers.
Despite their different styles, both leaders were highly respected by followers. When asked about Gen. Mattis, Gunnery Sgt. Robert kane, who has served under both leaders, says he would certainly “follow him again” However, when he learned that Col. Dowdy has been dismissed, Sgt. Kane says he “wanted to go with him. If has said Get your gear, you’re coming with me I would’ve gone, even if it meant the end of my career.