Navies can develop similar blind spots when senior officers rise through a narrow set of career paths. Submariners, special-forces officers, and surface-warfare officers naturally draw on the environments they know best, even when they value other branches. Two consecutive US chiefs of naval operations had commanded USS Honolulu, an unusually vivid example of a restricted leadership pool. Senior teams need varied operational backgrounds to test evidence and alternatives before the final decision. That breadth also matters when leaders must explain force needs to governments and treasuries.
Chapter · 25:16-27:50
Why naval leaders need mixed career backgrounds
A senior team drawn mainly from submarines, special forces, or surface warfare may be individually capable yet still share blind spots produced by the same operational experience.