--- title: "Legendary WWII Gen. Carl Spaatz offered great advice to military leaders — and it still rings true today" date: "2018-04-02" modified: "2020-10-21" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/general-carl-spaatz-categorized-military-personnel/" categories: - "History" - "War History" - "World War II" --- # Legendary WWII Gen. Carl Spaatz offered great advice to military leaders — and it still rings true today ![]() When one considers those pioneers whose command of air power strategy led to an independent U.S. Air Force after WWII, General Carl A. Spaatz is usually among those names. Spaatz would come to command the overall Army Air Forces in Europe, design the strategy for bringing down Hitler's Luftwaffe, and cripple Nazi war production. Dwight Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander remarked Spaatz (along with Omar Bradley) was one of two men who contributed most to the victory in Europe. --- ![]() So when it comes to how he views the people who serve in the military, you might be apt to consider his advice. After V-E Day, Spaatz held a victory party at a chateau near Paris. The guest list included a who's who of who would come to found the modern Air Force such as Hoyt Vandenberg and James Doolittle. It also included one Major: triple ace Robin Olds ([pre-mustache]()). Spaatz was a friend of the Olds family, and he invited Robin to his party after he learned Maj. Olds would stay in the Army after the war. ![]() Olds recounted the advice he received from Spaatz in his memoirs, *[Fighter Pilot]()*, more than sixty years later: " ... In the military, they mostly divide themselves into four major categories. There are the 'Me-Firsters,' the 'Me-Tooers,' the 'Deadwood,' and the 'Dedicated.' You are among the minority, the Dedicated. Stick with them, search them out, and work hard to be worthy of their company. You won't be popular with a lot of your bosses who act dedicated but really aren't and that can make life difficult at times. Beware of the Deadwood. Most of them mean well and, in their own way, try hard, are loyal, and are even useful. But too often they'll botch things up and get you and your outfit in trouble." "Watch out for the Me-Tooers. These guys will tell you whatever they think you want to hear. They borrow thoughts and ideas from others and present them to you as though they were their own. They are the opportunists who look for every avenue to advance themselves without sticking their own necks out. They ride someone's coattails and try to make themselves indispensable to the boss. Believe me, they are not to be trusted. You don't want yes-men around you, but you can't always avoid them." ![]() Spaatz went on to warn: "The worst and most dangerous are the Me-Firsters. Most of them are intelligent and totally ruthless. They use the service for their own gain and will not hesitate to stick a knife in your back at the slightest indication you might stand in their way. They seem arrogant, but don't be fooled. They are really completely lacking in true self-confidence." ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()