But in a Substack article two weeks ago I described one of the problems Patel will face at FBI is dealing with individuals who have risen to positions of leadership starting back in the Obama era without ever demonstrating that they were good at any particular position on the way up the chain of command. "For Patel, the problem this presents is that such supervisors tend to rise up the ranks of management until their manifest shortcomings are fully revealed. This has happened with many of that first — and even second — generation of agents who joined in the aftermath of Obama’s election. That first generation are now Agents in the middle of their careers — about 12-14 years experience — and they exist throughout middle management across the entirety of the FBI’s operations around the country. Some have gone beyond the first couple of levels of management — Squad Supervisors and ASACs — and have begun to move into more senior management positions. These are the social justice warriors committed to what you have seen the FBI become over the past 8-10 years."Here is the FBI career of SAC Myrthil in charge of the New Orleans Field Office:2008 -- joins FBI, assigned to St. Louis on a "Violent Offenders" squad.2012 -- Moves to New York Field Office, put on a "Op. Safe Streets" gang task force.2015 -- promoted to Sup. Special Agent and moves to FBI HQ assigned to Counterterrorism Division. **Would have done 18 months in management training at HQ prior to assignment -- meaning he was in NY only a short time).2016 -- promoted to Unit Chief at HQ of Counterterrorism internet operations. Later supervised an Extraterritorial Counterterrorism squad re hostage rescue and terrorism enterprise investigations.2020 -- promoted to Assist. Special Agent in Charge -- ASAC -- Washington Field Office, Counterterrorism branch. Responsible for Joint Terrorism Task Force, domestic terrorism matters, weapons of mass destruction, crisis management, etc.2022 -- promoted to Chief of Staff for Assistant Deputy Director, the No. 3 position in FBI, the main responsibilities are over administrative and business issues like HR, personnel and budget.Jan. 2024 -- promoted to SAC of New Orleans. The guy spent 4 years as a squad agent in St. Louis, and a very short time in New York. This is a typical pattern of advancement for a "blue flamer" who always has his eye on the next opportunity for promotion. The transfer to NY was typical of the Mueller era, moving agents out of their first office duty assignment to a squad in one of the largest offices after 3-4 years. After that the Agent could start looking for where the wanted to go. This guy cut that short by opting out of New York and going into management at HQ. Again, maybe SAC Myrthil is great and Patel will keep him. But he fits the pattern of weak supervisors that I saw emerge from 2008-2013.