Turbulence is a fact of life. There s no way to replace casualties, except individual by individual. Units should be kept up to strength on the battlefield by the constant flow of individual replacements. Too much cohesion in small units is dangerous to the chain of command. Among units of like kind, uniform readiness and uniform capability are best.
Weapons matter more than skill.
Only officers can make decisions or think of better ways to do things. Success in the military is measured by the rank you achieve. Everyone wants to get ahead, to move higher in the table of organization. Officership is a form of general management, requiring only the ability to organize, motivate, communicate, and decide goals and priorities. Opportunities for advancement in rank have to be uniform.