The title is ridiculous. The allusion is a hook for the armchair army guys out there. The article is actually quite sound in terms of theory. The only really bad part is the idea that this is somehow a manly trait. While the most observant person i have met was a man, the most observant people i know are overwhelmingly women, even if the skill(s) is hidden under another moniker.

Generally speaking, more observant people lead to better problem solving in groups IME.