User blog:Cool fool/The Role of a Squad Leader

Since the Alpha, Battlefield 3's Squad Leader designation seems to have become a vestigial concept, mildly reminiscent of lost hopes and good intentions. I'm wondering, what valid role does it hold now? I've noticed that the wiki does not have a page on it as well, but I'm not sure if it even demands one. It's a source of extra points, sure, but not enough really for it to function as much of an incentive for teamwork. Is it communication? Should the Squad Leader assume an authoritative position from which he/she dictates orders verbally to lessers and discusses sit reps to other squad leaders? What niche does this player fill, and to what benefit of the squad, team, or game? So how do you respond to the little red star above one soldier in a room of four? How do you feel when a message flashes up in front of you, promoting you to Squad Leader? How are you affected by the fine print detailing your "followed orders"? Do you want to see the feature gone, utterly removed as nothing other than a source of confusion? Or maybe you would rather have the idea expanded upon, made into something promising and powerful, at least more so than now. And perchance yet you are content; you feel that the Squad Leader role is functional and useful enough, that adding further power would be unfair and place all squadmates in an invidious, unnecessary position. Hmm?