Of history, warfare, leadership, and alcohol
Right. So I’m just going to put this out here right off: if I have to listen to yet another stumbling, rambling, mispronounced, mumbled, dry, and generally boring as hell briefing from one of my peers, I’m going to find a way to beat someone over the head with their own PowerPoint slides. Seriously, we’ve …
Continue reading "An Army Officer’s Guide to Public Speaking"
Scene: Interior of a First Order Star Destroyer. A First Order Army officer takes a seat at a desk, apparently well pleased. There’s a knock at the door and another officer walks in. Captain Arlis: Come on in XO, how are you today? Lieutenant Fivret: Good morning, sir, I’m fitter than a Mandalorian helmet, thanks. …
Continue reading "First Order Change of Command"
If you’re like me, you discovered the TV show Firefly well after the time it first ran in 2003. While we were spared the original heartbreak that came when the show was not renewed for a second season - damn you, Fox - we are still reminded of our loss every time we watch the …
Continue reading "If “Firefly” Characters were in the U.S. Military"
So it's Monday afternoon, and I've set some time aside to write. And as is usual when I do this, the words have decided to hide themselves beneath my keys and they refuse to come out. Classic case of writer's block. So this is my attempt to coax the words out, to try to charm …
Continue reading "Defeating Writer’s Block"
Today's guest post comes from Major John Q. Bolton. Maj. Bolton is an officer deployed to Afghanistan. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy, an MBA from American Military University, and a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the Command and General Staff College. An Army Aviator (AH-64D/E), his …
Continue reading "Guest Post: The Flag, the Military, and Patriotism"
This is a guest post from Peter Lucier. Peter is a Marine veteran (2008-2013) and student at Montana State University. He writes as a member of the Council of Former Enlisted for The Best Defense blog, and is the editor of the soon to be launched Return to Base (rtbmag.com) You can follow him on Twitter …
Continue reading "Guest Post: The Warfighter’s Desire"
In 1913, Union and Confederate veterans held a touching reunion at Gettysburg. Now in their 70s, the veterans flocked to the small Pennsylvania town by the thousands. It was here that they shared stories, recreated memories, and celebrated the reconciled Union. Worn Union men shook hands with grizzled old foes across the stone wall on …
Continue reading "Deconstructing the Reconciliation Narrative of the Civil War"
When trying to understand Army doctrine, we tend to get too tied up in the gritty little details of doctrine itself. An example of this would be any number of the required briefings that come with with Military Decision Making Process (MDMP). Staffs spend more time formatting the briefing products - whether on PowerPoint or …
Continue reading "Warfighter: Bunker Hill"
Author's note: At the current moment, the world is in a state of fraying tempers, dangerous actors, and uncertain agreements. Suffice to say, the news can be stressful. With that in mind, this week's post is ludicrously silly. It’s well known that we have a serious problem in the military: how to quit our addiction …
By Butters' Bars In the aftermath of the abhorrent racism and bigotry put on display in Charlottesville, Virginia three weeks ago, it is easy to lose sight of the root cause of this violent outburst. The question at the center of Charlottesville is whether or not General Robert E. Lee, most famous for his role …
Continue reading "Guest Post: a Current Officer’s Thoughts on Robert E. Lee"
The Angry Staff Officer 
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