Remembering Pain: 9/11 and Collective Memory

Edited September 11, 2016. We wereย fifteen. The colors in the trees reflected summer, not autumn, although the air held a fall crispness. We were at home, which for us who were homeschooled, meant we were at school. We wanted the work to be done so that we could run off to read, or play computer …

History: The Overlooked Military Discipline

This article first appeared on Point of Decision, August 24, 2015. Rock of the Marne. 3rd Infantry Division, WWI. DA Picture. There are several governing metrics for unit commanders in the Army: physical fitness, marksmanship, and military education. Each Soldier is required to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test, qualify on their assigned weapon, and be trained …

Remembering the Civil War: Or Forgetting It

April 9th marked the 150th anniversary of Robert E. Lee's surrender of his Army of Northern Virginia toย Ulysses S. Grantโ€™s combined Army of the Potomac and Army of the James.ย  This is fact that we can all agree on regarding the events at Appomattox Court House.ย  And thatโ€™s about it.ย  Southerners believe that Appomattox should …

On the Future of Army History: Still Lost in the Woods Looking for a Reflective Belt

I recently read a great articleย from Foreign Policy citing a lack of critical thinking skills on the part of U.S. Army officers, and it stated that a solution lay in a better groundwork in history. First off, anyone who's spent time working on staff at any level can agree to the lack of critical thinking. …