Of history, warfare, leadership, and alcohol
On Veterans Day, at my son’s request, I sat in a crowded elementary assembly as part of a Veterans Day ceremony. I listened uncomfortably to fifth and sixth graders repeat what they had been taught in their classrooms about veterans and about military service: that veterans represent the best our country has to offer, that …
Continue reading "Fixing Veterans Day"
Veterans' Day. I am one of hundreds of thousands of service members. You are one of millions of people. You see me, and thank me for my service. I thank you for your support, and we go on our ways. It's a tried and true formula; I am thanked, and therefore gratified for public support, …
Continue reading "What is Our Service?"
As often happens around this time of year, I was asked to give a talk on Veterans Day to a local high school assembly. But while usually the words come more easily, this year I was sort of at a loss as I thought about what to say. How do I convey my complex and …
Continue reading "On Service: A Veterans Day Introspective"
Enemy forces in depth. Mass over maneuver. As an engineer officer, I care passionately about just a few things: castles, engineer buttons, and combined arms breaching. And while there were no engineer buttons at Helm's Deep - a simple oversight, I'm sure - that engagement encompasses a wide swathe of engineer lessons learned. Yes, this …
Continue reading "Warfighter: Helm’s Deep"
It's become cliche to say that social media is changing the world that we live in. But what the hell, I live for cliches, so let's go for it. I guess it would be more accurate to say that social media has already changed that world, and we just haven't seen all the effects yet. …
Continue reading "Pandora’s Inbox: The Army and Social Media"
By Matthew Ader Captain Roger’s performance at the Battle of Wakanda has been widely and rightly panned. But nothing has been said about the profound failures of his enemy, the Thanosians. Despite every possible advantage in manpower, materiel, and circumstance, they still failed. All students of the military art should examine how they so masterfully …
Continue reading "Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory on Wakanda"
Ian pushed aside the stunned pilot as he entered the nose of the shuttle where the controls were. His medics hauled the pilot and co-pilot back out of the now-exposed cabin, since the main window had been smashed through. “Looper, get me the f**k up on comms!” he yelled back, as the young man frantically …
Continue reading "Finding Space – Chapter Ten"
There had been little fuss when he’d told the troop of their mission. The leadership seemed to understand the gravity of the situation in a way that Ian hadn’t expected. Maybe he was the only one naive enough to think that their logistical issues were all being handled. The briefing went quickly, the platoons conducted …
Continue reading "Finding Space – Chapter Nine"
Ian gazed out the window. Around him, he could hear the familiar ship-board sounds: the dull hum of voices, the clank and clash of mechanics at work, the intercom buzzing with announcements. They had been a part of his life as far back as he could remember and were now as comforting and familiar to …
Continue reading "Finding Space – Chapter Eight"
3rd Platoon blasted another hole. The suns shone down. Ian got his last caffeine injection. These were all truths, as best as he could put them together. And they were about all that his brain could actually handle at the moment. He was sitting on the rear slope of a ridge-line, trying to write his …
Continue reading "Finding Space – Chapter Seven"
The Angry Staff Officer 
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