Of history, warfare, leadership, and alcohol
Reader, in an attempt to break out of my writer's malaise (sounds far better than "writer's block," doesn't it?), I am going to break one of my cardinal rules as a blogger: not reviewing books. See, once you start reviewing books, it becomes an expectation. And once something is expected of you, it stops being …
Continue reading "April is the Cruelest Month, but not for my Reading List"
The United States was born of a desire to leave behind monarchial government and instead live under a republic. Although the structure of the United States was explicitly crafted to have both democratic and anti-democratic elements, the perils of democracy have been part of the American discussion from the beginning (“When a majority is included in a faction, …
Continue reading "Failure Mechanisms in Democratic Regimes – an Army’s Role"
In the woods of northeast France, a group of American artillery officers watched their olive drab-clad batterymen set up their tents in a peaceful glade. It would be the last such quiet the battery would experience for some time. It was summer 1918, and the men of the 305th Field Artillery were going to the …
Continue reading "Diversity: The U.S. Military’s Not-So-Secret Weapon"
While doing some reading about the early American Revolution, I came across a famous sentence I’ve read a dozen times over the years in a variety of contexts. This time, though, it was as if I were reading it for the first time. The words belonged to famous patriot pamphleteer Thomas Paine: These are the times that try men's souls: The …
Continue reading "Did You Mean It?"
(pro-government militias) While most regimes and governments rely on traditional bases of power - democratic legitimacy, hereditary monarchy, etc. - all rely to some extent on the potential for violence to keep their authority intact. Regimes employ a variety of military and police forces for external defense and internal order/repression. In some countries these various …
Continue reading "The Dynamics of Regime-Supporting Irregular Paramilitary Forces "
You’re all trapped here at my retirement ceremony and now I’m going to inflict some last scraps of wisdom on you.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Chain of Command (Paramount Television) In the United States Military, Change of Command ceremonies are formal yet simple affairs. The unit’s history is read, the colors or guidon are passed between leaders, and a few speeches are given, all encompassing a tradition that represents the official change in leadership from …
Continue reading "“Get it Done”: Adjusting to Transitions in Leadership Aboard the USS Enterprise"
Note: This post originally appeared in the Duffel Blog. It has been somewhat modified from its original version. It is presented here with all due apologies to poor Jane Austen, who has done nothing to deserve this. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single Company in possession of a good four day pass, …
Continue reading "Neither Sense nor Sensibility: A Weekend Safety Brief from Jane Austen"
This past week at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer announced the upcoming formal adoption of a mountaineering badge for U.S. Army personnel. This moment acknowledged a long-lobbied for recognition of the unique skills embodied in the Military Mountaineering community. While detailing the badge, however, …
Continue reading "Missed Opportunity: The Ram’s Head and Military Mountaineering"
As many of you know - and are no doubt really excited for - next years begins the semiquincentennial of the Revolutionary War here in the United States. Or, for those of us who have trouble with a jawbreaker like that, the 250th anniversary. Now, a bunch of you - not, not you of course, …
Continue reading "Understanding the Revolutionary Era: Recommended Reading List"
The Angry Staff Officer 
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