Of history, warfare, leadership, and alcohol
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"
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 "
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"
Game of Thrones, Battle of the Bastards (Home Box Office) I am not going to bury the lead in this article: fantasy armies are simply terrible when it comes to conducting security operations. It certainly builds tension with the audience when one side is on the cusp of losing a battle, quickly followed by a …
One of my mentors dropped this quote on me a few years back: "The United States military is obsessed with tactical solutions to strategic problems." After I picked my jaw off the floor because it was such an apt description of the last 20 years, I began to chew on the meaning of what they'd …
Continue reading "What Barbie Teaches Us About Tactics versus Strategy"
While attending a Working Group during my deployment to Romania, my fellow Field Grade Officers and I were discussing the Initial Operating Capabilities (IOC) and Full Operating Capabilities (FOC) for our Tactical Command Posts (TAC) within the context of Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). As we discussed these capabilities, we briefly touched on the criteria to begin breaking down our TAC …
The Angry Staff Officer 
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