[September 15, 2014] When I was a Battalion Commander and not elegant in the use of the English language, I learned a few things. Yes, it’s true my grandmother told me that I should learn quickly so “other people don’t pay a price for your ignorance.” I once mistakenly called a Platoon Leader the name Commander. The former… Read More »
[September 14, 2014] It should not be too surprising that some ads get rejected due to their political nature. Some ads are, frankly, lacking in good taste and are intellectually insulting. Stations that advertise have policies that cover this type of advertising. This past week, CBS Sports Network rejected an ad that had a 4-year-old little girl saying… Read More »
[September 14, 2014] In his visit to an Austro-Hungarian Cemetery of World War I dead, Pope Francis decried war as an instrument of greed, power, crime, and destruction. “War is madness …” he said. At Redipuglia Italy, the war memorial entombs 100,000 Italian soldiers killed in battle. The Pope spoke about those who died in WWI and about… Read More »
[September 13, 2014] Every lieutenant in the Army remembers his first company commander. In these pages I occasionally refer to my experience with this first-rate nincompoop I had as a commander. Part of learning to be a good leader sometimes means getting a bad example – an example that tells us what not to do. That was my… Read More »
[September 11, 2014] Wherever you live, whatever you do, regardless of your needs and wants, you have been affected by what happened on September 11, 2001. There is not a person in the world that has not been impacted by that day. Today we remember those killed, the unknown heroes, and the families of the victims … just… Read More »
[September 07, 2014] While World War I started in 1914, it was not until April 1917 that the United States entered the fray and only after a number of incidents lead the American people to distrust the Imperial German government. Many do not know the U.S. role was decisive but late in coming. When the U.S. entered the… Read More »
[September 06, 2014] Europe is undergoing political movement that has been largely ignored in the United States’ press. The U.S. press does this to Europe now and again. Yet, Europe changes its political landscape rather routinely and has done so since the end of the Dark Ages. Political evolution is often not recognized for what it is until… Read More »
[September 05, 2014] Exactly 100 years ago today, began what is considered one of the most decisive battles in history. The Battle of the Marne was France’s counteroffensive to prevent the Germans from capturing Paris. Luck would have it that the commander of the French army would discover the German’s offensive plans when they were retrieved from the… Read More »
[September 04, 2014] Nothing is more important to humans when at work than the spoken word. It ensures good communication. When leaders talk, people listen and only by the speaking can a leader do those things required. The spoken word is like the oil that lubricates a machine; it allows the entire mechanism to function properly … like… Read More »
[September 04, 2014] One of the greatest disappointments in leadership comes about when those in senior positions fail to see a big problem as it occurs and then fail to take action when they do. This is what happened at Veterans Administrations hospitals across the United States when an audit revealed that “double books” were kept for veteran… Read More »