[November 28, 2020] The hero’s journey is a common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed.1 Hugh O’Flaherty, a Roman Catholic monsignor, fits that mold. Monsignor O’Flaherty is a hero for saving the lives of thousands of Allied POWs and Jews… Read More »
[November 26, 2020] The study of war is something that I do. The majority of my studies and articles I’ve written are about the “how” to conduct war. However, two crucial questions arise; what causes war, and what can we do about ending war. In this article, I will discuss U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen-Points to end all… Read More »
[November 25, 2020] My best Italian friend goes by the name Marco Polo. He’s a real go-getter, Vietnam veteran, and family man. In Vietnam, he was with the 1/4th U.S. Marines. Their motto, Whatever it Takes. In a nutshell, that describes the U.S. Marine Corps and my friend Marco. His life’s story should someday be a book. If… Read More »
[November 24, 2020] While writing an article yesterday on Good Sense, I was simultaneously thinking about the issue of morality and its impact on leadership. A host of questions sprung up that I was not prepared to answer. I will address one of the crucial questions here today. Leaders are granted certain powers and responsibilities. If we were… Read More »
[November 23, 2020] And so it began. My best childhood friend, Wilson, and I would fight over the most trivial matter. Often, we couldn’t even remember what the fight was about. One fistfight, the one I do remember, was when Wilson said I had no good sense. I wouldn’t say I liked the insult, so I slugged him… Read More »
[November 22, 2020] Today’s article is not about dogs and ponies. Some readers might be disappointed because they interpret the title of my articles quite seriously. I’m using the phrase as a colloquium to mean “some elaborate or overblown affair or event.” I retired from the U.S. Army, and, unsurprisingly, I have witnessed many dog and pony shows,… Read More »
[November 19, 2020] I remember being called a lunatic by several of my commanders. I was an Infantry Company Commander when it first happened. My boss at the time, a Lieutenant Colonel, said that I was a “crazy man and lunatic” when it came to battle tactics. I ran across a poem by Vietnam War correspondent Joe Galloway… Read More »
[November 17, 2020] In 2003, after the start of the Iraq War, several of my friends attending the U.S. Army War College (AWC) dropped out of the school to go with their unit to Iraq and fight. It was noble of them to do so, but there was a problem; none were allowed back into the AWC. As… Read More »
[November 16, 2020] As children, we learn at an early age that we are part of a family and with that comes both duties and responsibilities. Often we are given odd jobs around the home. I was fortunate to have many of these jobs outside the house, where I learned about hard work, saving my money, and leadership. … Read More »
[November 15, 2020] Just after midnight on May 1, 1898, the USS Olympia led a squadron of warships into Manila Bay. Spain and the U.S. had been at war for only a few days. As morning dawned, Commodore George Dewey hailed Olympia’s captain and spoke the now-famous words; You may fire when you are ready, Gridley. The ensuing… Read More »