[August 21, 2019] It was a suggestion from my daughter that I write another article about what happens when leaders lie. Like me, she too is keenly conscious of leaders who lie. She said something recently that reminded me of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. “By a lie, a man… annihilates his dignity as a man” – Immanuel… Read More »
[August 20, 2019] We were told to be on the lookout for the Soviet-built ZSU-23-4 Shilka anti-aircraft gun. In previous training exercises, the imitation ZSU had shot down several U.S. attack helicopters. We were missing the obvious battlefield threat of armored infantry and paid a heavy price in another scenario at the Fort Irwin simulated battlefield. In 1999… Read More »
[August 19, 2019] A few years ago, I wrote an article about the U.S. Congressional leadership authorizing attacks on British vessels in 1776. That strategic decision helped win the War of Independence. Later, with the U.S. Naval Act of 1794, Congress authorized the building of six frigates; one of the six built was named the USS Constitution. It… Read More »
[August 18, 2019] If you want to be a better leader, learn what motivates people by studying their code of conduct. Formal or informal, rules that spell-out how people should act are an invaluable window into their lives. A few days ago, while visiting the house of a friend; we got to talking about Genghis Khan, the fierce… Read More »
[August 17, 2019] Several of my friends and I got together the other day to review some of the progress we’ve made on military veteran issues in the state of New Jersey. Unexpectedly, our conversation turned to our time in the U.S. Army (one in the U.S. Navy) and the quality of new officers. What we decided was… Read More »
[August 16, 2019] Something is going on that most folks in the West don’t know much about, nor seem to care. In Hong Kong, officially a “special administrative region” of China,1 there are large protests that started with a new Chinese law allowing citizens in violation of the law to be extradited to China for trial. Initial protests… Read More »
[August 15, 2019] I’ve written a great many articles on moral courage and have highlighted a number of men and women who show what courage means. What I have not done is write about a beauty queen. Today, my blog post is about Miss Iraq Sarah Idan.1 She earns my respect for posting a picture of her with… Read More »
[August 14, 2019] My trip to a Boy Scout Campout gave me a new respect for what young boys do and what they think. The job of adult leaders at the camp was clear;1 they were to teach boys to stand on their own feet and to be valuable young adults. One of the first things they learn… Read More »
[August 12, 2019] In the early 1970s, I took my turn to compete in several motorsport races that took place on rarely-traveled public roads in West Texas. The favored name at the time was Rally Sports.1 These were grueling races that tested the limits of the automobile and the driver because of long distances, varying terrain, and non-stop… Read More »
[August 11, 2019] “Did leadership begin with the caveman?” A kid about 9 or 10 years old asked me that question a few years ago when I went to visit an elementary school class. My visit was meet a veteran day, and I was chosen to say a few words about what being a vet was all about. … Read More »