[February 17, 2025] This article is the first in a new series on how to succeed in life as a military service member. Over the past few months, I’ve spoken with many Soldiers and Marines and asked them what they believe is the secret to their success. Success does require sacrifice, much of which I will discuss as we look at how to succeed in combat and military life. I’ll begin with the obvious: live simply.
Simplify everything. Narrow your focus to only what’s important, and in combat and life, there are only a few crucial things. Take care of yourself and your teammates. Properly maintain your weapon and equipment. Keep your sleeping area clean and organized so you can put your hand on everything, even in the dark. Get rid of bad habits that distract you from what needs doing. Also, get rid of material items that don’t help you care for yourself or your needs.
One of the lessons from wars of the past is that troops possessed more than they needed for the immediate tasks required. When I was a kid, I heard stories from my grandparents about how, on long marches overland by soldiers, the roadsides were covered with discarded items. They threw away items that were too impractical or heavy for their ability to fight on the battlefield. Included were long knives, extra shirts and pants, great wool coats, quilts from home, and extra blankets.
I witnessed similar behavior with our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gas masks with extra filters, chemical protective gear, junk food from home, cheap civilian knives, extra clothing, war trophies (those which were legal), and hats would be either turned in for storage or, more often, just mailed home. Experience showed them that these additional items served little purpose other than to slow them down and make their lives more difficult.
Furthermore, care for your family. Even when you’re deployed to a combat zone, you can prepare your family to be ready in your absence and before you leave. Like you, they should live simply. Maintain a close relationship with your spouse and children. If single, you must connect with your family and siblings. This is more important when you are in combat. Even a short email, if possible, to let them know you are well and they are not forgotten.
It is still possible to carry out your daily tasks without clutter or “stuff” that you don’t need. Take heed that you may need these later, so exercise care in their disposition. That heavy sleeping bag you do not need today may be of value later in the mountains of Afghanistan. Living simply does not mean carelessness, actually the opposite. Use your head, follow what others have done, and ask for guidance on what you can do to simplify your life.
The lesson here is clear and applies to both those in combat and military life. Be wise. Live simply.
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Truly, this is a big big challenge:
“Furthermore, care for your family. Even when you’re deployed to a combat zone, you can prepare your family to be ready in your absence and before you leave. Like you, they should live simply. Maintain a close relationship with your spouse and children. If single, you must connect with your family and siblings. This is more important when you are in combat. Even a short email, if possible, to let them know you are well and they are not forgotten.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield
Indeed, it is Army Captain, but not impossible. That is one of the challenges that our service members must work to be successful at but the military doesn’t teach how to make this happen.
👍👍👍👍 YES. That is a challenge we all should appreciate. Thanks to Gen. Satterfield, at least we are getting some insights into those things that keep our soldiers up at night.
Gen. Satterfield, congrats on this new series. When you write about “military life,” I suggest that you also make it clear to all that this applies to ALL OF US, and not just to military families. That is what will certainly make this more useful for the ordinary reader like me. I work on the north side of Chicago in an affluent area. But despite me being “not rich,” I get to act like I’m just a regular guy who wants to get ahead, have a family, go to church and worship as I see fit. I love your articles and hope that you take my suggestion in the good spirit that it is given.
I look forward to more on this new series. Gen. Satterfield, please consider also writing about bureaucratic efficiency. I know that is a contradiction in terms, but I’d like your opinion on the matter.
More great thinking material from the head of Gen. Satterfield.
Well,Good Dog, I know you’ve been here long enough to know that this is one of his primary objectives in writing daily articles for his blog. These are for us, and let’s not forget it. Think when reading these articles for that is how you will be able to “get” the deeper meaning sometimes missing from the words. Let’s try to eek them out so others can gain from our thinking too. 🙏
Exactly, Pastor Jim. I under that tomorrow, Gen. Satterfield will, bring us another example of how this works. Hint, its about JD Vance’s speech before the Eurocrats at the Munich Security Forum. Lets see how well Vance does.
Looks like another interesting series, Gen. Satterfield.
Likewise, Gen. Satterfield has always some great ideas on how to live a good life, a proper life. That’s why his book “55 Rules for a Good Life” has been so popular, especially with younger adults. Get your copy TODAY! You will thank me later. https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
😁😁😁😁😁
Liz, we all have hosnbook and what I look forward to, is how much more can we learn. The idea of “living simply” applies to us all. Keep the complications out of our life and the life of our family. That doesn’t mean to isolate ones self. It means just don’t add stuff to your life voluntarily. Simple!
Looks like a series that everyone can learn from. That’s how I will be reading it. 👍