[May 6, 2020] I’ll be right upfront. Until last week, I’d never heard of the Flower Wars. The bias in my study of war has been colored by the classic predisposition to learn from European and Asian-centric warfare. Today, I’ll make up for this a bit by introducing Aztec warriors into my leadership blog. From the reconstruction of… Read More »
[May 5, 2020] There are a lot of Philadelphia Eagle fans who live all around me. Since our town is only one hour from Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, the allegiance to a great football team is to be expected. One of their tough guy players from the 1950s and 60s, Chuck Bednarik, holds special attention as one of… Read More »
[May 4, 2020] One of the basic rules of combat is to always keep moving (never be in one place long), else the real enemy might find you and attack. Always keep moving is good advice but it has some drawbacks. My mechanized Infantry platoon had failed to link up with at a predetermined time and location established… Read More »
[May 3, 2020] Charlie Coyle was a tail gunner on a Boeing B17 Flying Fortress bomber during the last two years of World War II. I got to know Charlie after meeting him at an antique airshow in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1993. Charlie would have turned 95 years-old today but passed away last year where he lived in… Read More »
[May 3, 2020] For hundreds of thousands of years, flightless Dodo birds lived on the volcanic island of Mauritius. Without the threat of predators, the main competition for food was other Dodo birds. They thrived in that environment until Dutch sailors arrived in 1598. Within 80 years, these birds were extinct. The Dodo’s problem was isolation from the… Read More »
[May 2, 2020] Guest blogger Edward M. Kennedy III is a product of WAR. In today’s article Edward crushes those who think they understand war. He delivers to us the fundamentals of war. This gray-haired, lion-maned HUNTER OF MEN is always on the lookout to educate his betters in politics, business, and especially in the military. He delivers… Read More »
[May 1, 2020] Last week, two friends of mine called to check-in to see how my wife and I were getting along during the Coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately for us all, we are doing well and I guess that means we are blessed so far. They also called because they wanted to tell me about a book they had… Read More »
[April 30, 2020] “Boogie down” and “10-4, good buddy” are slang from the 70s and 80s. It sure is hard to forget them. There were four classic Vietnam War noir films from that era that also helped shape our culture, understanding of the war, and the American way of life. Drenched with atmosphere, suspense, and horror, these four… Read More »
[April 29, 2020] Senior leaders are experienced in resolving vague, uncertain, complex problems. Solving such issues will inevitably get supported or disagreement on its effectiveness, reliability, and appropriateness. When problems are highly complex, and there is time available, one way to overcome resistance is by socializing the new idea. One of the most significant decisions in the Iraq… Read More »
[April 27, 2020] Many years ago, a friend of mine, Bill Johnson, was finishing the U.S. Infantry Basic Officer Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. An armor Captain that had been a mentor to Bill for many months suggested that my friend ask for an assignment at Fort Polk, Louisiana, after graduation. The mentor was giving bad advice. Back… Read More »