Professional Ethics: Journalism

By | March 19, 2019

[March 19, 2019] Modern journalism is at a crossroads. Will those in the profession follow the difficult path that made them so essential to freedom or will they chose the easier path by surrendering to ideological or dogmatic by-products? Leadership in journalism is failing and the repercussions are far-reaching. “Fake news” is a derogatory term used to describe… Read More »

The Margraten Cemetery: Adopt-a-Grave

By | March 18, 2019

[March 18, 2019] A few days ago, I attended a presentation at a local Veterans get-together. An Army veteran gave a presentation on cemeteries in Europe and what they meant to him. I was surprised to hear that his father, killed during World War II, was buried in the Margraten Cemetery, Netherlands. The 8,301 American soldiers buried at… Read More »

Turkey’s President Erdoğan

By | March 17, 2019

[March 17, 2019] The recent terror attack that killed 49 at two New Zealand mosques has pushed Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan into the news again. Just as U.S. politician Rahm Emanuel said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste,” Erdoğan has again railed against the West for its on-going debauchery and its complacency in the discrimination… Read More »

I Work for Smiles

By | March 15, 2019

[March 15, 2019] I’ve known Billy Ray for close to 30 years, and he has been a feature in one of the many rural towns where I lived. Billy Ray is not the smartest guy around, and neither is he rich or famous. But he leads a small group of amateur clowns that bring smiles to be needy… Read More »

Defining Failure

By | March 14, 2019

[March 14, 2019] Yesterday, I spoke with several senior officials from a local college near my home. They wanted to understand how to attract more military veterans, and a discussion ensued about what it meant to succeed at college. Then I spoke about how important it was in defining failure to the veteran; specifically, its ramifications when hidden… Read More »

Showing Moral Courage: Nick Sandmann

By | March 13, 2019

[March 13, 2018] Showing moral courage in the face of great adversity is a much more difficult act than showing physical courage in combat. Many combat leaders are known for their bravery in the face of a deadly enemy but wilt when their nerves fail under the spotlight that threatens what they believe. Today, I’m highlighting Nick Sandmann… Read More »

The Rule of Doubt … for Leaders

By | March 11, 2019

[March 11, 2018] Leadership is about solving problems. A common reason for leadership failure to solve problems can be traced back to unprepared leaders who are either too overconfident or they don’t care. Hal Moore addressed this in his latest book, Winning When Outgunned and Outmanned. He called it his Rule of Doubt. “The troops can smell BS… Read More »

Trust Your Gut Instincts!

By | March 10, 2019

[March 10, 2019] As my driver and I approached the main gate of an Iraqi combat base, something didn’t seem quite right. Our vehicle was fully armored, but that can’t protect you that against 30 armed soldiers (or were they, insurgents?). Luckily, we were able to turn around and beat a hasty retreat. Later we found out that… Read More »