[June 23, 2016] Upon arriving in Baghdad, Iraq in early 2004 with a small team of military engineers I was assigned two additional engineer Captains who were being held over for Courts Martial. Both would be found guilty, stripped of their rank, and discharged from the U.S. Army. They had failed to heed an important military principle: command… Read More »
[June 22, 2016] Army Vet reflects today on POLITICS and WINNING WARS. I was sitting at my favorite bar the other evening discussing my favorite topic with a couple of halfwits who thought we fought the French and Canadians in World War II. The lack of historical knowledge of most Americans (our education system is stuck on stupid)… Read More »
[June 21, 2016] During one of my combat tours in the Middle East there was a U.S. Army junior-grade officer that was a poor performer by most measures. No one wanted him working for them because the time investment was so great to ensure he did his job. Our Chief of Staff took him in and shortly the… Read More »
[June 20, 2016] If it weren’t for the movie 55 Days at Peking, most Westerners would know little about an important event in China that had a worldwide impact that resonates soundly today.1 The Boxer Rebellion was an outgrowth of colonial powers interfering with Chinese society resulting in China adopting Communism. This is why the study of history… Read More »
[June 19, 2016] One of the advantages of traveling throughout the United States is the privilege of meeting with military veterans who served in our country’s wars. Their stories amaze me to this day and whenever I get a chance to sit down and talk, that is exactly what I will do. Last week I met with a… Read More »
[June 18, 2016] As a very junior officer I had a grizzled old Platoon Sergeant working for me. I was more than fortunate to have him on my team and all the young soldiers learned a great deal from his experiences. One day he caught me complaining about the mess hall food – like all soldiers do –… Read More »
[June 17, 2016] One popular theory in the study of psychology tells us that humans will lie, cheat, and steal if given the opportunity. While critics of the theory note the theory’s pessimistic view of the human mind, it nevertheless has some truth in it. The Watergate scandal was one of those times when failed leadership, mixed with… Read More »
[June 16, 2016] In one of my last assignments as a senior Flag officer in the U.S. military, I had the unfortunate experience to be involved with a number of senior Flags who ignored serious Army issues. It was common knowledge that those officers believed that either nothing could be done or the problems were too complex for… Read More »
[June 15, 2016] When we speak of a hero, we normally think of someone who does something that requires great physical or moral courage … but that doesn’t always apply, especially in modern times. Since the beginning of time, animals have lived on the edge of starvation. One man, Norman Borlaug however made such a tremendous contribution to… Read More »
[June 14, 2016] Yesterday it was proposed that the world is serious about terrorism yet no country has taken decisive steps to really undermine the effectiveness of terror. Yes … terrorism works and is very effective. However, the lack of any coherent strategy to defeat the current wave of Islamic extremism is the primary reason used to justify… Read More »