[June 25, 2016] By now everyone has heard of the vote by British citizens to leave the European Union, Brexit, and have listened to pundits about what it means for the future of Britain. While no one really knows what exactly the future will bring, one thing we do know is that it will create challenges and opportunities alike. … Read More »
By guest blogger Sadako Red [see disclaimer] [June 24, 2016] I can see the Potomac River from my office in Washington D.C. but it’s the view I see of government that is most eye opening because I see the real story. Lately the U.S. presidential race has heated up over the issues of race and gender, inequality, the… Read More »
[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 »