[September 01, 2014] It’s here … the last, long weekend to spend with friends this summer and the last weekend before school starts. Labor Day has arrived. There are parades, picnics, and parties … time to relax and remember family and friends. Yet, Labor Day’s activities are the result of long-fought battles over legislation to protect the American… Read More »
[August 31, 2014] It is often said that the performance of a leader in a garrison environment cannot predict how that leader will do in combat. This well-known rule of human performance has been recorded since the time of the Roman Empire. Under peaceful, less dangerous circumstances, the military leader has command priorities that differ from combat where… Read More »
[August 30, 2014] In the study of senior leader roles, it is always informative to look at current leaders that are playing either a big or expanding role in world affairs. That is the case today with Russian President Vladimir Putin – his leadership style being more bold than most. He told a group at a youth camp… Read More »
[August 29, 2014] On this day in 2005, a Category 4 hurricane came ashore close to New Orleans, Louisiana. Although not the most powerful storm in U.S. history, it was the worst natural disaster experienced. The destruction to the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama was serious. There were many leadership failures leading up to and during the… Read More »
[August 29, 2014] An interesting case is working its way through the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Apparently, Guam has a Decolonization Registry that discriminates along racial lines. A person living in Guam has sued the government saying he was not allowed to register because he was not a “native inhabitant.” Guam’s race-based restrictions… Read More »
[August 28, 2014] Telling me that there are “evil people” who may want to kidnap me as a child, my grandmother said to never talk to strangers. Likewise, I learned about a few “bad” things in the military. Despite me describing them as bad, if lessons come from them, then a positive outcome has been achieved. Here are… Read More »
[August 28, 2014] One of my first experiences and frustrations in leadership as a brand new U.S. Army second lieutenant was that my commander’s indecisiveness made the lives of his men difficult. Upon my arrival at the unit I got less than 5 minutes in his office for him to welcome me and to give me my assignment.… Read More »
[August 27, 2014] On this date in 1776, the first major battle to take place after the United States declared its independence earlier on July 4th was the Battle of Brooklyn. Also called the Battle of Long Island, the two-day battle was the largest of the entire war. Fought in what is today called Brooklyn Heights, the Continental… Read More »
[August 27, 2014] During the Korean War in 1951 U.S. President Harry Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his command for making public statements that contradicted the administration’s policies. MacArthur did not have a full appreciation of what he could and could not control and who were his allies … he underestimated the President. Despite having great military… Read More »
[August 26, 2014] There is a tradition in the U.S. military; the commanding officer always eats last. I’m not sure where the tradition started or how it developed but it makes a lot of sense. By eating last, the officer knows whether all the troops have been properly feed – whether there is enough food and whether it… Read More »