[August 05, 2014] As an Infantry company commander I once criticized a soldier for failing to provide proper maintenance on a truck. Problem was, it was not his truck to maintain. Yes, all the facts appeared to point to that soldier not doing his duty. Yes, the soldier had been in trouble for this earlier. In my haste… Read More »
[August 04, 2014] One of the basic tenets of being a leader is to obey the law and follow rules. These are either established for moral reasons or more commonly for convenience and safety. This past weekend a well-known politician in Washington DC had a health problem that may have caused him to drive on the wrong side… Read More »
[August 04, 2014] During the occupation of Iraq by coalition forces, U.S. engineers were able to take a close look at the complex of dams in the country. Living in American, most people here do not realize the critical nature of dams in a country that is mostly desert. A person can live without electricity, but life cannot… Read More »
[August 03, 2014] The ancient Greeks considered “virtue” to be a positive trait that represented a morally good person. The trait was valued as the foundation of a moral being. As far as traits went, virtue was whatever was most valued. Senior leaders must possess virtue; else they will not be a great leader. There is some disagreement… Read More »
[August 03, 2014] My wife persuaded me to watch a television show she thought I might like. As most people know, I do not watch much television. Yet, the TV show Shark Tank, in its fifth season, has something most shows do not even allow. This is a show of a group of successful business people, the “sharks”,… Read More »
[August 02, 2014] A retired U.S. Marine officer writes that there are leaders who are cowards in the workplace. In this recent article, my first reaction was … yes! … leaders that are cowards on the battlefield have no place in the military. But this was not his intent with his article. “The Coward Leader” is about moral… Read More »
[August 01, 2014] Someone recently complained that today’s children are intellectually and physically lazy. The complaint is probably said by the grandmothers of every generation that has come before us; grandmothers, of course, being very smart and strong. At a commencement speech last year, the speaker told the graduates, “you’re pampered, privileged, and oversexed …”1 “Young people” spend… Read More »
[August 01, 2014] Recently someone replaced the U.S. flags on the Brooklyn Bridge towers with white flags. It was a classic “who dunit.” While several groups have taken credit for the act, one appears to be real. According to a spokesperson, we “do stuff like this for the thrill of it.” These are self-proclaimed anarchists who have the… Read More »
[July 31, 2014] The Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS), as predicted, slowed its southward advance into the heart of Iraq. While many in the U.S. Department of State predicted otherwise and the thinking was Iraq was in a state of collapse, the latest update from Iraq is that ISIS is “consolidating” its gains. In short, the… Read More »
[July 31, 2014] Savage manliness? Perhaps not. Camel jumping in Yemen is more of an oddity than a “savage manly” sport … although there are some professional jumpers from the Azraniq tribe who would disagree. The sport does require considerable strength and agility. There is some opportunity to get hurt by a fall or by the camel kicking… Read More »