[November 10, 2014] At the recommendation of one of the U.S. Army’s most talented colonels, and trusted friend, I just finished reading a book that was hard to put down. I’ll summarize it below, but what surprised me the most is that I’d never heard of the book. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t read nearly as… Read More »
[October 20, 2014] My typical “reading list” is about the best book I’ve read this month. What I don’t often talk about are the other books, mostly still good, but don’t reach the level that will go on my recommended list. Today however I list two books that satisfied my reading tastes but for some reason didn’t reach… Read More »
[October 08, 2014] Reading books that make me think – really think – is truly the epitome of quality reading. Marshall Goldsmith writes that traits that made you successful won’t necessarily keep you there or advance you further. I enjoy this type of reasoning and it allows me to keep that reminder of potential failure in the back… Read More »
[September 12, 2014] Lately I’ve been re-reading S.L.A. Marshall’s 1978 book on men in battle. Long ago my copy went missing but my neighbor who was an Air Force veteran loaned me his first edition red-bound book. My neighbor is not only a veteran but as a young man emigrated from Italy. Being in his 80s, he had… Read More »
[September 11, 2014] Last night the U.S. President gave a speech on his strategy for dealing with the security threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – the president calls them the Islamic State of the Levant (ISIL). More later on the meaning of “ISIL,” which refers to a much broader land area than Iraq… Read More »
[September 10, 2014] Tonight the U.S. President will announce his grand strategy on the security threat from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Since the address to the U.S. public is tonight, I will have an analysis tomorrow. A preliminary analysis can begin today with what we do know. There are some formalized steps that must… Read More »
[September 09, 2014] Tomorrow the U.S. President is set to announce a strategy on dealing with the security threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In part 1 of this short series on grand strategy, I noted that it’s a great time to be a student of leadership because we will be able to actually… Read More »
[September 08, 2014] It’s a great time to be a student of senior leadership. With so much in the world happening and with the finest forms of media, it is now possible to “see” into the internal workings of senior leaders. True, we do not know the details or the secrets – those things that should not be… Read More »
[September 07, 2014] While World War I started in 1914, it was not until April 1917 that the United States entered the fray and only after a number of incidents lead the American people to distrust the Imperial German government. Many do not know the U.S. role was decisive but late in coming. When the U.S. entered the… 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 »