Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[April 5, 2021] It has been said, many times over, that what we see affects us in ways that we often do not know. Such can be said of an old movie, The Purple Heart (1944).1 The film dramatizes the “show trial” of U.S. airmen from the Doolittle Raid. Americans are familiar with the bombing raid by Jimmy… Read More »
[April 3, 2021] When you step in cow poop, the best thing to do is get your foot out and rinse it off. I know, as a kid, I cleaned out barns and even milked a few cows. But Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian does not seem to understand this concept. And, he didn’t step in cow poop… Read More »
[April 2, 2021] Yes, indeed, be the captain of your own ship. If you want to be satisfied with your life and not look back with regret on what you did or did not do, then take the wheel of your ship and steer it. You are accountable for what happens in your life, and you are also… Read More »
[April 1, 2021] If I were asked to name an event in world history that stood out the most, certainly the Allied Invasion of France on 6 June 1944 would be it. Hundreds of books and articles are written that give us something important; insight into what freed the world from one form of tyranny. Understanding the events… Read More »
[March 31, 2021] War brings the unpredictable. There are men who, we would least expect, do impossible things. This was the case of the ‘lost battalion’ of the 77th Infantry Division during World War I. The Lost Battalion is the name given to nine companies of the 77th isolated by German forces in late 1918. The allied Meuse-Argonne… Read More »
[March 30, 2021] Spring is here, and people are getting out more, going to work, shopping, and just walking around their neighborhoods. As a leader, if you want to feel better, make your boss happier, and help your family, then being liked will help. Here are five ways NOT to be liked as a leader. We hear about… Read More »
[March 29, 2021] A little off topic, but I thought today might be a time for a bit of humor. Late yesterday, while searching for photographs from my time in the Iraq War, I came upon a list of staff quotes. Some are pretty funny (although the funny bar was mighty low at that time). Combat in Iraq… Read More »
[March 28, 2021] You just gotta love the U.S. military. Once again, the Navy is considering banning their First Navy Jack patch. “Disappointing” is what one Navy petty officer said to me over coffee. I believe this sentiment is common when Navy personnel see their senior leaders as overly concerned about the patch with the motto Don’t Tread… Read More »
[March 27, 2021] In a Military History course mandated by Army ROTC, I asked a question of our college professor he could not answer. I asked, Why do democracies win wars? This idea was an observation I’d made while reading about war during my college days. I was unaware at the time that historians, philosophers, religious leaders, and… Read More »
[March 26, 2021] “Provide for the common defense.” One of the most well-known parts of the U.S. Constitution is its Preamble that contains this phrase. The idea of defense for all is as ancient as human beings inhabiting our planet. It is no surprise that an ancient foot soldier command would be Lock Shields, meaning essentially the same.… Read More »