Author Archives: Douglas R. Satterfield
[October 31, 2020] In the first half of twentieth-century America, boxing was one of the most popular sports; in popularity, number one tied with baseball. The fighters were some of the toughest and fastest people ever. As my ex-Drill Sergeant Bryant used to say, they were tough SOBs. Growing up, I got to meet many WWII and Korean… Read More »
[October 30, 2020] Military jargon permeates our society. Headspace and timing, though, is a technical term meaning to adjust weapon systems so they fire correctly. Usually used with the Browning .50 caliber heavy machinegun, adjusting headspace and timing is critical for its proper use. However, I will be using as jargon rather than technically. The U.S. Department of… Read More »
[October 29, 2020] Today’s article has a bit of a treat for my readers. I added a new tab on my leadership website called VIETNAM VET QUOTES. I’m starting this tab about an honorable man. His name is Robert “Bob” Reilly, U.S. Army 1968-1970, veterans’ advocate, and pupil of music. He is married and has three children and… Read More »
[October 28, 2020] In this article, I compare the leadership qualities of Joe Biden and Donald Trump; both running for the U.S. presidency. Alas, hype defines this election, mostly driven by a media accused of both political partisanship and prejudicial censorship. Any leadership comparison is a difficult task, one that data mining, analysis, and the application of seasoned… Read More »
[October 26, 2020] Since at least 1793, when flintlock weapons were ready to fire as “well locked and loaded,” the phrase Lock and Load has been used by both the military and in general society. I first heard it while watching the John Wayne film Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) when I was about ten years old. For… Read More »
[October 25, 2020] Leaders are at their best when telling us about their vision and the ways and means to achieve that vision. Top-of-the-line leadership means being precise in what you say to avoid misunderstandings and to communicate your thinking. That is why highfalutin talk is not recommended; unless you are purposefully obscuring something of importance. I’m not… Read More »
[October 24, 2020] Sage counsel from all cultures and from across history, found in philosophical and religious texts, encourages us to not lie. What is so human is that we rarely chose to follow the advice. Dr. Jordan Peterson, professor from the University of Toronto, says that we should try to tell the truth, but at least don’t… Read More »
[October 23, 2020] The first commander I had after my commissioning as an Army Officer was a man who was a big talker. He would talk for hours about our unit, how he had grand plans for being the best in the army, and how much we would enjoy doing our jobs. I wrote about this commander before,… Read More »
[October 21, 2020] As the current COVID-19 pandemic slows and the Fall weather approaches, I am revisiting one of the greatest books of all time. In March of this year, I wrote a short review of The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn.1 It may have seemed like I was on kidding when I tried to sum up… Read More »
[October 20, 2020] Three years ago, I profiled U.S. Senator Tom Cotton,1 one of my early leader profiles and one that set the stage for those I profiled later. These profiles are about character. I intend to lay out what that leader sees as necessary, their priorities, and what defines them. Today, as part of my leadership blog,… Read More »