[April 22, 2020] It wasn’t that long ago that I was reading one of several books on U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and his prosecution of the Union side of the Civil War. The war was, in some sense, predictable, but no one was willing actually to do something to prepare for it. The possibility of war was just… Read More »
[April 18, 2020] Drill and Ceremony is a method of moving troops from one location to another. Since its introduction by Friedrich von Steuben to Revolutionary soldiers at Valley Forge in 1778, highly motivated sergeants have used commands to instill discipline in new troops. Following those commands is not easy, but after some experience, troops will often begin… Read More »
[April 17, 2020] I was told by my second-grade teacher that I had a lot of bad habits that “needed fixin.” Like all the other kids in the class, I was deathly afraid of her, so I just nodded my head in agreement. Truth be told, I did have plenty of bad habits in school, like not studying,… Read More »
[April 16, 2020] It has been simply too long since I wrote an article about a hero. It goes without saying that we still need heroes, especially in our modern world. We need heroes precisely because they define the limits of our ideals, hopes. and dreams. That is precisely what U.S. Army Private Desmond Doss has done for… Read More »
[April 14, 2020] A common thesis throughout the existence of humanity is that betrayal is the lowest of lowly “sins.” When we think of traitors, Benedict Arnold and Judas Iscariot come to mind. For our neighbors, the British, the British Free Corps of World War II is what they contemplate as one of the most despicable chapters in… Read More »
[April 13, 2020] American novelist Ernest Hemingway once wrote that “courage is grace under pressure.” Having spent many decades in the U.S. Army, I can attest to the truth of Hemingway’s quote. An old, grizzly Marine gunny sergeant once told me that in combat, you had better keep your head or the enemy will. Today, my topic is… Read More »
[April 11, 2020] As I go about my business to teach leadership to young folks, the one complaint I hear often is that history courses are dull and mostly useless. We can and, of course, we should learn and do so quickly, else we are destined to repeat past mistakes. U.S. strategic leaders have learned from them, and… Read More »
[April 10, 2020] My dad used to tell me stories about new military recruits training before they deployed to the Korean War. In 1950 and at the beginning of the war, the military was only drafting single men. But he knew many, and their stories upon returning from the war were part of what captivated me as a… Read More »
[April 9, 2020] Growing up in a community with many military veterans, I developed an interest in military history. The many stories told by these veterans fascinated me; a little boy from a town that didn’t have a traffic light, and the highlight of the weekend was a local dance. Maybe that is why I also came to… Read More »
[April 8, 2020] It is a long-held belief that war brings out both the best and worst in people. For those of us who experience combat, most would readily agree. However, war is certainly not the only thing that brings out the best and worst; all large-scale events have similar outcomes on people. I have found that people… Read More »