[March 7, 2022] It was a dark September night at Fort Benning, GA, as our platoon of new lieutenants moved out on a new training mission. We were headed deep into the bush to test our newly acquired leadership skills and measure our resilience. I was paired with a lieutenant from Chicago; he had the worst traits a… Read More »
[March 5, 2022] There are times when doing the right thing – doing what is moral and honorable – is unpopular. I found myself and those I served with on the end of such unpopular opinions while deployed in the Iraq War.1 Politicians, Hollywood actors, journalists, and other uninformed folks, regularly dismissed our efforts as foolhardy and evil. … Read More »
[February 27, 2022] The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has not gone well. The reason is simple: courage on the part of the Ukrainian people. Ordinary soldiers and citizens are fighting the Russian juggernaut with unexpected tenacity. This is a genuine David and Goliath story unfolding right before our eyes. A few personal observations: Russia caught the world… Read More »
[February 25, 2022] Sometimes, I find something that just interests me. An archeological article came out last year that suggested that during the A.D. 79 Mount Vesuvius eruption, a Roman Soldier was on the Herculaneum beach as part of a major rescue effort. We know that a rescue mission was undertaken by naval commander Pliny, the Elder. Pliny’s… Read More »
[February 23, 2022] I’m a fan of Theodore Roosevelt and his success as a great political leader, statesman, and historian. Although he didn’t say it, I’m sure Roosevelt would agree with William Shakespeare’s words that cowards die a thousand times before their final death.1,2 Roosevelt was a real man – a man’s man – very much unlike so… Read More »
[February 21, 2022] U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Bryant stood like a statue looking over the simulated battlefield on the west side of Fort Polk, LA. We were about to charge into the open fields to attack the enemy. “Stand ready!” he said with great anticipation, “Charge!” And we went, willy-nilly running like the highly motivated newbie recruits we… Read More »
[February 18, 2022] The first time I was assigned to a heavy weapons team, I was thrilled to be given the responsibility. Two days of training on the ‘Ma Deuce’ M2 50 caliber machine gun gave me insight into squad teamwork and the quirks of my team. Headspace and timing was the first thing we learned. In the… Read More »
[February 14, 2022] When I became an Infantry Battalion commander (with approximately 700 Soldiers), I instituted a policy of wearing our Class A uniform (similar to a suit and tie) to daily work, unless we were in the field. Before that, their commander had “dress down” days and “come as you are weekends.” I stopped this dressing down… Read More »
[February 13, 2022] My school years were often punctuated by teachers asking me, ‘Doug, why can’t you follow the rules?’ I was never really that good at it. After joining the U.S. Army, I struggled to follow their rules and would suffer as a consequence. Understanding why there were rules (regulations, policies, directives, orders, etc.) was helpful but… Read More »
[February 12, 2022] In 1986, I took command of a line U.S. Army Infantry Company. Nearly 200 men were members of my unit, mainly Infantry, but a few support soldiers. We had medics, communications specialists, clerks, and a couple of mechanics. It took a continued effort from the command team to point all our people in the right… Read More »