[December 25, 2014] In a lonely field near the Baghdad International Airport in December of 2010, I found myself handing out gifts to young Iraqi children. The area was under heavy guard by a variety of Iraqi and U.S. troops but the children were excited beyond comprehension. They knew of a gentleman called “Saint Nick” and his bag… Read More »
[December 24, 2014] Exactly a decade ago on Christmas Eve 2004, a little east of Baghdad Iraq, there were handful of U.S. Army Engineers sitting with me; all inside a small, lonely Combat Outpost far from any large troop base, eating a hot meal of turkey and dressing. With their Infantry brethren from the 1st Brigade Combat Team… Read More »
[December 23, 2014] When leaders speak and take action, it is imperative that it is done so in a clear, concise, and vigorous manner. On important issues, where there is room to be misunderstood or for distorting what is said, this is even more vital. Leaders must have unequivocal clarity in communication. Failure to do so will produce… Read More »
[December 22, 2014] As we approach the end of the year, we would be doing the right thing by honoring those in our military who currently serve and have served our country. To these men and women serving away from home, protecting us, we can freely acknowledge they are doing us proud. While this is a common sentiment,… Read More »
[December 21, 2014] In my many travels throughout the country of Iraq, I talked to many Iraqis from all levels of their society. Most importantly, I listened sympathetically to what they had to say. In their culture they were often very loyal to their tribe, regardless of religious origin. I also understood how much the culture of our… Read More »
[December 20, 2014] Historically, the most important factor of senior leadership is getting results. This is why, today at least, it is vital to have a senior leader who has a good moral foundation and can thus be trusted to do the right thing. Furthermore, the best senior leaders will never believe the end justifies the means to… Read More »
[December 19, 2014] While it has been a couple of months since my last comment on North Korea, it doesn’t mean I’m short of topics that relate their senior leadership. In fact, we have been informed that Sony Pictures Entertainment pulled the new movie The Interview due to terror threats through the internet, ostensibly by hackers backed by… Read More »
[December 18, 2014] Americans like their leaders and their heroes to be bold, tough, and brave. We all loved John Wayne in those action war movies, especially when he led a desperate group of men to attack the enemy bad guys. My personal favorite is The Green Berets starring John Wayne, David Janssen, and Jim Hutton. But playing… Read More »
[December 17, 2014] Many years ago as a military unit commander, I was involved in a training exercise that went poorly. My company was to participate in an attack on a simulated enemy position. We failed miserably. We failed so badly that the enemy hardly knew we were there. I felt lower than a snake’s belly. When I… Read More »
[December 16, 2014] To pay for college I worked on the Missouri Pacific Railroad (affectionately called the “MOP”) in the summer months in the early 1970s. I remember it being a tough, 6-day workweek job that paid well … and I belonged to the railroad union that ensured good pay as well. At the time there were negotiations… Read More »