[September 2, 2020] Drill Sergeant Bryant was about making good people better.1 I remember his voice in my head even today, and his favorite comment was ‘You’re not good enough, PVT Satterfield.’ It was his way of motivating both me and my platoon to do better. Bryant was the old fashioned type of Drill Sergeant. He was a… Read More »
[August 29, 2020] I live in a 55-plus housing development as part of a Home Owners Association. Residents are older, generally conservative politically, culturally homogeneous, and nearly all are retired. Despite their age, most live with a spouse and are physically active. They are what most folks would call, solidly middle class. They also support the police and… Read More »
[August 28, 2020] An interesting scene in the HBO series Band of Brothers (2001) brought back memories of the time I was an officer in the U.S. Army. In the military, we have a saying, salute the rank, not the man. Saluting is a sign of respect,1 but there are times you do not respect the man wearing… Read More »
[August 26, 2020] “Mail Call.” The shouted notice by our Administrative Staff Sergeant was time for high spirits. We were getting mail. By the end of 2004, my unit had been in combat for over ten months when a card arrived for me from an Oklahoma Schoolgirl. How she got my name, I’ll never know, but I found… Read More »
[August 16, 2020] This article is the second in a new mini-series on leadership lessons from famous Revolutionary War heroes. Today, I’m focusing on Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Franklin was one of a small group of American leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, leading the war for independence from Great Britain and building a new form of government. We… Read More »
[August 13, 2020] I’m old enough to remember seeing – with my own eyes – the terrible treatment of our Vietnam War vets when returning from war. When I joined the U.S. Army in late 1974, I made myself a promise that I would not tolerate such egregious behavior by anyone. The treatment these veterans received was unacceptable… Read More »
[August 12, 2020] I’m starting a new mini-series about leadership lessons taken from the writings of famous Revolutionary War heroes. To begin the series, I will start with Samuel Adams (1722-1803) as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and political philosopher. After Sam Adams passed away, his legacy was shrouded in controversy. In the early… Read More »
[August 3, 2020] In May of this year, I wrote that I would be dedicating space to discuss the leadership traits of George C. Marshall.1 This article is my second installment on that promise. I’ve chosen Marshall to focus upon because of his proven planning and organizing skills during World War II and post-war. Referred to as “the… Read More »
[August 1, 2020] Occasionally, in the pages of www.theleadermaker.com, I highlight an organization that is making a difference. Today, I’m introducing the Lost 52 Project. They are about providing the “fullest possible documentation and accounting” of the locations of 52 U.S. submarines lost during World War II. Few words describe what they do, but I like honor and… Read More »
[July 21, 2020] For the past few months, I’ve been looking on eBay to find some old World War II posters for my office. I ran across one with the words “Follow Me!” emblazoned across the top. It turns out that Follow Me is a famous leader command and is the motto of the U.S. Infantry.1 When asked… Read More »