[May 13, 2026] Over several decades, I had the privilege of closely observing highly effective leaders across U.S. and foreign militaries. I studied what enabled them to accomplish demanding missions under pressure and deliberately worked to adopt their approaches. A clear pattern emerged. The following traits and behaviors consistently predicted superior military performance. Intelligence Higher intelligence, as measured… Read More »
[April 2, 2026] People can write the story of who they were and who they are now. But preparing yourself for the Army and being all you can be means that you can also write the story of your future. If you are taking care of yourself, starting with the right attitude, recognizing your worth, and understanding that… Read More »
Iraq War Pre-Surge: my View [January 16, 2026] In a few months, it will be twenty years since I arrived for my second combat tour, part of the Iraq War (2003-2011). Such a time past gives me time to reflect, and despite some details being lost to old memories, I think I can put the war in a… Read More »
[January 16, 2025] I found an interesting take on why the Chinese people are almost universally not welcome anywhere outside China. ShanShan, in a recent video, attempted to explain the contrast among Asians, with the Chinese being an outlier. ShanShan claims that it was China’s Cultural Revolution that destroyed the humanity of Chinese society. She claims that the… Read More »
[April 22, 2024] In my recent exploration of advice for young men, I discovered a good deal worth sharing. The latest comes from Manly & Modern, a site dedicated to helping young men improve productivity, thought patterns, and habits. They give relationship advice, social tips, career and finance guidance, and workout content. We will find many similarities to… Read More »
[August 8, 2021] Executive business leaders can make it to the top of their organization for a variety of reasons. In addition to actual skill and education, one’s personality can play a large role in getting them to the top. Since no one is perfect, it is fairly common for business leaders to also have problematic behaviors. While… Read More »
[March 22, 2021] In life, I believe one must be prepared for all situations. This idea means being able to handle firearms of all kinds properly. My dad was the first to put a gun in my hand (a 410 shotgun that belonged to my grandfather) and told me to be safe when using it and respect the… Read More »
[September 6, 2020] There is not a person I know that hasn’t been surprised by something coming at them out of nowhere. One day, you get up and run out the door to work and, while driving along minding your own business, a car sideswipes your new pickup truck. Indeed the car was in your blind spot, and… Read More »
[April 27, 2020] I’ve been around performance reviews long enough to understand they have value. Written by someone who outranks the person rated, the evaluation has both good and bad points. But, some evaluations are truly valuable. Those criticisms from subordinates will frequently contain the starkest surprises and bluntness. As such, feedback from subordinates can knock a leader… Read More »
[February 14, 2020] Navy Commander Joe Gallagher was the kind of man that you would want to meet in a bar and have an entertaining, fun evening. He was smart, funny, and had that kind of personality everyone wanted to be around. But, Joe couldn’t control his alcohol consumption one-night last year and he assaulted a police officer. … Read More »