[March 13, 2018] Showing moral courage in the face of great adversity is a much more difficult act than showing physical courage in combat. Many combat leaders are known for their bravery in the face of a deadly enemy but wilt when their nerves fail under the spotlight that threatens what they believe. Today, I’m highlighting Nick Sandmann… Read More »
[October 14, 2018] This topic may seem at first glance to be a little off the beaten track from typical leadership themes but the more I see what’s happening on college campuses, the more I realize that it shouldn’t be. The purpose of formal education is to instruct us to be better, more productive citizens. At least, that… Read More »
[August 31, 2018] Army Vet writes today about how the Secretary of the U.S. Army is considering a change in regulations to allow those who smoked marijuana into the army. Join the Army, Smoke a Joint! It’s only a matter of time before the “pussy” senior leadership of the proud United States Army (the one that kicked butt… Read More »
[July 15, 2018] As noted previously, I began a new blog thread to give a brief summary of leadership topics I like but could not get into sufficient detail. The clearing the spindle post today focuses on this being the year of insults. Good leaders don’t insult others … mostly. The primary job of any leader is to… Read More »
[June 3, 2018] A friend of mine from New York City conveyed a story to me that framed a problem leaders often encounter when they rally people to a cause. He was at a political townhall to discuss public issues of concern to the residents. People jumped right in to complain to their elected officials but failed to… Read More »
[November 30, 2017] This morning I was flipping through a favorite book that I’d bought in 1983 just after being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The book, the 42nd Edition of The Army Officer’s Guide, is probably one of the best overall books providing countless lessons for the junior leader. Those lessons from 40 years… Read More »
[May 15, 2017] Our staff headquarters was going through a Transition of Authority (ToA) whereby an incoming military unit takes over the combat duties from an outgoing unit. When I arrived in July of that year, the violence in Iraq was the highest it had ever been. To complicate my transition into Engineer Staff operations, I had to… Read More »
[August 11, 2016] Summer with its oppressive heat and humidity is upon us here in the Northeast in full force. American inventor Willis Carrier is given credit for large-scale electrical air conditioning and I am very grateful. With my wife and I reconditioning our home in Brooklyn plus the heat of summer has taken some intellectual energy out… Read More »
[July 25, 2016] A good friend of mine at my commissioning ceremony as a new U.S. Army Second Lieutenant said that his best advice for me to succeed would be to respect soldiers regardless of rank, however pander to none of them. In his own way, he was speaking about respect. But respect is specifically missing from most… Read More »
[February 17, 2016] After 9/11 when terrorists struck the United States homeland, there were many people who emerged as heroes. Among them were firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers, and yes even ordinary people who were all involved to save people and engaged in the dangerous cleanup effort in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania.1 In… Read More »