George Washington’s Federalism
Washington’s federalism provides a middle way for today’s policymakers and citizens who are concerned about federal overreach into state and local matters but also recognize the need for strong government within its proper bounds. It provides an alternative to the contentious narratives on offer in today’s fractured political climate.
A Strategic Vision for Civics
Civics doesn’t have to be boring, dry, or irrelevant. The right to the “pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution’s “Blessings of Liberty” amount to one thing: the freedom and opportunity to pursue a meaningful life.
George Washington and the Military Recruitment Crisis
The U.S. military’s recruitment issue has its roots in our drastically over-extended national security strategy.
Saving the Next Nick
Suicide Prevention Is a Moral Imperative
We discover a meaningful life at the intersection of what is truly good and what we uniquely have to offer. Perhaps Nick just needed a bit more time to find that sweet spot. A word of encouragement from me wouldn’t have solved his problems, but it just might have given him enough hope to press on for a bit longer.
The C.U.R.E. for Distrust
Communication, Understanding, Respect, and Expertise
When communication, understanding, respect, and expertise are woven into an organization’s culture, they produce the kind of trust necessary for aggressive, adaptable, and lethal action on the battlefield.
Listen to the related podcast interview here or look it up on the NCO Journal Podcast wherever you listen.
Fighting On Purpose
There is a deep and intimate relationship between national purpose and the moral sphere of war. Both Washington and Lincoln used the principles of the Declaration of Independence to provide moral direction and purpose to their armies, which cultivated a sense among soldiers that they were no longer responsible only for their own survival and that of their families, but also for the very soul of the country.
Professional Fulfillment
How Finding Your Purpose Promotes Unit Cohesion
Professional fulfillment is found at the intersection of what one is good at and what the organization values. There are few things more emotionally taxing than spending precious working hours engaged in activities one has no affinity for. However, engaging in activities that cater to an individual’s natural abilities and inclinations assists in finding meaning and developing a healthy sense of professional pride.
The Declaration of Independence
A ‘New’ Framework for U.S. Foreign Policy?
Assumptions have their place in foreign policy and strategy, but only if they are securely nested within a clear and cohesive philosophical framework. For American foreign policy professionals, that framework is and ought to be the principles articulated in our Declaration of Independence.
It’s Not Coddling to Care
Why “Engaged Leadership” Creates Stronger Military Units
Leader engagement is a continuous cycle of deliberately paying attention to the individuals under one’s care until a sufficient understanding of their particular characteristics is achieved to lead them effectively. In other words, rather than simply acting on knee-jerk assumptions, engaged leaders get to know their subordinates as individuals through watching and listening.
One of the Modern War Institute's Top Ten Most-Read Articles of 2021
Destruction, Creation, and Engagement
The process of destruction and creation occurs within the mind of an individual, setting the conditions for effective action through attention and understanding. Since organizations are made up of individuals, destruction and creation occurs at an organizational level when the individuals therein attend, understand, and act along parallel lines of effort toward a common goal.