Podcasts about army command

The purpose of Russian hacking and their concept of cyber war is conceptually and practically different from Western strategies.  This talk will focus on understanding why Russia uses cyber tools to further strategic interests, how they do it (by examining the 2016 interference in the U.S. presidential election and the NotPetya cases), and who does it. About the speaker: Dr. Richard Love is currently a professor at NDU's College of Information and Cyberspace and recently served as a professor of strategic studies at U.S. Army War College's (USAWC) School of Strategic Landpower and as assistant director of the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute from 2016-2021. From 2002 to 2016, Dr. Love served as a professor and senior research fellow at NDU's Institute for National Strategic Studies / WMD Center.  He is an adjunct professor teaching law, international relations, and public policy at Catholic University and has taught law and policy courses at Georgetown, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Marshall Center, and the Naval Academy, among others.  He holds a Ph.D. in International Relations and Security Studies from the University of New South Wales in Australia (2017), an LLM from American University School of Law (2002), and a Juris Doctor in Corporate and Security Law from George Mason University School of Law. His graduate studies in East-West relations were conducted at the Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, and the University of Munich, in Germany.  His undergraduate degree is from the University of Virginia.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Brian Hamel discusses his 2023 Army Command and General Staff Theses entitled: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-cyber-space triad: Special Operations' contributions to space warfare. Brian delves into the complex and evolving landscape of modern warfare, focusing on the intersection of Special Operations Forces (SOF), cyberspace, and space. The "Triad" emphasizes the synergistic relationship between these domains to achieve strategic objectives. Those interested in military strategy, national security, and the future of warfare will enjoy this one.  Recording Date: 16 Dec 2024 Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #124 Dean Cheng on China, Space, and Information Operations #130 Teasel Muir-Harmony on Spaceflight, Foreign Policy, and Soft Power Command and General Staff Thesis: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-cyber-space triad: Special Operations' contributions to space warfare by Brian Hamel Army University Press Article: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-Cyber-Space Triad by Brian Hamel Supporting Warfare in the Indo-Pacific Through Space-Based Sustainment by Maj. Brian E. Hamel Bowen, Bleddyn E. War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2020. Carlson, Joshua P. Spacepower Ascendant: Space Development Theory and a New Space Strategy. Independently Published, 2020. Drew, Jerry: The Battle Beyond Gallegos, Frank. “After the Gulf War: Balancing Space Power's Development.” In Beyond the Paths of Heaven: The Emergence of Space Power Thought, edited by Bruce M. DeBlois, 63–102. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 1999. Klein, John J. War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics. New York: Routledge, 2006. Klein, John J. Understanding Space Strategy: The Art of War in Space. London: Routledge, 2019. Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space by Namrata Goswami and Peter A. Garretson Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Maj. Brian E. Hamel is a space operations officer assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the School of Advanced Military Studies, the Information Advantage Scholars Program, and the Red Team Leader course. Brian has multiple rotations to the Middle East and South America with special operations units. He has a Master of Art from Northeastern University, and recently wrote a thesis detailing special operations' contributions to space warfare as part of the Information Advantage Scholars Program at the Command and General Staff College, Kansas. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I want to introduce you to our guest this time, Fred Dummar. I met Fred through Susy Flory who helped me write Thunder Dog. Fred is taking a class from Susy on writing and is well along with his first book. I look forward to hearing about its publishing sometime in 2025.   Fred hails from a VERY small town in Central Nevada. After high school Fred went to the University of Nevada in Reno. While at University, Fred joined the Nevada National Guard which helped him pay his way through school and which also set him on a path of discovery about himself and the world. After college Fred joined the U.S. army in 1990. He was accepted into the Special Forces in 1994 and served in various locations around the world and held ranks from Captain through Colonel.   Fred and I talk a fair amount about leadership and how his view of that subject grew and changed over the years. He retired from the military in 2015. He continues to be incredibly active serving in a variety of roles in both the for profit and nonprofit arenas.   I love Fred's leadership style and philosophy. I hope you will as well. Fred has lots of insights that I believe you will find helpful in whatever you are doing.       About the Guest:   Colonel (Retired) Fred Dummar was born and raised in the remote town of Gabbs, Nevada. He enlisted in the Nevada National Guard in 1986 and served as a medic while attending the University of Nevada. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army in April 1990.   Fred was selected for Special Forces in 1994 and went on to command at every level in Special Forces from Captain to Colonel. He trained and deployed in many countries, including Panama, Venezuela, Guyana, Nigeria, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Most notably, Col Dummar participated in the liberation of Kurdish Northern Iraq in 2003, assisting elements of the Kurdish Peshmerga (resistance fighters) with the initial liberation of Mosul.   Colonel Dummar's last tour in uniform was as the Commander of the Advisory Group for Afghan Special Forces from May 2014 to June 2015. Immediately after retiring, he returned to Afghanistan as a defense contractor to lead the Afghan Army Special Operations Command and Special Mission Wing training programs until May 2017.   Beginning in 2007 and continuing until 2018, Fred guided his friend, who was blinded in Iraq, through 40 Marathons, several Ultra marathons, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, running with the bulls in Pamplona, and a traverse of the Sahara Desert to raise funds and awareness for Special Forces Soldiers. He personally ran numerous Ultramarathons, including 23 separate 100-mile runs and over a hundred races from 50 miles to marathon.   Fred graduated from the U.S. Army Command and Staff College and the U.S. Army War College with master's degrees in military art and science, strategy, and policy. He is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Organizational Psychology and Leadership.   Since retiring from the Army in 2015, Fred has led in nonprofit organizations from the Board of Directors with the Special Forces Charitable Trust (2015-2022) as the Chief of Staff for Task Force Dunkirk during the evacuation of Afghan Allies in August 2021, as a leadership fellow with Mission 43 supporting Idaho's Veterans (2020-2023), and as a freshwater advocate with Waterboys with trips to East Africa in 2017 and 2019 to assist in funding wells for remote tribes.   Fred has led in the civilian sector as the Senior Vice President of Legacy Education, also known as Rich Dad Education, from 2017-2018 and as the startup CEO for Infinity Education from 2021-2022, bringing integrity and compassion to Real Estate Education. Fred continues investing in Real Estate as a partner in Slate Mountain Homes, Idaho and trains new investors to find, rehab, and flip manufactured homes with Alpine Capital Solutions.   Fred is married to Rebecca Dummar, and they reside in Idaho Falls, Idaho, with three of their children, John, Leah, and Anna. Their daughter Alana attends the University of Michigan.   Ways to connect with Fred:   Here is a link to my webpage - https://guidetohuman.com/ Here is a link to my Substack where I write - https://guidetohuman.substack.com/   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of unstoppable mindset where inclusion diversity and the unexpected meet, but it's more fun to talk about unexpected than inclusion or diversity, although it is relevant to talk about both of those. And our guest today is Fred Dummar. It is pronounced dummar or dumar. Dummar, dummar, see, I had to do that. So Fred is a person I met Gosh about seven or eight months ago through Susy Flory, who was my co author on thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust at ground zero. And Susy introduced us because Fred is writing a book. We're going to talk about that a bunch today, and we'll also talk about Fred's career and all sorts of other things like that. But we've had some fascinating discussions, and now we finally get to record a podcast, so I'm glad to do that. So Fred Dummar, welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Fred Dummar ** 02:22 Yeah, no. Thanks for having me. Michael, yeah, we've had some some interesting discussions about everything unstoppable mind and blindness and diversity. And yeah, it's good to be on here.   Michael Hingson ** 02:34 Yeah. And one of the things I know that you have done is ran with a blind marathoner, and I'm anxious to hear about that, as well as what an ultra marathon is. We'll get to that, however. But why don't we start by you may be talking a little bit about kind of the early freight growing up and all that you grew up in, in Nevada, in a in a kind of remote place. So I'm going to just leave it to you to talk about all   Fred Dummar ** 02:57 that. Yeah, Michael, so, and actually, that's part of my, part of my story that I'm writing about. Because, you know, obviously, where we're from forms a large basis of how we sometimes interact with the world. And I came from a very remote town in Nevada. It's dying, by the way. I'm not sure how long that town will be with us, but, yeah, being from a small town where, you know, graduating class was 13 kids, and it's an hour to the closest place that you could watch a movie or get fast food, those types of things, it's definitely a different type of childhood, and much one, much more grounded in self reliance and doing activities that you can make up yourself, right? Instead of being looking for others to entertain you.   Michael Hingson ** 03:50 Yeah, I hear you. So what was it like growing up in a small town? I grew up in Palmdale, California, so it was definitely larger than where you grew up, we had a fairly decent sized High School senior graduating class. It wasn't 13, but what was it like growing up in that kind of environment?   Fred Dummar ** 04:12 Yeah, it was. It was one where you know, not only did you know everybody, everybody else knew you, and so you could pretty much count on anyone in the town for for assistance or, or, you know, if, I guess, if you were on the house for not, not assistance, so, but no, it was. It was a great place to have many, many, many friends from there. But it was, certainly was an adjustment, because I think growing up, there are our sort of outlook on life for us, you know, certainly from the people that that ran our high school and the other adults, most people were seen as, you know, your life after high school would be going to work at one of. The mines, or going to work on one of the, you know, family cattle ranch or something like that. So making the jump from there to, you know, even a few hours away to Reno, you know, to start at the University of Nevada, that was a big it's a big jump from for me, and because the school is so small, I ended up graduating from high school when I was 16, so I barely had a driver's license, and now I am several hours away and Reno, Nevada, going to the university. And, you know, quite an adjustment for me.   Michael Hingson ** 05:32 It's interesting. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to do a podcast episode with someone who's very much involved and knows a lot about bullying and so on, and just listening to you talk, it would seem like you probably didn't have a whole lot of the bully type mentality, because everyone was so close, and everyone kind of interacted with each other, so probably that sort of stuff wasn't tolerated very well. Yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 05:59 it was, it was more so outsiders. I mean, kids that had grown up there all sort of, you know, knew where they were or weren't in the pecking order. Things and things sort of stayed kind of steady stasis, without a lot of bullying. But yeah, new kids coming in. That's where you would see for me, from my recollection of growing up to that's where, you know, I remember that type of behavior coming out when, when you know, a new kid would come into the town,   Michael Hingson ** 06:31 was it mainly from the new kids or from the kids who are already there?   Fred Dummar ** 06:34 From the kids? Sometimes it was the integration, right? Some people integrate into new environments better than others. And you know, generally, no problems for those folks. But some, you know, it takes a bit more. And in a place like that, if you're you know, if you're seen as different, so you know to your theory on or your you know the topics you cover on diversity and inclusion. Sometimes when you're the one that that looks different or acts different in an environment like that, you definitely stick out, and then you become the target of of bullying.   Michael Hingson ** 07:10 What? What happens that changes that for a kid? Then, you know, so you're you're different or in one way or another. But what happens that gets kids accepted? Or do they?   Fred Dummar ** 07:21 Yeah, I don't know. I think, I think it's learning to embrace just who you are and doing your own thing. I think if you know, if you're trying to force yourself into an environment that doesn't want to accept you, I'm not sure that that's ever an easy battle for anyone. But just being yourself and doing your own thing. I think that's, that's the way to go, and that's certainly, you know, what I learned through my life was I wasn't one of the kids that planned on staying there and working in the mind, and I wasn't, you know, my family was, you know, at that point, my mom and dad owned the, the only grocery store in town, and I certainly wasn't going back to run the family business. So, you know, look, looking for a way, you know, for something else to do outside of that small town was certainly number one on my agenda, getting out of there. So being myself and and learning to adapt, or, as you know the saying goes, right, learning to be instead of being a fish in a small pond, learning to be a fish in a much larger pond,   Michael Hingson ** 08:27 yeah, well, and there's, there's a lot of growth that has to take place for that to occur, but it's understandable. So you graduated at 16, and then what did you do after   Fred Dummar ** 08:38 my uh, freshman year at college, which I funded by, you know, sort of Miss, Miss misleading people or lying about my age so that I could get a job at 16 and working construction and as an apprentice electrician. And that funded my my freshman year of college. But, you know, as as as my freshman year was dragging on, I was wondering, you know, hey, how I was going to continue to fund my, you know, continued universe my stay at the university, because I did not want to go, you know, back back back home, sort of defeated, defeated by that. So I started looking into various military branches of military service, and that's when it happened upon the National Guard, Nevada National Guard, and so I joined the National Guard. And right after, you know, I think it was five days after I turned 17, so as soon as I could, I signed up, and that summer after my freshman year, I left for training for the National Guard. Missed first semester of my sophomore year, but then came back and continued on with my university studies using, you know, my the educational benefits that came from being in the National Guard.   Michael Hingson ** 09:55 So you're in the National Guard, but that wasn't a full time thing, so you were able to go back and. Continue education. Yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 10:01 it was, you know, it's a typical one weekend a month, one weekend a month for duty. Typically, we would go in on a Friday night, spend Saturday and Sunday for duty. So we get a, you know, small check for that. And then we were also allowed to draw, you know, the GI Bill and the state of Nevada had a program at the time where you didn't get paid upfront for your classes, but at the end of every semester, you could take your final report card and for every class, for every credit that you had a C or higher, they would reimburse you. So yeah, so they were essentially paying my tuition, and then, you know, small stipend every month from the GI Bill. And then, you know, my National Guard check, so and in the 80s, you know, when I was going to school, that that was enough to keep, you know, define my education. And where did you go to school? At the University of Nevada in   Michael Hingson ** 10:59 Reno, in Reno, okay, yeah, so, so you kind of have ended up really liking Reno, huh?   Fred Dummar ** 11:07 Yeah, I, yeah. I became sort of home city. Obviously, no one would ever really know where. You know, if I would have mentioned that I grew up in a town called gaps, most people would, you know, not, not really understand. I sometimes, if they're, you know, press and say, hey, you know, where are you really? Because, you know, often say, Hey, I went to school in Reno. If they say, where did you grow up? I'll, you know, it's a longer conversation. I'll be like, okay, so if you put your finger, like, right in the middle of Nevada, in the absolute middle of nowhere, that's where I grew up.   Michael Hingson ** 11:40 Well, you know, people need to recognize and accept people for who they are, and that doesn't always happen, which is never fun, but Yeah, gotta do what you can do, yes, well, so Reno, on the other hand, is a is a much larger town, and probably you're, a whole lot more comfortable there than you than you were in Gabs, but that's okay. So yeah, so you went to the university. You got a bachelor's, yep, and then what did you do?   Fred Dummar ** 12:11 Yeah. Well, so along the way, while I was in the National Guard, you know, being a medic, right? I was convinced by a lieutenant that met me. I was actually doing the physical, because it was one of the things our section did when I was first in, you know, we gave the medical physicals, and this lieutenant said, you know, you should come transfer our unit. The unit was an infantry unit, and I became their only medic. And so that was much better than working in a medical section for a helicopter unit where I'd been and and the lieutenants, you know, said that I should consider joining ROTC, since I was already going to the university. So I did in my junior year, started the Reserve Officer Training Corps there at the University of Nevada. And so when I graduated college in the winter of 89 I accepted a commission into the army. So then a few months later, I was, I was off on my my Grand Army adventure,   Michael Hingson ** 13:11 alright, and then what did you do?   Fred Dummar ** 13:15 So, yeah, that was, you know, because it was an infantry Lieutenant went to Fort Benning, Georgia, and I believe now the army calls it fort Moore, but yeah, I trained there for about a year, doing all of the tasks necessary to become an infantry officer. And then I went down to Panama, when the US still had forces in the country of Panama. And I spent two and a half years down there was that past mariega, yeah, right after, because I had graduated from college in December of 89 while operation just caused to get rid of Noriega was happening. So year after my infantry training, I sort of ended up in Panama, and sort of as at the time, thinking it was bad luck, you know, because if you're in the army, you know, you want to, kind of want to go where things are happening. So I'm in Panama the year after the invasion, while Saddam Hussein is invading Kuwait, and everyone else is rushing to the desert, and I'm sitting in the jungle. So, you know, as a as a young person, you start to think, you know, oh, you know, hey, I'm missing. I'm missing the big war. I should be at the war, you know. So that was an interesting take, not what I would have now, but you know, as a young man,   Michael Hingson ** 14:31 what caused you to revise that view, though? Or time,   Fred Dummar ** 14:37 yeah, yeah. Just, just time. And, you know, later in life, you know, after, uh, serving combat rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan, I realized it wasn't something one needed to rush towards,   Michael Hingson ** 14:48 really quite so bad, where you were, yeah. So,   Fred Dummar ** 14:52 yeah, I spent a couple years in Panama, then I came back to Fort Benning, uh, Fort Moore, and worked at the Army's Airborne School. So. Uh, you know, the place that teaches people how to jump out of airplanes. And I did that for for a year. So it's, it's really fun because watching, you know, watching people go through the process of of training to jump out of an aircraft, and then sort of their very first time on an aircraft might takes off, and you can see the, you know, sort of the realization that they're not going to land with the plane for the first time in their life. You know, they're they're not going to be in the plane when it lands. That's always, you know, it's always a good time. And then, of course, when you know, then there's another realization, moment when the doors pop open right, and the doors, doors on the aircraft are opened so the jump masters can start making checks, you know, and out, yeah, and they're looking, you know, their eyes get larger and larger, you know, as as preparations for the jump. You know, when they're stood up and they're hooked up inside the aircraft, and then finally, you know, told to exit. Yeah, it's interesting. And during the time when I worked there, that's when I was eligible, because I was a senior lieutenant at that time, that I could apply to become a Green Beret. I could go through special forces training if I was selected. So I left from Fort Benning, I went up to Fort Bragg, now fort liberty, and went through the selection, Special Forces Assessment, selection, and was selected to become a Special Forces soldiers that I went to Fort Bragg, you know, spent the year or so becoming qualified to be a special forces team leader, and then the next I spent the next 20 years of my Army career in various units at at Fort liberty, and third Special Forces Group, Special Forces Command, seven Special Forces Group, Special Operations recruiting, just, you know, bouncing around in different assignments and then, but obviously during that time, 911, happened, and you know, was on the initial invasion in 2003 up in, up into the north. We were flying in from Romania, you know, before the war started. And so being there during that phase of the Iraq combat in Iraq, and then going to Afghanistan and and spending multiple, multiple tours and multiple years in Afghanistan. So, so   Michael Hingson ** 17:25 did you do much jumping out of airplanes?   Fred Dummar ** 17:29 Yeah, in combat, no. But over the years, yeah, I accumulated quite a few jumps. Because what, you know, every, every unit I was ever assigned to while I was in the army was always one that was, you know, airborne, which are, you know, the designation for units that jump out of airplanes. So   Michael Hingson ** 17:47 have to, yeah, yeah. Well, you're a pretty level headed kind of guy. What was it like the first time you jumped? I mean, you described what it looked like to other people. Do you think that was basically the same for you, or did you, yeah, kind of a thicker skin,   Fred Dummar ** 18:01 yeah, no, no, I think, I think that's why I was able to, you know, in large measure, that's how a lot of us are able to have empathy, right? If we've, if we've, if we've been through it, and we are able to access the memory of, okay, what was it like when I was doing it? It allows us to be, you know, more compassionate to the people that are going through it at that moment for the first time, but yeah, I can remember being in the plane, and then you know, that realization is like, hey, you know, in the pit of your stomach, I'm not, I'm not landing with this plane. And then, you know, the doors opening up, you're like, you know, kind of hey, those, I don't know what the gates of hell look like, but right now, that's that's in my mind, what, what they would look like, you know, and then going out the first time, and and then I think the second time might have been worse, because it was the anticipation of, oh, wait a minute, we're doing that again. And by the but if you do five jumps to qualify before you're given your parachute as badge, so I think by the third one, I'd come to terms with, with, with dealing and managing. You know, you know the fear of it, of leaving an airplane. And people you know often ask, you know when, when you're older and you're past the 100 jump mark, you know it's like, still, is there still fear and like, I think, I think, if there's not, I mean, then you know, there's probably something wrong with you, but, but it's not, it's nowhere near you know how it is when you know your First learning and your first learning to trust yourself and trust the equipment and trust the process. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 19:45 what you're learning a little bit along the way is to how to control fear. And you mentioned my book earlier, the one that's coming out live like a guide dog, which is all about trying to teach people to control fear, because we have so many things happen to. Us, or we think about so many things, that we develop so many fears consciously or not, that when something does unexpectedly happen to us, especially something that isn't necessarily a positive thing, we just automatically go into a fear reaction mode. And the the reality is it doesn't need to be that way you can learn to control fear, which is what we talk about in live like a guide dog, because it's important that people recognize you can learn to control fear. I would never say, Don't be afraid. Yeah, but I think you can learn to control fear, and by doing so, then you use that fear to help guide you and give you the the the the tools to really be able to move forward and focus. But most people don't really spend much time doing that. They don't learn introspection. They don't learn how to to slow down and analyze and develop that mind muscle so that later you can analyze incredibly quickly.   Fred Dummar ** 21:06 Yeah, we in the army, we call that stress inoculation, good description, you know, it's, you know, once you're, once you're, you've learned to deal with stress, or deal with, you know, stressful, fearful things. Then, you know, the next time you're you're better equipped. And that fear and that stress can be, you know, can be continually amped up. I used to laugh when I was doing Special Forces recruiting, because the you know, it would require a special physical for candidates to go get a special physical before they could come to training. And one of the boxes we would joke about was, I have no fear of heights or enclosed spaces. No everybody has those fears, is whether you can, you can manage those fears and deal with. You know, things are very uncomfortable. Well, that's   Michael Hingson ** 22:05 really it. It's all about managing. And so I'm sure that they want you to check no, that you don't have those fears when you're when you're going through. But at the same time, what you're hopefully really saying is you can manage it. Yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 22:20 that you can manage and that's why I was saying, that's why I would always laugh, because of course, everyone has those fears and but learning to deal with them and and how you deal with them, and that that's, you know, one of the things I discuss in one of the chapters of the book I'm writing is, is, you know when fear, when fear comes to You, you know, how do you deal with it and how do you overcome it? I think people are more and more recognizing you know that there are techniques through stress inoculation, you know, things like that. They'll teach you how you can overcome fear. And you know simple breathing techniques to you know, slow down your breathing and engage your brain, not just your brain stem, right? When you breathe, it fast, your brain stem is in charge, not your brain and yeah, and think your way through things, rather than just reacting as a, you know, as a frightened animal,   Michael Hingson ** 23:19 right? And it's one of the things that that, as I discuss in the book, and I talk to people about now a lot, that although I didn't realize it for many years, after September 11, I had developed a mindset on that day that said, You know what to do, because I had spent a lot of time learning what to do, how to deal with emergencies, what the rules were, and all that, and all of that just kicked in on September 11, which is as good as it could get.   Fred Dummar ** 23:45 Yeah. Well, Michael, you have a you have a distinct advantage. You had a distinct advantage a couple of them, but, but one being, you know, because you already live in a world without light in your sight, you're not dependent on that. And so another, when other people are, you know, in, you know, when I'm reading the book, I'm nodding my head knowingly, you know, as you're talking about being in the stairwell and other people being frightened, and you're just like, this is okay. This is an average, I mean, maybe unusual circumstances, but an average day for me,   Michael Hingson ** 24:21 yeah. But they side of it is, I know lots of blind people who would be just as much in fear as anyone else. It's the fact is, of course, we didn't know what was going on. Yes, September 11, a   Fred Dummar ** 24:35 bit of ignorance is bliss, right? Yeah. And   Michael Hingson ** 24:38 that was true for everyone. I had a great imagination. I could tell you that I imagine things that could happen that were a whole lot worse than in a sense, what did, but I, but I like science fiction and horror, so I learned how to imagine well, but the fact is that it isn't so much being blind that's an advantage, really. Really was the preparation. And so the result was that I had done that. And you know, of course, the airplane hit 18 floors above us on the other side of the building. So the reality is going down the stairs. None of us knew what happened. We figured out an airplane hit the building because we started smelling the fumes from burning jet fuel. But by the same token, that was all we knew. We didn't even know that tower two had been hit until, well, much later, when we got outside, colleagues saw David Frank, my colleague saw tower two was on fire, but we still didn't know what it was from. So yeah, the the fact is that blindness may or may not really be an advantage, but preparation certainly was, yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 25:43 how you reacted, how you reacted to being blind. Because, yeah, you can just, just like anything, right? You can react in in several different ways, and how you acted, how you built your life around,   Michael Hingson ** 25:54 sure. And most people, of course, just rely on reading signs. And so they also have the fear, what if I can't read the signs. What if there's smoke and all that? And again, they they build fears rather than doing the smart thing, which is just to learn what to do in the case of an emergency when you're in a building like that. But you know, it is part of what what we do talk about, and it is, it is pretty important that people start to learn a little bit more that they can control fear. I mean, we have in our in our whole world, politicians who just do nothing but promote fear, and that's unfortunate, because we all buy into it, rather than stepping back and go, Wait a minute. It doesn't need to be that way.   Fred Dummar ** 26:37 Yeah, I think the other thing, like you talked about your your preparation and training. And I always that was one of the way ways, or one of the things that brought me to ultra marathoning, you know, after my initial training in Special Forces, was, you know, if you're, if you're going to push your capacity to see, you know what you're what you're really capable of, or build, you know, build additional reserves. So, you know, if you are counted on to do something extraordinary or in extenuating circumstances, what do you really have, you know, yeah, how far can you really push yourself? And so it really brought me into the sport of ultra running, where, you know, the distances, or those distances that exceed a marathon. So a marathon being, you know, 26 miles, yeah. So the first ultra marathon is a 50k because, you know, Marathon is 42 so eight kilometers farther. And then the next, general, you know, length is 50 miles. And then there's some other, you know, 100k which is 62 miles. And then, kind of the, although, you know, now we see, see races longer, but kind of the the longest distance being 100 mile race and so, and the gold standard in 100 mile racing being, you know, for most, most courses, every course being different, but for most courses, is to finish under 24 hours, so within one one day, but to keep moving for one, you know, one entire day while, you know, while fueling yourself and and, and some people say, Well, you Know, wow, that pace doesn't seem that fast. Troy   Michael Hingson ** 28:22 yourself then and see, yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 28:24 and, like a lot of things, it doesn't, it doesn't exactly seem fast until you're factoring in, okay, but you're still gonna have to stop at some point to you, you know, relieve yourself, and you're gonna have to, you know, walk while you eat. And, you know, there's hills to climb and all these other sorts of obstacles. So, yeah, finishing under 24 hours is, you know, sort of the, you know, the standard, I guess, for the people want to achieve. And anyway, yeah, I became, for a bit there, became addicted to it. And then, so when I met Ivan, my friend, who you were talking about, who, who was, was blinded in in Iraq in 2006 when I met him, he had already been injured, and I realized that he really wanted to run marathons. He'd run one, and had to use, like, several different guides, right? You know, there were different people jumping in and out, and it really wasn't an ideal situation for him and he and he also needed someone who who wanted to do that, who would be a reliable training partner, right? Because it's not like, okay, you know, you might be able to find people that show up on marathon day. Want to run the marathon, or a few people, but, you know, day in, day out, to be training. And so I was like, Hey, this is one of those things that ends up in your path, right, that you can, maybe you can walk around it, but, but for me, when I, you know, when I saw. I was like, Okay, this was, this was something that, you know, for whatever reason, is on my path. I meant to do it. I meant to be the guy that does this. And so, yeah, we started training together. And, you know, ended up running 40 plus marathons together, you know, from London, Chicago, you know, every, every the Marine Corps Marathon, just everywhere. And, you know, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and running with the bulls together. And then our last race was, it's often referred to as, you know, the world's toughest foot race. It's the marathon to Saab, and it's a, it's a distance race of 150 some miles across the Sahara Desert. And they break it up into stages. So on different days, some days, you run 30 miles. Some days, you know, 26 one day is a 50. I think we were at 53 miles on one of the days. But anyway, and you start the you start that race with whatever you're going to eat and whatever you're going to need, you know, in terms of gear on your back. And the only thing that's provided to you during the race is water. So, and that was our kind of, you know, he's like, I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to run, and so I just want to do that before I stop. I stopped, right? So, but anyway, yeah, so that was how I ended up meeting my friend Ivan, and, you know, over the course of a decade and a half, we did all of these, you know, what some people think are incredibly dumb things, but, you know, sort of embracing the discomfort of training and competing to, you know, to make ourselves better, you know? Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 31:44 so while you were in the military, I know you mentioned earlier something about doing some work in as a medic. Did you do that most of your time? Were you specializing in that? Or what?   Fred Dummar ** 31:54 No, no, that was only when I early on, when I was a soldier, I was a medic, and then when I was commissioned, I was commissioned, I was commissioned as an infantry officer, and then, and then, when it became Special Forces, you know, the officer is, sort of has, has no specialty other than leading the team. The team has medics and weapons guys and engineers and communicators and all that. But, you know, the officers sort of assigned as the as the planning the planning agent, you know, the to lead the team, rather than have any of the specialties,   Michael Hingson ** 32:30 right? And you participated long enough that you rose to the rank of colonel. Yeah, yeah, my participation   Fred Dummar ** 32:38 trophy was attaining the rank of colonel. And I would often tell people the arm don't think the army doesn't have a sense of humor. I was promoted to Colonel on April 1, so April Fool's days when, when I was promoted? And yeah, and I, after almost 30 years in uniform, retired in 2015 so I don't know that I would have went that long. But you know, they're about the middle of my career, from 1986 to 2015 you know 911 happened, and for me, it wasn't, it wasn't really a choice to to leave. Then, you know, it was like, Okay, we, you know, we have to do this. These Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, my my very last, my last year in in uniform. I was in Afghanistan as an advisor to the Afghan commandos. And when I returned from that tour, you know, was told that, hey, I had to, I had to finally leave Fort Bragg after 20 years and and either go to, you know, the Pentagon or another headquarters. And that's when I decided to retire. Because it was like, okay, you know, if, if the wars don't need me anymore, then I, I can go home and do other things. Yeah, I can do other things. If the wars don't need me, you know, then I can probably hang it up. So   Michael Hingson ** 34:11 when did you get married? So   Fred Dummar ** 34:15 over the course of my Army career, I was divorced twice. Yeah, it's just not an easy No, it's not. It's just not an easy lifestyle. I'm not making any excuses for my own failings in that regard. But, you know, it is, it is, I think, easier to become emotionally detached from someone, especially, you know, as in my case, I think I often put the army, first, the army, my soldiers, the mission, you know, as the first on my mind. And you know, for someone else, you know that to be a pretty strong person, to sit in the back seat during that so. And I did not have any children and then, but after I retired, when went through my second and four. I met someone. And so, yeah, we were married in in 2020, and so I had a, I was able, you know, after not having children, my first son was born when I was 50. So I have a son who's, you know, four, four years old, four going on five. And then we decided that, you know, he should have someone to be with. So we were going to have a second child. And my wife had twins, so I have twin, three year old girls. So, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 35:37 you're going to do it. You might as well go all the way, huh?   Fred Dummar ** 35:40 Yeah, and and, and I haven't, and I adopted Rebecca's older, the child that she that she had. And so now we have four children, Alana being much older, she's already finished for freshman year at the University of Michigan, and this get ready to go back to Ann Arbor and continue her studies and and then we have, you know, the small pack of humans that are still here in their pre, pre kindergarten phase. So   Michael Hingson ** 36:10 she is a a Wolverine fan, and there will ever be an Ohio State Buckeye,   Fred Dummar ** 36:18 yeah, something like that. Yeah, that rivalry is pretty intense. And, you know, never being part of a school that was, you know, in that, in that division, you know, not really realizing, well, you know, watching college football, I kind of understand the rival, all the rivalries. But once she started going to Michigan, and, you know, attending a football game there myself. And then, unfortunately, you know, we were able to go to the Rose Bowl this year, which, you know, when Michigan played Alabama. So we were able to go to that together. So, yeah, it was, it's interesting to learn that dynamic. And like, I tell her, it's like, never, never take for granted being part of a big school like that without those sorts of traditions. Absolutely.   Michael Hingson ** 37:06 Yeah, I went to UC Irvine, so we didn't really have a lot with with football, but my wife did her graduate work at USC, and I always like to listen to USC football games. I judge a lot about sports teams by the announcers they hire, I gotta say. And so we've been always so blessed out here in California, although I think that announcing isn't quite what it used to be, but we had good announcers that announced for USC out here on I think it was originally on Kx, and then it went to other stations. But anyway, when we got married, the wedding started late because a bunch of people were sitting out in their cars waiting for the end of the USC Notre Dame game. And so the wedding was 15 minutes late starting because everybody was waiting to see who was going to win the game. And I am quite pleased to say that we won, and God was on our side, as opposed to Notre Dame. And, yeah, the marriage lasted 40 years, so until she, she passed away in 2022 but I love to tell people that, you know, God clearly was on our side, especially when I tell that to my Notre Dame friends,   Fred Dummar ** 38:15 yeah, the touch touchdown, Jesus wasn't, wasn't there for them, not   Michael Hingson ** 38:19 that day. Yeah, but, but, you know, and there's college football is, is in a lot of ways, I just think so much more fun, or it has been than professional. But, you know, now a lot more money is getting into it, which is unfortunate too. Yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 38:37 I think that's caused some of the you know, teams re evaluate what they what they do happen, how they operate. And I think it's forced some of the older coaches to leave the game, yeah, because it's not the game they recognize, so not   Michael Hingson ** 38:53 what they had well. So you've been to a variety of different places. You've been a leader. And I think it's pretty clear that you really still are, but how did all the the different experiences, the different places that you went to, and all the the experiences that you participated in, how does that affect and shape your leadership style?   Fred Dummar ** 39:19 Yeah, Michael, you know, I think one of the first things, right, if you when your surface looking, and some people never go below the surface. So when you talk about things like diversity and inclusion, the things, the things that they will think about that make people divert diverse are not generally what I think about. Because, you know, when you look below the surface, you see a lot of commonalities in the human experience. You know, from my time living, living in Panama and operating in Central and South America, some countries in the in the you know, the Caribbean when I was first in special operations, and then. Obviously, I went and did some time in in Africa, some peacekeeping operations in Nigeria, some other exercises down in the south, southern countries in Africa, and then my time in Iraq and Afghanistan. People, you know, they're they come in different colors. They they have different their path to God or the universe or the higher power that they recognize that the cultural artifacts that they use may may look different, but you know, they're generally pointing if you if you can step aside from your own preconceived notions about things, you can see that they're they're just different signposts to the same God, right to the same, to the same, power to the same, to the same things, and people want the same things, you know, for their families, you know, for for security and prosperity, and you know that that sort of thing. So it's, that's where I, kind of, you know, came to my leadership philosophy, which is pretty easy to remember. It's just lead, lead with love. And you know, if you use, and I haven't tell people, doesn't really matter what denomination you are. If you read, you know, the Gospels of the New Testament purely as a leadership guide. You know it's, it's hard to find a a better leadership example than than what, what Jesus was was doing, you know, the way he was serving others the way he was leading. It's, it's, it's pretty powerful, pretty powerful stuff. And you know, even, even at the end, right during the Last Supper, when he tells people, you know, who, who's the most important is the most important person, the person sitting at the table getting ready to eat, or the person serving, you know. And of course, you as humans, you know, is based on our, you know, the way we think about the world. We think the most important person is, you know, not only the person sitting at the table, but the person at the nicest table, or the head of the table, and not the person serving. And so that was something I tried to embrace during my time in the military, and what I try and embrace now is, you know, being the person that serves others and using your position. You know, if you if, if and when you are promoted or asked to lead that, you approach it from a position of, you know, what? What can I do from this position to help other people and and just be compassionate to their actual circumstances. And that doesn't mean, you know, when people, people hear me say that they're, you know, they think, Well, that's pretty how does that reconcile with you being a Green Beret and being around, you know, a bunch of you know, meat eating savages, you know, how do you how do you reconcile that and like, well, leading with care and compassion doesn't mean you know that I'm coddling anyone, because I'm certainly not coddling anyone you know. You know, I demand high performance for myself and from from people in those positions like that. You know, when I was a member of a special forces organization, but not everybody's supposed to be doing that. And so I think recognizing the circumstances and the people and what the organization's supposed to do or and how it can care for people, I think those are things that became really, really important to me   Michael Hingson ** 43:33 well. And I think you raised some really valid points. The reality is that September 11, for example, was not a religious war, a religious event. It was a bunch of thugs who wanted to have their way with the world. But most people who truly practice the Islamic faith are the same as the rest of us, and they and they seek God just like we do, like Jewish people do and others do, and we've got to keep that in mind, but it's, it's so hard, because we mostly don't step back and evaluate that and realize that those 19 people on those four airplanes are just a bunch of thugs, pure and simple.   Fred Dummar ** 44:15 Yeah, that, yeah, that, and, and the organizations they represent, right? You know, they're, they're, they're, and they're not the only ones, right? People from of all faiths have harnessed, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 44:30 their various back to the Crusades, yeah, you know, you know, their   Fred Dummar ** 44:33 various religions have harnessed themselves up to, you know, to sway people to to hate, or to, you know, to engage in combat or whatever. So yeah, to to lump that all in. I think our, some of our responses, and then also some of the way people think, has really led it led us to a more a more divided we're. Well, then you know that are more inclusive and and you know, thinking of ourselves as one we we think of ourselves as, you know, many and different, and sometimes things that we think would bring us together or help us make things more fair, like, you know, talking about diversity and inclusion, if we aren't really thinking about what we're trying to do and what that looks like, we can end up making the world more divided and less inclusive.   Michael Hingson ** 45:34 And unfortunately, we're seeing way too much of that, and it isn't helping to do that. And hopefully at some point we'll, we'll figure that out, or we'll realize that maybe it's a little bit better, or can be a little bit better than we think. Yeah, and I know you in 2003 did a lot to help the Kurds in northern Iraq, right?   Fred Dummar ** 45:55 Yeah, that was primarily, you know, my, my experience in Iraq was, you know, before the 2003 invasion, I was in Romania with my special forces company. And, yeah, we flew into northern Iraq and linked up with a group of Kurds and from where they were at and primarily our mission, you know, at that point, nobody really knew what Saddam might do when the main offensive of, you know, conventional army, conventional Marine Corps, British, you know, other allies, started from the south towards Baghdad. What would Saddam do? Would he, you know, send his forces in the north against the Kurds to create a destabilizing effect, you know, one both killing Kurds, but causing Kurds to flee to Syria and Iran, and, you know, probably most importantly for people that were planning to Turkey, you know, to further destabilize the region. So obviously, out of a desire to protect, help protect the Kurds and help stop or prevent something like that from happening. You know, we went in a couple weeks before the actual ground war started, we were in place with the Kurds and started organizing them to to defend themselves. And do you know, take back the land that they considered theirs, because, after, you know, Desert Storm, the you know, the 90s, the 90s war against Iraq, Saddam had pushed into Kurdish territory and established, you know, what he referred to as a, you know, his, his buffer zone. And then, you know, the US had been forcing a, you know, a no fly zone up in the Kurdish areas, but the Kurds had still never been allowed to go back to some of the cities that they considered theirs. So, you know, when we got in there with them, we were able to get, you know, move currents that have been forced out of those towns moved back into their towns and and our particular sector we we cleared down to Mosul Iraq, which, you know, people in the Bible will recognize As as the city of Nineveh. Or maybe not know that, but yeah, so we were, I was able to go drive through the, you know, the biblical, the some of the remains of the, you know, city of Nineveh as we got to Mosul. And then once we were there, that was sort of when, you know, we stole the Kurdish allies that, hey, you guys can go back to go back home, and then at that point us, we're only there a few days before us conventional forces. Now this is a couple months into the war, but us conventional forces made their way up there, and, you know, started doing stabilizing the city, and it was probably best to get the Kurdish militia out of there at that point, for things between the Kurds and the Arabs continue to deteriorate. So yeah, but it was a it was a great experience for me being with the Kurds and helping them, you know, sort of move through and retake towns that they had historically lived in. And, you know, along the way we passed and were able to clear Assyrian monastery that's on one of the mountains on the route to Mosul. So some, definitely, some history along the way, history lessons along the way. I   Michael Hingson ** 49:38 had the pleasure of going to Israel last year in August, okay? And spent a day in Jerusalem, so we got to go to the Western Wall and so on. And I really appreciated, and do appreciate, the history and just the awesomeness of of being there and touching the the temple and the wall that's been there for so long. And, you know, there is so much history over there that I really wish people would more appreciate and and on all sides, would figure out how they could become better at working with each other. One of these days, there's going to have to be peace, or it's going to really get a whole lot worse, very quickly,   Fred Dummar ** 50:21 yeah, for sure. Yeah, it was. It was interesting, though, when we were there, obviously watching the various groups of, you know, Syrians, Kurds, Arabs and others that had various claims to different parts of Mosul and different parts of the area around it. So it's fascinating, you know, to watch history try and unwind itself from some of the decisions that were made. You know, post World War Two, when lines were being drawn in the desert to create countries and and the ramifications of that? Yeah. Well,   Michael Hingson ** 51:06 you certainly have a perspective that's built on a lot of knowledge and being there, which I think is great on the other hand, well, not on the other hand. But then you left the military that that had to be a major change in terms of what you had been doing and what you were used to after almost 30 years. What's it like when you decide to make that kind of a major change and then, in your case, go back into civilian life? Yeah. So   Fred Dummar ** 51:38 my first, my first step, wasn't that far away from the military. And I started referring it. Referred to my first job as sort of an addiction clinic, because I went, I went to work as a house, yeah, I went to work as a contractor, or, you know, defense contractor. I went back to Afghanistan for about a year and a half running training programs for some of the Afghan special operations forces. So, you know, it was, it was really, you know, there was, if I, if I was a heroin addict, you know, I was in the methadone clinic, you know, trying to, trying to get off of it. And then, yeah, I realized, you know, kind of needed to go home. And my marriage, you know, dissolved, and so it's like, Hey, I probably time to, like, go home and have, you know, a different kind of life. And I moved into a civilian job with a friend, a friend at the time, who was doing investment training around the world. And he's like, Hey, we, you know, I know you're, you will travel. There's a lot of people that, when I talk to him about travel, it's involved with our business, you know, they don't, don't really want to do that. And he's like, but I know, you know, from where you're at. And he's like, hey, I'll buy, buy a ticket. Fly to Hong Kong, see what our business is about. So I went there and learned about the investment training they were doing in Hong Kong and throughout Southeast Asia. And then they had an office in Johannesburg, and, you know, one in London, Canada and the US and doing all this training. And so for about a year, little over a year, I worked in that business and and learned, you know, the various things that they were doing. You know how they were teaching people to invest in real estate and stocks and that sort of thing. Started doing it myself less, as I wish I would have known earlier in my life, but started doing that, and then when I left that company, that's a lot of what I've been doing. I've taken some smaller jobs and smaller contract projects. But by and large, that's basically what I've been doing since then, is, you know, working in real estate investing or real estate projects   Michael Hingson ** 53:50 and continuing to hone your leadership skills. Yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 53:54 yeah. Well, you know, I kept continue to work with or a couple of, you know, jobs where I was helping people start up businesses, you know, as either in CEO role or in an operations role to help help them start their businesses. So I did some of that which, which is always fun. It's great working with new talent and establishing procedures and helping people grow that way. So that was, that was really fun. And then got to be part of a couple of nonprofits, Special Forces, Charitable Trust, probably my longest stint. I did that for, you know, about seven or eight years on the board of directors, you know, running, helping to develop activities and programs to support our Special Forces veteran. So, yeah, it was, it's been, it's been fun. And then obviously having a new family and spending a lot of time in my role as a dad has been probably the most rewarding.   Michael Hingson ** 54:53 Yeah, I bet. And that is, that's always so much fun, and you get to help bring some. New people along into the world and hopefully help to make a difference that way. And on top of that, you continue to study. You're getting a PhD. You mentioned it earlier, but you're getting a PhD in organizational psychology and leadership. There we go with the leadership again.   Fred Dummar ** 55:14 Yeah, you know, it's, it's fun, because, you know, when I do get the opportunity to speak at events. I move around and speak at different events. I know you do a lot of speaking. You probably do much more than I do, but the events I do speak at, I want to make sure that sometimes being a practitioner of something doesn't always mean that you have the exact language or the academic credentials to go along with being a practitioner. And I've been a practitioner of leadership for so many years, but now studying it and applying, you know, one working towards an academic credential in this says, Hey, this, this guy knows what he's talking about. But then also having, you know, the the latest developments. And studies on leading people effectively and and how people are doing it wrong, and how you can help them. I think it's, it's been, it's been, been a great journey to be on as well, especially keeping my mind active in in all things leadership and helping organizations do it better.   Michael Hingson ** 56:21 Well, you, you have been a leader for a long time, but now you're studying it. Would you say that you're also discovering new things along the way? And you know, I guess what I'm getting at is, of course, none of us are ever so much an expert that we can't afford to learn more things. Oh   Fred Dummar ** 56:39 yeah, for sure, both, both learning new things, learning why I might have done things wrong based on, you know, studies, you know, like, okay, you know, if you if you have this type of personality, you might do this wrong, or things I was doing right, but not exactly, knowing all of, You know all of the mechanisms that were going into why I was making that decision. But you know, when you look at the psychology behind it, and you look at organizational structure structures, you look at cultural artifacts within organizations, then you can start to you start to unwind why teams do what they do, why leaders are developed, the way they're developed, and why people make certain decisions. And, yeah, it's been fascinating, you know, and then also looking back, as you said, back at things that you did, decisions that you made, and what you know, what you could have done better as you as you look that, through that, and how you can help someone else, and that's also really helped me further, you know, synthesize down this way that I look at at leading people with with love and compassion and why it's so important to be that servant type of leader, you know, not just a transformational leader that's trying to transform an organization to move that, but then, you know, how do you serve and care for the care for the people that are that are going to be part of that transformation?   Michael Hingson ** 58:10 Yeah, because if you are just looking at it from the standpoint of being a transformational leader, I'm going to change this organization that that doesn't really work. And I think that the most important aspect is being a servant leader, is being a person who serves, because that also opens you up to learning along the way and learning how to serve better.   Fred Dummar ** 58:34 Yeah. And you know, as I learned in the many organizations that I was part of over, you know, my time in Special Forces is, you know, just because, you know, alluding, you know, we were discussing roles, and I was saying, you know, this officer's role to often, to plan and to lead, but that other people are the experts. And that's something you know. The sooner you embrace that fact, the faster, the faster you become effective, and the more effective you are when you realize that understanding the people and and caring and serving them, and then getting their their best performance and understanding what they know and what they can do, and where you need to put them to maximize their potential, then those things start to become the most important thing that you're doing, how you know, how people play against each other, who works well with who? How that works, how that betters the organization. Those are all, all all things that are fascinating, you know, to me, and things that kept me up at night, trying to figure out, you know, how to how to be more efficient, how to take better care of people, while, you know, getting, not only getting the best out of them, but them, realizing they were giving their best and being happy and proud of what they. Were doing   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:01 and getting the best out of you as well.   Fred Dummar ** 1:00:03 Yeah, yeah, that, yeah, bringing the best out of them is bringing the best out of me, right?   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:08 So you've gotten work also in the nonprofit sector. You're continuing to do that, yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 1:00:13 yeah, yeah. Now, after leaving this Special Forces Charitable Trust, I realized, you know, after I'd moved out to Idaho, where I live now that I wasn't as connected to the regiment as I'd been my first retired and I was still kind of in the North Carolina area or but after moving out here, you know, just felt like that. I probably there were other guys more recently retired, knew more of the things that needed to be done. So stepping down from that organization. And then, obviously, one of the other things that happened was, you know, the the rapid withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the fall of Afghanistan, and I found myself with many other Afghan veterans, sort of, you know, both wondering, you know what it all meant, why? You know, and then, but then also what we can do. You know, not dwelling too long. I know, you know, poor me. You know what? You know. Why did I go? What did it mean? But more so, hey, you know, we had a bunch of people that we made promises to, a bunch of people that follow alongside America, some certainly, you know, in the interest of Afghanistan. But there were also many, many of the especially on the Afghan Special Operations sides, that were not always necessarily doing things at the behest of the Afghan government, but operating with US forces on things that the US wanted to do, but then, you know, we're sort of left hanging when during the withdrawal. So, you know, working alongside other veterans to try and get as many of those people out during the withdrawal and then. But so now I work with an operation or a organization called Operation recovery that is still following these families, following these cases, people that are either still in Afghanistan, some in hiding, some in other countries, illegally, but trying to help them resolve visa issues and either get to Canada or the United States or someplace in Europe, just someplace safe for them and their family, away from the from the Taliban. And so that's been it, and it's, it's hard work, you know, because the in work like that, we're trying to make government bureaucracies realize that they should be issuing visas or allowing people to move, it's not always a rapid process. So feels like, and, you know, and I'm not pointing fingers as if anyone should still, you know, be completely focused on Afghanistan. But you know, other things happen. You know, Ukraine, the war in Ukraine draws attention away. You know, the war in Israel. You know, hurricanes, storms, everything that's going on. You know, Assassination comes. You know, assassination attempts, you know, all of that stuff diverts people's you know, draws people attend. You know their attention to that. And I'm not sure many people, you know, they support the troops. And you know, you often hear them, you know, you know, thanking troops for their service. And the only response I can have to that, you know, for for for years, I struggled with how to respond to that. When someone would say, Thank you for your service, you know, just Okay, thank you. You know, I don't know, thanks for your support, but you know, I heard a good response, and I've been using it since, and it's like, America's worth it. So,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:54 yeah, on top of everything else that you do, you've also been dabbling or going into real estate a little bit, yeah,   Fred Dummar ** 1:04:01 yeah. So that's, that's a lot of what I've been doing, you know, for because, you know, providing for your family, right? So, yeah, I started doing some investment real estate, and out here, got a partner, we did, worked on a couple of mobile home parts, larger projects. And I still, once a week, I still teach a clas

As a mentor, leader, and inspiration to many, COL Hughes brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to this candid conversation. Join us as we explore the profound impact mentorship has on personal and professional growth, the qualities that define great leaders, and the lessons COL Hughes has learned throughout his distinguished career. Whether you're looking to grow as a leader, find ways to mentor others, or simply be inspired, this episode will provide valuable insights and actionable takeaways. Tune in for a heartfelt and empowering discussion about the transformative power of mentorship.COL Hughes is a graduate of Washington State University where he was commissioned through the ROTC in 2002. COL Hughes civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science / Pre-Law from Washington State University, a Master of Science in Supply Chain Management from The University of Kansas, and Masters in National Resource Strategy from the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security & Resource Strategy. His military education includes the AMEDD Officer Basic & Advanced Courses; U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; Joint Combined Warfighting School; U.S. Army War College Defense Strategy Course; Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course; Division Transportation Officer Course; Support Operation Course; The Joint Logistics Course; U.S. Army Airborne Course; Battalion and Brigade Pre-Command Courses. His military career includes Division Support Platoon Leader and Division Medical Supply Officer, 702nd Main Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Casey, Korea; Det. Commander and Chief, Medical Logistics, Dunham U.S. Army Health Clinic; Brigade Medical Supply Officer and Battalion S4, 106th Forward Support Battalion, 155th Brigade Combat Team Karbala, Najaf, and Hit, Iraq; Deputy Brigade S4 and Property Book Officer, 62nd Medical Brigade; Commander, 551st Medical Company (Logistics); Battalion S3, 56th Medical Battalion; Group Medical Supply Officer, 10th Special Forces Group; Logistics Officer, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, and Support Operations Officer, 10th Special Forces Group; Support Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 421st Medical Battalion; Strategic Medical Plans, Office of the Joint Staff Surgeon; Commander, 10th Field Hospital; and Director, Army Medical Logistics Command Strategic Initiatives Group. He currently serves as the 70K consultant to the Surgeon General. COL Hughes Combat, Operational, and Humanitarian Deployments include OIF III; OIF 07-09; Operation United Assistance, Haiti Earthquake Relief; Operation Observant Compass, Uganda & South Sudan; multiple COVID-19 support mission across the United States. Medical Service Corps Leader Development:  https://www.facebook.com/mscleaderdevelopment  https://medium.com/experientia-et-progressusArticles by COL Hughes:https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/06/16/7587/https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2024/07/26/the-one-question-that-every-leader-should-ask/  Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Kay Nissen discusses her Army's Command and General Staff College thesis entitled: Second Mover Advantage In The Military Information Environment. This thesis examines second-mover advantage theory within the military information environment. It aims to offer military planners alternative strategies beyond the traditional emphasis on seizing the initiative, proposing a secondary response framework. The research explores how to create a second-mover advantage, focusing on response timing and type through a mixed-methods approach. The conversation also touched on the challenges of implementing theories in practice, the importance of cooperative partners, consistency, and information tempo, and the potential research areas in this field. Recording Date: 8 Nov 2024 Research Questions: Kay Nissen suggests interested students examine:  What makes a cooperative partner in order to create a second mover advantage? How does information tempo compare to influence timing? How do second mover advantages appear in different information functions? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #190 Army Command and General Staff Information Advantage Scholars Symposium #195 Michael Zequeira on the Effects of Social Media on Military Recruiting #205 Nick Loui on Transforming Chaotic Data into Actionable Intelligence Kay Nissen's thesis: Second Mover Advantage In The Military Information Environment will be available here Rebels to Reels: A biography of Combat Cameraman Daniel A. McGovern USAF by Joseph McCabe Nobody Is Coming to Save You: A Green Beret's Guide to Getting Big Sh*t Done Hardcover by Scott Mann Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Maj. Kay M. Nissen is the commander, 2d Audiovisual Squadron, at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. As the commander, she oversees the squadron's mission to create effective audiovisual productions on behalf of the U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense. She is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Total Force Airmen and Government Service civilians to operate an Air Force level production center and employ the Air Force's only live broadcast truck. Maj. Nissen received her commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May of 2011. She has served as a public affairs officer for both fighter and airlift wings, as well as in support of NATO and Major Command staffs. She has also deployed as a media engagements officer for the NATO Resolute Support mission in Kabul, Afghanistan, and as a Chief of Public Affairs for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to this position, Maj. Nissen was a student and Information Advantage Scholar at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

On this MADM, I have retired Army Command Sergeant Major Lindsey Streeter who now serves as senior vice president of global military affairs at Bank of America. Lindsey is sharing about military members transitioning to civilian life and entering the civilian workforce. Listen & share. Sponsor: Bob Sykes Bar B Q BobSykes.com

As we get ready for Veterans Day, on tonight's show, I'll have retired Army Command Sergeant Major Lindsey Streeter who is now senior vice president of global military affairs at Bank of America. Ret. Sgt. Major Streeter will be discussing how Bank of America helps transitioning service members overcome traditional barriers to civilian employment and integration in the workforce. After that, I'll have former physical therapist turned gym owner Steven D. Elliott, owner of multiple Workout Anytime gym locations. Steven will be discussing how he shifted his focus from clinical practice to bringing fitness accessibility to local communities.

This week on the ‘What's Your Pineapple Express?' series, Scott had the honor of sitting down and speaking with an incredible leader – Jason Howk. Jason leads a non-profit organization called Global Friends of Afghanistan and has continued doing amazing work while keeping Afghanistan at the forefront. Join us this week as Jason shares his many years of experience in Afghanistan, gives us insight into some very important information, and shares what we need to learn from the abandonment of Afghanistan. Some of the things he reveals about what happened with this abandonment and more importantly, what's happening right under our noses in this growing safe haven will blow you away. Own Every Room - https://rooftopleadership.com/owneveryroom/ Nobody is Coming to Save You - https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/scott-mann/nobody-is-coming-to-save-you/9781546008286/?lens=center-street Scottmann.com  Join Rooftop Nation! Website: https://www.rooftopleadership.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScottMannAuthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottmannauthor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooftop-leadership Twitter: https://twitter.com/RooftopLeader Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYOQ7CDJ6uSaGvmfxYC_skQ  Select Afghanistan experiences and published works SummaryJason Criss Howk spent 23 years in the U.S. Army as an Infantry and Sapper Paratrooper, and also as a South Asia Foreign Area Officer (Soldier-Diplomat).  His work in Afghanistan began in 2002 and has continued until the present day as he leads the Global Friends of Afghanistan educational non-profit organization that monitors and leads discussions on Afghan issues. Jason has worked on Afghanistan portfolios at the tactical, operational, strategic, national policy and international policy levels. He has taken part in a variety of missions to include military, diplomatic, intelligence, academic, and humanitarian efforts. During his Afghanistan work Jason worked daily with dozens of generals, ambassadors, and political appointees with Afghan portfolios. Due to his assignments and knowledge of the topic, Jason is one of the few Americans that has been privy to the discussions of all 4 presidential administrations as they planned their Afghanistan policy. Jason studied both Arabic and Dari at the Defense Language Institute, is a professor at the USAF Special Operations School, and is a Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies. He holds a Master's Degree in South Asia and Middle East Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, is a CGSC graduate, and was a term-member of the Council on Foreign Relations from 2010-2015. Jason is an award-winning author who has written 4 books in English and has published over 225 works since 2008 in over 40 outlets. As a professor, lecturer, and columnist he focuses on Afghanistan, Islam, terrorism, and various National Security topics. For his work on Afghanistan Major Howk earned the Legion of Merit award for his years of exceptionally meritorious service as a Soldier-Statesman, and two Bronze Star Medals. He also earned the Afghanistan Governmental Success medal from the President of Afghanistan. Afghanistan ExperiencesSep 2002-Sep 2003       Sep-Nov 2003: Operations officer Coalition Task Force 82. Engineer Operations Officer on MG Vines General Staff at Bagram Airfield. Focus on engineer support to daily counter-terrorism operations across the country. His key effort was the completion of the FOB Salerno Airfield and Heliport in Khost province. Tactical and Operational level experiences in various Eastern Provinces.Nov 2002-Sep 2003: Aide De Camp to MG Karl Eikenberry as he took over as Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan at the U.S. Embassy Kabul and also as the U.S. Security Coordinator. They worked daily with Afghan cabinet members across all parts of the government for the first year of the interim government and got to know all of them intimately. MG Eikenberry was tasked with implementing the international Security Sector Reform program in Afghanistan, and as Chief OMC-A creating the Afghan National Army and MOD from scratch. Their typical daily interactions included the leaders of UNAMA, NATO-Nation Embassies, ISAF, the 3-star US Forces Commander, CENTCOM, OSD, the Joint Staff, the Intelligence Community, regional ambassadors, the Special Forces leaders training the ANA, and the US Ambassador. For the majority of the year Jason was the sole note-taker in over 4,000 hours of meetings and the drafter of reports to State, OSD, and CENTCOM.2004-July 2007During an assignment in TRADOC Jason began to create and teach courses in the Army and at civilian institutions about Afghan and Islamic culture. He helped the Engineer School develop their Cultural, Counter-insurgency, and Counter-IED training for 2LTs deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq. During company command the Army selected Jason for the highly competitive Foreign Area Officer (FAO) program after completing a fellowship in Oman where he studied their insurgencies and how they rebuilt their nation after those conflicts. He continued to study Afghanistan and stayed in touch with his former boss LTG Karl Eikenberry who was the Combined Forces commander in Afghanistan.2007-2009 FAO TrainingIn FAO training he obtained a Master's Degree in South Asia and Middle East Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in 2008. At NPS Jason focused on Afghanistan and the Oman counter-insurgency campaigns. He published a thesis on Oman's COIN and CT lessons which was distributed to his former bosses LTG Eikenberry, LTG McChrystal, and GEN Petraeus. He also wrote a directed study on the creation of the Afghan Military and the US Security Sector Reform efforts that was published as a monograph by the US Army War College in 2009 with a foreword by GEN McChrystal. That study was completed after many interviews with LTG Karl Eikenberry who was then assigned to NATO, just prior to his selection as Ambassador to Afghanistan.From 2008-2009 Jason attended Arabic language training at DLI until the day LTG McChrystal was nominated by President Obama to command ISAF. He was immediately ordered to the Pentagon to prepare LTG McChrystal for senate confirmation and to assist him when he took command in Kabul.2009-2010 As ADC to LTG McChrystal, Jason helped prepare him for his assignment and attended all meetings with Legislative and Executive branch leaders in Washington. Within hours of the Senate confirmation, they flew to Brussels to meet with NATO leaders and then onwards to Kabul Afghanistan. In Kabul Jason helped GEN McChrystal form trusting relationships with the same Afghan leaders Jason worked closely with when they first formed the government in 2002.For the next 2 months Jason traveled with GEN McChrystal to over half the provinces to listen to NATO and Afghan forces, and Afghan leaders to better understand the war.  Jason assisted COMISAF during the strategic review of the U.S. and NATO Afghanistan policy, often quietly liaising between GEN McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry, his new and old bosses.After the strategic review was sent to CENTCOM Jason was selected to initiate and design the NATO interagency team focused on reintegration — i.e., how former insurgents could rejoin society. GEN McChrystal loaned Jason to support the incoming Reintegration Advisor who had worked on a similar mission in Iraq and would carry out sensitive diplomatic missions.As the Military Assistant and Political Advisor to retired British Lt Gen Sir Graeme Lamb. They worked with the Afghan government as they developed their peace and reintegration policy with foreign governments, diplomats, and international organizations. This also helped launch the US/NATO peace process and made Jason one of the insiders on Afghan peace talks for over a decade.2010-2014After a year in Dari (Afghan Farsi) language training at DLI, and graduation from the Army Command and General Staff College, Jason was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Afghanistan and Pakistan Task Force. In that role, he led two of the highest-level interagency teams of Afghanistan and Pakistan experts in providing products and briefings for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and OSD leadership, and the White House.  Also in that role, his teams helped prepare four different Generals to assume senior commands in Afghanistan. One of his team's key efforts was monitoring and helping U.S. leaders prepare for diplomatic negotiations with the Taliban.2015-2021After retiring in 2015, Jason continued his focus on Afghanistan and Islam as a professor at numerous institutes and continued to advise the U.S. and Afghan governments, and international bodies.From 2016 to 2017, he served as an advisor on the Presidential Transition Team's National Security cell focused on the Afghan peace process and foreign relations with Islamic nations. He contributed ideas to both the 2017 National Security Strategy and 2018 National Strategy for Counterterrorism.From 2017 onwards he served as an advisor on conflict resolution to the U.S. government, NATO member states, parts of the U.N., the Afghan President's NSC staff, and the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces leadership.Jason was invited to give presentations at the 2019 and 2020 Central and South Asia Military Intelligence conferences at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). His topics included the future of the ANDSF, and the Unconventional Warfare efforts of Pakistan against Afghan and NATO forces.Jason led a USIP project team to assess post-conflict security in Afghanistan that culminated in a an invitation from the Afghan President and UN Chief in Kabul to give a presentation to over 70 nations at the 2020 U.N. Donor Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva.A second USIP project allowed his team to remain involved in the peace process until August 2021 as part of a U.S. Institute of Peace project authorized to conduct Track-2 diplomacy while talking to the Afghan government, various parts of Afghan society, and Taliban supporters.From 2019-2021 during both USIP projects his team took part in the USIP-led discussions that contributed to the congressionally-mandated Afghanistan Study Group Report. “A Pathway for Peace in Afghanistan” was published in February 2021.August 2021 OnwardsAfter the collapse of the Afghan republic while Jason was virtually assisting the evacuation of at-risk Afghans from Kabul, he and his colleagues formed the Global Friends of Afghanistan non-profit (GFA) to speak and write about Afghanistan and ensure the topic of Afghanistan was not removed from the daily news, and to help Afghans raise their voices to the outside world. On 1 September 2022 GFA held their inaugural annual conference with Georgetown University to discuss the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans, and the humanitarian crisis and security collapse in Afghanistan. Writing ExperienceSummaryJason has written 5 books, was on the editing team of the FAO Association International Affairs Journal, and was the senior editor for A Voice for Two Nations blog. He has published over 225 articles, essays, and news reports in over 40 outlets. He is a mentor to writers and a member of the Military Writers Guild, where he edits and co-authors with new writers. Most recently he has begun publishing U.S. veterans and Afghan book authors at Tamarisk Press a niche publishing assistance non-profit. His work has been published in the following outlets: CNN, Fast Company, Foreign Policy, The National Interest, ClearanceJobs News, Military Times, The Cipher Brief, US Institute of Peace, The Global Observatory, Small Wars Journal, Divergent Options, From The Green Notebook, The Bridge, The Forge, The Foreign Service Journal, The FAOA Journal, Observer, Task&Purpose, Business Insider, Real Clear Defense and Politics, SOFX The Special Operations Forces Network, US Army War College, Naval Postgraduate School, O-Dark-Thirty, and in various Afghan newspapers like Reporterly, and Hasht e Subh. He also discusses Afghanistan, Terrorism, and Islam on CNN, Afghan International Persian, TRT World, and Voice of America, and appears on other news and radio outlets.Select Publications Books2012, Lions in the Path of Stability and Security: Oman's Response to Pressing Issues in the Middle East. My 2008 NPS thesis was published in Oman in Arabic.2017, The Quran: A Chronological Modern English Interpretation. Gold Medal Winner at the National Indie Excellence Awards2021, Leaders Always Go a Little Further: ...Unless They Trip. Foreword by LtGen Sir Graeme Lamb.2021, Ali's American Dream: An Iraqi Refugee's Story of Survival and Triumph. Foreword by SIV recipient Nasirullah Safi formerly of Afghanistan.2022, U.S. War Options in Afghanistan: Choose Your Own Path. Foreword by Afghan Colonel A. Rahman Rahmani, a would-be terrorist who was deradicalized and later flew special operations combat missions against the Taliban-Haqqani network and aided evacuation of Afghans Pilots in 2021. 2020-2022, Lead Editor of the Foreign Area Officer Association book, Culture Shock: Leadership Lessons from the Military's Diplomatic Corps. Foreword by LTG (Ret) Charles Hooper. Publishing advisor and book formatting for 4 books. 2021: Brand Elverston's Proclivity and Nasirullah Safi's Get the Terp Up Here!2022: Brand Elverston's Instruments of Ignorance and Nasirullah Safi's Indispensable: Tale of a Military Interpreter Various Studies (contributor and author/co-author)2009, US Strategy Review of US and NATO Afghanistan Policy, ISAF2009, A Case Study in Security Sector Reform: Learning from Security Sector Reform/Building in Afghanistan (October 2002-September 2003), US Army War College press2010 Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan2021, “No Going Backward”: Afghanistan's Post–Peace Accord Security Sector, USIP2022, Afghan Women: “I Don't Feel Safe.” A Global Friends of Afghanistan survey report, GFA Select recent articles and columnsAug 2022, Afghanistan Has Become a Terrorist Paradise, The National InterestAug 2022, How Can We Help Afghanistan? Ask the Afghans, The National InterestMar 2022, Information Operations: How is Ukraine Different Than Afghanistan? ClearanceJobs NewsMar 2022, Lessons Learned from the Last 20 Years: 9 Flaws in the American Way of War, ClearanceJobsDec 2021, U.S. Foreign Affairs Influence and the Afghanistan Fallout for the U.S., ClearanceJobs NewsOct 2021, Why Afghan Peace Talks Got Derailed, ClearanceJobs NewsSep 2021, ‘You Are Fighting in the Wrong Country.' How We Failed Afghan Policy Miserably, The Pilot19 Aug 2021, Taliban Takeover in Kabul: Pakistani Invasion Complete in Afghanistan, ClearanceJobs9 Aug 2021, Where is the Taliban with the Doha Peace Process? ClearanceJobs NewsMay 2021, Terrorists Kill Around 90 Afghan Students: The World Shrugs, ClearanceJobs NewsApr 2021, Afghanistan Needs a Weaker President: Decentralizing power can be key to long-term peace, Foreign Policy, with Shabnam NasimiFeb 2021, Taliban Keep Showing True Colors with Mockery of the Doha Peace Process, ClearanceJobsJan 2021, Path to Peace in Afghanistan for the Biden Administration, ClearanceJobs NewsDec 2020, Time to Make the Taliban Diplomatically Uncomfortable, ClearanceJobs NewsFeb 2019, America, don't abandon Afghanistan…Again, CNN, with Abdul Rahman Rahmani

Bharat Karnad is Emeritus Professor for National Security Studies, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India. His most recent book, Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India's Global Ambition was published by Penguin in September 2018. Previous books include Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet) (Oxford University Press, October 2015), Strategic Sellout: India-US Nuclear Deal (2009), India's Nuclear Policy (Praeger, 2008), Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy, now in its second edition (Macmillan, 2005, 2002), and Future Imperilled: India's Security in the 1990s and Beyond (Viking-Penguin, 1994). He was Member of the (First) National Security Advisory Board, Member of the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, National Security Council, Government of India, and, formerly, Advisor on Defence Expenditure to the Finance Commission, India. Educated at the University of California (B.A., Santa Barbara; M.A., Los Angeles), he has been a Visiting Scholar at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, and Foreign Fellow at the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies and the Henry L. Stimson Centre, Washington, DC. He lectures at the top military training and discussion forums, including CORE (Combined Operational Review and Evaluation), DRDO Annual Directors' Conference, National Defence College, Higher Command Courses at the Army War College, College of Air Warfare, College of Naval Warfare, College of Defence Management, College of Military Engineering, and at Army Command and Corps level fora and equivalent in the other two Armed Services, and Defence Services Staff College, and also at the Indian Administrative Service Academy, Foreign Service Institute, and the National Police Academy. He was commissioned by the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, to conceptualize, conduct for several years, and lecture at the annual Strategic Nuclear Orientation Course for Brigadier-rank officers and equivalent from the three Armed Services, and conceived and conducted the first ever high-level inter-agency war game on the nuclear tripwire in the subcontinent (at the Army War College, 2003).

Did you know the entire Joint Force engages in Irregular Warfare? Often defined differently depending on the individual or organization you speak to, we have Doug Livermore on to help define and discuss Irregular Warfare, the nature of conflict, and how our named adversaries also apply it across the globe. Listen in to learn how Irregular Warfare is not only a job for Special Operations. About the guest:Doug Livermore formerly served as the Director of Special Operations, Irregular Warfare, Special Programs, and Sensitive Activities for the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy. He is also a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard serving as the Deputy Commander of Special Operations Detachment – X. Previously, Doug served as a sensitive activities advisor to both the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict and the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Multiple international affairs and security studies journals have distributed Doug's works, including many publications in War on the Rocks, Small Wars Journal, and the Military Times. Doug is the National Director for External Communications for the Special Forces Association and is also the Director of Communications with West Point's Irregular Warfare Initiative. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors for both No One Left Behind and the Special Operations Association of America where he has been instrumental in the ongoing evacuation and resettlement of Afghan interpreters and their families. Doug earned his undergraduate degree in Military History at West Point, his graduate degree in International Security Affairs from Georgetown University; he excelled in the Army Command and General Staff Officer Course. About the hosts:Maj. Ashley "Ash" Holzmann is an experienced Psychological Operations Officer serving in the re-established PSYWAR School at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School.Sgt. Maj. Derek Riley is one of the most experienced Civil Affairs Non-commissioned Officers in the Army Special Operations Regiment. He has incredible deployment experience and serves within the Civil Affairs Proponent at the United States Army JFK Special Warfare Center and School. From the episode:To read more about Irregular Warfare, visit the following websites and articles:https://irregularwarfarecenter.org/Did you know Congress authorized the development of the Irregular Warfare Center?https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2022/11/the-congressionally-authorized-irregular-warfare-functional.htmlHere's the Irregular Warfare Annex to the National Defense Strategy:https://media.defense.gov/2020/Oct/02/2002510472/-1/-1/0/Irregular-Warfare-Annex-to-the-National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.PDFThe Joint Definition of Irregular Warfare:https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/concepts/joc_iw_v2.pdf?ver=2017-12-28-162021-510The definition has been discussed by many:https://mwi.westpoint.edu/redefining-irregular-warfare-legitimacy-coercion-and-power/Pirates vs. Privateers:https://www.nps.gov/articles/privateers-in-the-american-revolution.htmThe Peninsular War:https://www.britannica.com/event/Peninsular-WarKorean War White Tigers:https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/potomac-books/9781574886054/Doug's article It's Time for Special Operations to Dump ‘Unconventional Warfare':https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/its-time-for-special-operations-to-dump-unconventional-warfare/National Security Presidential Memorandum - 3: Presidential Memorandum Plan to Defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syriahttps://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-plan-defeat-islamic-state-iraq-syria/The instruments of national power (aka, DIME):https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/2106566/putting-the-fil-into-dime-growing-joint-understanding-of-the-instruments-of-pow/China's Three Warfares:https://warontherocks.com/2018/01/chinas-three-warfares-perspective/Russia's Six Phases of New Generation Warfare:https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/September-October-2020/Derleth-New-Generation-War/Iran's military doctrine:https://www.mei.edu/publications/upgrading-irans-military-doctrine-offensive-forward-defenseSecurity Cooperation:https://www.dsca.mil/foreign-customer-guide/security-cooperation-overviewNational Guard State Partnership Program:https://www.nationalguard.mil/leadership/joint-staff/j-5/international-affairs-division/state-partnership-program/ Recommended reading from the episode:Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare:https://www.amazon.com/Ministry-Ungentlemanly-Warfare-Churchills-Warriors/dp/1681443929Wild Bill Donnovan:https://www.amazon.com/Wild-Bill-Donovan-Spymaster-Espionage-ebook/dp/B003UV8TF4?ref_=ast_author_mpbWhite Tigers:https://www.amazon.com/White-Tigers-Secret-North-Memories-ebook/dp/B01HFUS53G?ref_=ast_author_mpbThe Secret War Against Hanoi:https://www.amazon.com/Secret-War-Against-Hanoi-Saboteurs/dp/0060932538/ref=sr_1_1?Special Forces Berlin:https://www.amazon.com/Special-Forces-Berlin-Clandestine-Operations/dp/1612008437/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Army Special Operations Recruiting:SOF Recruiting Page (soc.mil)https://www.soc.mil/USASOCHQ/recruiting.html GoArmySOF Site:https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/ The Official Podcast of the United States Army Special Warfare Center and School!USAJFKSWCS selects and trains all Army Special Forces, Civil Affairs, and Psychological Operations soldiers. Please visit our website at: https://www.swcs.milBe sure to check us out and follow us at:https://www.facebook.com/jfkcenterandschoolhttps://www.instagram.com/u.s.armyswcs/https://www.youtube.com/c/USAJFKSWCS/videosPlease like, subscribe, and leave a review! If you enjoyed this, join the underground by sharing it with someone else. Word-of-mouth is how movements like this spread.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army Major Michael Zequeira discusses his Army Command and General Staff research entitled: the Effects of Social Media on Military Recruiting. More and more Americans receive information from social media. This work looks at the effects of social media's rise on U.S. Army recruiting. The primary research question was “Is the increased reliance on social media for information negatively affecting the U.S. Army's ability to recruit?” The secondary research questions were “What role do foreign mis, mal, and disinformation play in decreasing the propensity to serve in the Army of the United States population?” and “How do the negative effects of social media on mental health affect the Army's ability to meet its' recruiting goal?” The researcher answered these questions through a hermeneutics approach, analyzing existing research and correlating it to the past 10 years of recruiting trends. The researcher supplemented this by conducting open coding of videos on YouTube to assess the narratives portrayed based on various Army-related keywords. Based on this research, the increase in information speed of social media allows foreign adversaries to perpetuate mis, mal, and disinformation at speeds that decrease trust in the U.S. Government and Army. The well-documented negative effects of excessive social media use on mental health are decreasing the qualified youth available faster than any other discriminating factor.  Recording Date: 20 Jun 2024 Research Question: Mike Zequeira suggests an interested student examine:  For narrative/misinformation academic researchers, does the TikTok algorithm push content harmful to, or counter to, a positive US military outlook? For military researchers, how can Social Media feeds be integrated into the targeting cycle to enable real time/near real time targeting? Resources Active Measures: The Secret History of  Disinformation and Political Warfare by Thomas Rid LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by Peter Singer My Share of the Task: A Memoir by Stanley McCrystal Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Major Michael (Mike) Zequeira was born and raised in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area. He commissioned through the Officer Candidate School at Fort Moore in 2013 as a branch-detailed Military Intelligence Officer. MAJ Zequeira served as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Battalion Logistics Officer in 1-68AR, in the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division in Ft. Carson, Colorado. Post graduation from the Military Intelligence Captain's career course, he served as Brigade Assistant Intelligence Officer at 2nd IBCT, 10th Mountain Infantry Division, 2-14 Infantry Battalion Intelligence Officer, and Military Intelligence Company Commander for the 41st Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Drum, New York. He also served as the Headquarters, Headquarters Company Commander, and as an Operational Test Officer at the Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Testing Directorate at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. MAJ Zequeira is currently transitioning to his next assignment in the Division Intelligence section of 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell KY. MAJ Zequeira's military education includes the North Georgia University/MCOE Mandarin Language Course, Airborne Course, Military Intelligence Officer Captains Career Course, Digital Intelligence Systems Master Gunners Course, Army Basic Space Cadre I & II, the CENTCOM Foreign Disclosure Officer Course, and the Information Advantage Scholars Program at the Resident Command and General Staff Officer Course at Fort Leavenworth, KS. His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Economics from Anderson University (SC), a Master of Arts in International Security Studies from the University of Arizona, and a Master in Military Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Information Advantage from the Command and General Staff College. MAJ Zequeira's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (3), the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2), NATO Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Rotational Forces Lithuanian Medal, Romanian Partner of Defense Medal 3rd Class, Order of the Gold Spur, Order of the Silver Spur, Combat Action Badge and the Parachutists Badge. He is also the winner of the CGSOC Class 24 Excellence in Information Warfare writing award. He is married to his wife Laura, who has her own career in finance and the couple shares a young son, Matthew, age 2. Mike and Laura are both avid sports fans of baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and both enjoy skiing. Mike also enjoys working out and fishing in his free time. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

As an Enforcement Agent at the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC), Tom Alber monitors and investigates gaming activities and gaming related crimes, ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. He has over 30 years of law enforcement experience, including 24 years in the military, where he served in various roles such as Military Police Officer, Intelligence Officer, and Psychological Operations Officer. Tom has completed several executive level law enforcement training programs, such as the FBI National Academy, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, The Southern Police Institute's Chief Executive Leadership Course, and the FBI Central States Regional Command College. He is also a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator and has expertise in crypto investigations, money laundering, and human trafficking. Tom is passionate about protecting the public interest and maintaining the integrity of the gaming industry. He is also proficient in Arabic and English and has a strong network of contacts in the law enforcement community. Tom Alber has expertise as an Enforcement Agent @ Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission | TRM-ACI | Money Laundering | Human Trafficking | Crypto Crimes | Gaming Related Crimes | TRM-CCS.

Lt. Colonel Michael Aquino Joined the program, for a rare & insightful interview. Michael A. Aquino is a Lt. Colonel, Psychological Operations, U.S. Army (Ret.). He is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University; Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency; Foreign Service Institute, Department of State; U.S. Army Special Warfare Center (Special Forces (“Green Beret”)/Psychological Operations/Civil Affairs/Foreign Area Officer); U.S. Army Command & General Staff College; U.S. Army Intelligence School, and U.S. Army Space Institute.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/michaeldecon/support

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, we learn about the US Army's Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Scholar Program. Two officers from the 2024 IA Scholar cohort–Army MAJs Vincent Michel and Josh Keller–present their research and also discuss their overall experience. Additionally, Cognitive Crucible listeners are invited to the Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Symposium on 22 May 2024. Recorded on: May 2, 2024 Research Questions:  MAJ Michel suggests as interested student examine:  What are the necessary steps a unit must take to isolate a prevalent actor within the narrative space? Are there additional factors that influence the narrative space and consolidation of gains? MAJ Keller suggests as interested student examine:  Primary Research Question: How can Collateral Damage Estimation (CDE) adapt to accommodate nonlethal effects against satellite communication architecture? Secondary Research Question: How can CJCSI 3370.01 Target Development Standards accommodate entity-level target development for satellite communication architecture on orbit? What are the resulting impacts to intelligence and targeting professionals? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #166 John Agnello on Information Advantage Command and General Staff College Information Advantage Symposium – May 22 | Command and General Staff College Foundation, Inc. (cgscfoundation.org) Army Space Vision Supporting Multi-domain Operations TE Lawrence Army Doctrine Publication 3-13, Information Advantage Dangerous Narratives: Warfare, Strategy, Stagecraft by Maan, Clark, Steed, Drohan, Nesic, Holshek, Straub, Ronfeldt, and Arquilla The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why by Richard E. Nisbett The Wires of War: Technology and the Global Struggle for Power by Jacob Helberg The Battle Beyond: Fighting and Winning the Coming War in Space by Paul Szymanski and Jerry Drew Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library (CARL) Digital Library Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bios: Guest #1: Vincent Michel, U.S. ArmyInformation Operations,  Military Intelligence, Armor Thesis: The Other Side to the Story: Consolidation of Gains and the Narrative Space Education:2018, M.A. Criminal Justice, American Military University 2013, B.A. Criminology, University of New Mexico Past Assignments:Mission Command IO Project Officer, MXCDID, Futures Concept Center, AFC, Ft. Leavenworth, KS Recruiting Company Commander, Evansville, IN Future Assignment: IO Team Leader, 11th Cyber BN Guest #2: Joshua Keller, U.S. ArmySpace Operations, Field Artillery Thesis:ADAPTING TARGETING POLICY FOR NONLETHAL EFFECTS ON SATELLITE COMMUNICATION ARCHITECTUREEducation: 2012, M.A. Quantitative and Psychological Foundations, University of Iowa 2010, B.A. Psychology, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Past Assignments:Deputy OIC, SPCT #3, 1st Space BN, Ft Carson, CO Assistant Ops Officer, 1st Space BDE, Ft Carson, CO Future Assignment: 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Space Operations Officer, Ft Liberty, NC About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This is the final part of a series of three episodes and is offered in response to current world events and international conflicts, it informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This episode is part two of a series of three episodes and delves deeper with specific examples and how the law of war applies. This podcast series is offered in response to current world events and international conflicts and informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Episode 2777 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert M. Patterson and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was … Continue reading →

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This episode is part one of a series of three episodes offered in response to current world events and international conflicts and informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Mark Hull discusses “The Role of Media in Conflict”. Hull is a Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds […] The post The Role of Media in Conflict appeared first on KKFI.

In this final part of his interview, Kim talks about the Battle of Anzio, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, and his feelings about the war.  – Young Oak Kim was born in Los Angeles to a Korean family in 1919. He tried enlisting prior to World War II, but was denied due to his race. When war finally broke out in Europe, Congress passed the Selective Training Service Act of 1940, requiring all men between the ages of 21 and 45, regardless of race, to register for the draft. Kim was among the first group of men allied up, and he entered the Army in January 1941. Racism, exacerbated by Japan's role in the war, was commonplace both in and out of the military. Despite proving himself to be an exceptional shooter during training, Kim was initially denied the opportunity to fight in the war because he had the “wrong color skin and wrong color eyes”. Eventually, Kim's skill was recognized by his superiors and he was elected for Officer Candidate School, graduating in February 1943. From there, Kim was assigned as the second platoon leader of Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion. The 100th was a racially segregated unit composed mostly of second generation Japanese Americans (known as Nisei) from Hawaii. Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the 100th was removed from Hawaii and sent to the mainland for training.  Kim and the 100th Infantry Battalion were sent to Italy in September of 1943. They fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino and the Battle of Anzio, and earned the nickname “The Purple Heart Battalion” due their high casualty rate. Kim was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for an incredible midnight infiltration mission, which he talks about in the next episode.  After leaving Italy, the 100th Infantry Battalion became part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, another segregated Nisei regiment, and sent to France. Kim was injured by enemy fire at Biffontaine, and was sent back to the US, later earning a Silver Star and the French Croix de Guerre for his actions in France. Germany surrendered before he was able to return. Kim left the Army following World War II, but when war broke out in Korea, he rejoined. He commanded a South Korean guerrilla unit, and was awarded another Silver Star for his actions there.  Kim left Korea in 1952. He then worked as an instructor at Fort Benning, and at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He retired in 1972 at the rank of colonel as one of the most highly decorated Asian American soldiers in U.S. history with a total of 19 medals.  The 100th also made history, becoming one of the most highly decorated units of World War II. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first part of his interview, COL Kim talks about joining the Army, serving as a Korean American in World War II, and the Battle of Monte Cassino – Young Oak Kim was born in Los Angeles to a Korean family in 1919. He tried enlisting prior to World War II, but was denied due to his race. When war finally broke out in Europe, Congress passed the Selective Training Service Act of 1940, requiring all men between the ages of 21 and 45, regardless of race, to register for the draft. Kim was among the first group of men allied up, and he entered the Army in January 1941. Racism, exacerbated by Japan's role in the war, was commonplace both in and out of the military. Despite proving himself to be an exceptional shooter during training, Kim was initially denied the opportunity to fight in the war because he had the “wrong color skin and wrong color eyes”. Eventually, Kim's skill was recognized by his superiors and he was elected for Officer Candidate School, graduating in February 1943. From there, Kim was assigned as the second platoon leader of Company B, 100th Infantry Battalion. The 100th was a racially segregated unit composed mostly of second generation Japanese Americans (known as Nisei) from Hawaii. Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the 100th was removed from Hawaii and sent to the mainland for training.  Kim and the 100th Infantry Battalion were sent to Italy in September of 1943. They fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino and the Battle of Anzio, and earned the nickname “The Purple Heart Battalion” due their high casualty rate. Kim was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for an incredible midnight infiltration mission, which he talks about in the next episode.  After leaving Italy, the 100th Infantry Battalion became part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, another segregated Nisei regiment, and sent to France. Kim was injured by enemy fire at Biffontaine, and was sent back to the US, later earning a Silver Star and the French Croix de Guerre for his actions in France. Germany surrendered before he was able to return. Kim left the Army following World War II, but when war broke out in Korea, he rejoined. He commanded a South Korean guerrilla unit, and was awarded another Silver Star for his actions there.  Kim left Korea in 1952. He then worked as an instructor at Fort Benning, and at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. He retired in 1972 at the rank of colonel as one of the most highly decorated Asian American soldiers in U.S. history with a total of 19 medals.  The 100th also made history, becoming one of the most highly decorated units of World War II.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 2724 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Littrell and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: … Continue reading →

Army Congressional Fellowship: An Opportunity of a Lifetime, as one of the Army Broadening Opportunities. Discover the unparalleled insights of serving as a Congressional Fellow, directly from the officers who are in it. This episode is a treasure trove for anyone interested in leadership, public service, and the unique intersection of military and legislative worlds. Our guest MAJ Joel Daly, currently assigned to the National Capitol Region as an Army Congressional Fellow. He was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps Officer in 2009 from the University of North Georgia, earning a bachelor's in Exercise Science. Joel served in a variety of operational assignments, including 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Evac PL, BN MEDO, BCT Med Planner); 528th Sustainment Brigade, USASOC (BN S4, BDE S4); 2nd Cavalry Regiment, USAREUR (SPO MEDLOG, FSC Commander); 75th Ranger Regiment, USASOC (Regimental MEDO); Joint Medical Unit, JSOC (OPSO, Dep Surgeon). He deployed for combat operations five times and in support of one no-notice crisis response.  Joel's military education includes the Action Officer Integration Course, Joint Medical Operations Course (Advanced), Iron Major Week, Command and General Staff Officer Course, Army Public Health Course, Joint Medical Planning Tool, Joint Medical Operations Course (Basic), Joint Special Operations Medical Orientation Course, Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 2, Military Assistance Course, Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, Airborne Course, Ranger Course, and Basic Officer Leadership Course. Joel earned a Master of Operational Studies from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and a Master of Business Administration from Syracuse University. He completed a Master of Professional Studies in Legislative Affairs through George Washington University in December 2023. Our guest CPT Kirk R. Proctor Jr. graduated from Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee, and calls Houston, TX, home. He was very active in high school, leading his class as the Varsity Football Team Captain and a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps member. He enlisted in 2007 and deployed in support of OIF 08-09. In 2013, he was accepted into the U.S. Army's Green to Gold Program, graduated from the University of Hawaii as a Distinguished Military Graduate, and from Chaminade University of Honolulu Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Historical - Political Studies.  He was then commissioned into the Medical Service Corps in 2015. After completing the Officer Basic Course, Kirk was assigned as the Chief of Materiel and the Deputy Chief of Facilities for Bavaria Medical Activity at Vilseck, Germany. In 2017, he was selected as the Theater Chief of Medical Logistics for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, in support Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2018, Kirk was selected as the Executive Officer for Dental Activity Bavaria. Next, Kirk served as the Commander for the 563rd Medical Logistics Company from December 2019 to June 2021. Kirk's most recent assignment was as a Department of Defense Fellow assigned to the office of Rep. Darrell E. Issa (CA-48). https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/03/18/congressional-fellowship-broadening-at-the-intersection-of-the-army-and-congress/Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com

The vulnerability of aircraft carriers is nothing new. They are vulnerable not just because of how they are designed - really just a thin hulled ship full of fuel and explosives - but because of what they do.At peace and at war, there is no other platform that can project power and national will on a global scale at sea than an aircraft carrier. As such, everyone either wants one, or wants to sink one - or both.While many people think of the Pacific wars of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam as places where the US Navy's aircraft carriers could operate at will and dominate everything, that really was not the case until late 1944.The reality was quite different before then. Proper use of carriers was mostly about husbanding carriers's limited resources while still getting max value out of them.That will be the topic of today's show with returning guest Dr. John T. Kuehn.John is Professor of Military History at the Army Command and General Staff College. He served in the US Navy as a naval flight officer flying in EP-3s and ES-3s, retiring in 2004. He has authored or co-authored seven books and was awarded a Vandevort Prize from the Society for Military History in 2023 for his article “Zumwalt, Holloway, and the Soviet Navy Threat Leadership in a Time of Strategic, Social, and Cultural Change.”His latest book from is Strategy in Crisis (Naval Institute, 2023).

In this episode we meet with Lieutenant General Milford "Beags" Beagle, Jr. to discuss a variety of topics to include fostering healthy work-life balance (Lamps Out Time), managing priorities (The One Thing), reflecting on key moments in his career, sharing leadership lessons learned, and more. Lt. Gen. Beagle is the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, KS; Commandant, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; and Deputy Commanding General for Combined Arms, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. Learn more about the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center: https://usacac.army.mil Lt. Gen. Beagle's reading list: -The Servant, by James C. Hunter -Crucial Conversations, by J. Grenny, K. Patterson, R. McMillan, A. Switzler, E. Gregory -The First 90 Days, by Michael D. Watkins -Make Your Bed, by William H. McRaven For questions, suggestions, or feedback, write us at usarmy.leavenworth.tradoc.mbx.armyu-amsc-podcast@army.mil To learn more about the Army Management Staff College, visit our website at https://armyuniversity.edu/amsc No DOD or U.S. ARMY ENDORSEMENT IMPLIED. Any references to commercially available products or works are used for research and educational purposes only. Mention of any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Army, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not state or reflect those of the United States Government and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The mention of companies by name is solely for the purpose of representing educational framework and should not be implied as endorsement. Music: "Army Strong" composed by Mark Isham, arranged by Hector Munoz.

#Ep.077 In this episode, Khushi and Preeti discuss strategic peacebuilding and the role of Dialogue in it. The two explore the core principles of dialogue as a conflict-solving tool and the wide scope of issues it has helped tackle professionals like Preeti in inviting resolution. They place the significance of dialogue & peacebuilding in the specific context of Nepal and highlight how underlying contentions impact aspects of society and development. They then discuss Preeti's view on the nexus of peace building and justice and recommendations to improve the State's efforts for sustainable progress in this front.     Preeti Thapa is a peacebuilder, lawyer, mediator, and certified master trainer in mediation and dialogue with more than 21 years of experience. She is The Asia Foundation's deputy director of Justice and Governance in Nepal. Her expertise lies in access to justice and strategic peacebuilding through community mediation and multi-stakeholder dialogue. Preeti has worked with Nepal's Ministry of Law and Justice on mediation policies and, in particular, contributed to the passage of the Mediation Act and Regulation. Preeti is a member of the Nepal Bar Association and of the Community Mediators' Society Nepal. She is also a visiting faculty member at Kathmandu University, the Army Command and Staff College, and Folke Bernadotte Academy, Sweden on Mediation and Dialogue. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

At a summit in Brussels European leaders announced they will open accession talks with Kiev as well as Moldova, whilst Georgia has been awarded candidate status. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called the decision "a victory" for his country and the whole of Europe.Vivienne Nunis discusses this and more business news from around the world with journalist Mehmal Sarfraz, Co-founder of the Current PK and Alison Van Diggelen, Host of Fresh Dialogues based in Silicon Valley.(Picture: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and U.S. Army General Christopher G. Cavoli (2-L), Commander of the US Forces for Europe and Supreme Commander of the NATO Forces in Europe (SACEUR), during Zelensky's visit to the headquarters of the U.S. Army Command in Europe and Africa in Wiesbaden, Germany, 14 December 2023. Credit: UKRAINE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, John Davis recaps Four Operational Rules of the Road, which are intended to prevent miscalculation and unintended escalation. John synthesized these Rules based upon many years experience in military uniform and after many conversations with global leaders and academics. Briefly, they are: transparency, SOPs for oversight, sharing threat intelligence, and banning third party actors. We also revisit some of the topics from John's first Cognitive Crucible appearance. Research Question: John Davis asserts that there's been a lot of recent reporting about China's onslaught of disinformation oriented toward Taiwan and in the run up to the January elections. Reporting indicates that there may be important lessons in how Taiwan has handled this onslaught, including public education efforts with support from international media literacy partnerships as well as more active countermeasures by mature communities of fact-checkers, government investments and law enforcement investigations. He believes it would be a great research project to examine the techniques and capabilities employed by Taiwan and analyze the effectiveness, or lack thereof, to assist the U.S. in preparation for the 2024 presidential elections as well as our overall national effort to combat the information warfare efforts aimed at the country by Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and all of their surrogates. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #24 John Davis on Modern Warfare, Teamwork, and Commercial Cognitive Security #166 John Agnello on Information Advantage Army Doctrinal Publication 3-13 INFORMATION, Nov 2023 Cybersecurity First Principles: A Reboot of Strategy and Tactics by Rick Howard  Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Retired U.S. Army Major General John Davis is the Vice President, Public Sector for Palo Alto Networks, where he is responsible for expanding cybersecurity initiatives and global policy for the international public sector and assisting governments around the world to prevent successful cyber breaches. Prior to joining Palo Alto Networks, John served as the Senior Military Advisor for Cyber to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and also served as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy.  Prior to this assignment, he served in multiple leadership positions in special operations, cyber, and information operations. John earned a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, Master of Military Art and Science from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and Bachelor of Science from U.S. Military Academy at West Point. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this podcast episode, we speak with Robert T. Craven (Command Sergeant Major at United States Corps of Cadets for the United States Military Academy at West Point) about his time in the Army and how he rose up the ranks and became the 26th Command Sergeant Major at West Point. Robert shares what he does to stay sharp as a leader, his leadership AHA moment, advice for new leaders, and details his approach to change and challenging moments in his life.  To contact Robert:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-craven-127a1ba4 Website: https://www.westpoint.edu This podcast is sponsored by:  Veterans Entrepreneurship Initiative (VEI)  Website: https://vei.center  and  Florida Association of Veteran-Owned Businesses, Inc. (FAVOB)  Website: https://www.favob.net  and  Triple Nikel  Website: https://triplenikel.com/theleadershipvoidpodcast 

Bharat Karnad is Emeritus Professor for National Security Studies, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi and Distinguished Fellow at the United Service Institution of India. His most recent book, Staggering Forward: Narendra Modi and India's Global Ambition was published by Penguin in September 2018. Previous books include Why India is Not a Great Power (Yet) (Oxford University Press, October 2015), Strategic Sellout: India-US Nuclear Deal (2009), India's Nuclear Policy (Praeger, 2008), Nuclear Weapons and Indian Security: The Realist Foundations of Strategy, now in its second edition (Macmillan, 2005, 2002), and Future Imperilled: India's Security in the 1990s and Beyond (Viking-Penguin, 1994). He was Member of the (First) National Security Advisory Board, Member of the Nuclear Doctrine-drafting Group, National Security Council, Government of India, and, formerly, Advisor on Defence Expenditure to the Finance Commission, India. Educated at the University of California (B.A., Santa Barbara; M.A., Los Angeles), he has been a Visiting Scholar at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, and Foreign Fellow at the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies and the Henry L. Stimson Centre, Washington, DC. He lectures at the top military training and discussion forums, including CORE (Combined Operational Review and Evaluation), DRDO Annual Directors' Conference, National Defence College, Higher Command Courses at the Army War College, College of Air Warfare, College of Naval Warfare, College of Defence Management, College of Military Engineering, and at Army Command and Corps level fora and equivalent in the other two Armed Services, and Defence Services Staff College, and also at the Indian Administrative Service Academy, Foreign Service Institute, and the National Police Academy. He was commissioned by the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, to conceptualize, conduct for several years, and lecture at the annual Strategic Nuclear Orientation Course for Brigadier-rank officers and equivalent from the three Armed Services, and conceived and conducted the first ever high-level inter-agency war game on the nuclear tripwire in the subcontinent (at the Army War College, 2003).

The Allies' continuous advances, coupled with internal unrest and food shortages, left Germany with limited options and the Supreme Army Command demanded that the government seek a ceasefire ...

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Marine Corps Maj Max Nauta discusses his Master's thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College entitled: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the Inherent Informational Aspects through Culture and Narrative. Strategic competitors have significantly increased their influence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in ways that jeopardize US influence and threaten democratic governance. The People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia do this by exploiting the ambiguity of gray zone activities, such as predatory, opaque lending practices and the spreading of disinformation. US Forces, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) builds resiliency against these gray zone activities through transparency, which it promotes through cooperation activities to strengthen partnerships and build trust in LAC. SOUTHCOM accomplished this, in part, through Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC), whose mission was to conduct mutually beneficial engagements with partner nations (PN) to address shared challenges in the region. SPMAGTF-SC 15, 16, and 17 were US-only task forces. SPMAGTF-SC 18, however, became the first multinational task force. SPMAGTF-SC 19 grew on this by integrating ten PN officers from Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Belize, and the Dominican Republic. The author found that integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 exponentially strengthened partnerships in LAC at a relatively insignificant cost. This paper examines the degree to which integrating PN officers into SPMAGTF-SC 18 and 19 strengthened partnerships, and then compares those findings with theories on narrative and culture. In conclusion, the author presents the concept of a shared regional narrative and illuminates asymmetric characteristics of strategic competition in LAC. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #37 Bill Vivian on MCDP 1-4 Competing #89 Ajit Mann and Paul Cobaugh on Narrative #137 Vic Garcia and Mike Berger on Information Operations and Intelligence #151 Daniel Runde on Chinese Soft Power #148 Kalev Leetaru on GDELT Video Presentation: Multinational Operations in Strategic Competition: Leveraging the IIA through Culture and Narrative The Village by Bing West The Role of Information in U.S. Concepts for Strategic Competition. A RAND study by Chris Paul, Michael Schwille, Michael Vasseur, Elizabeth Bartels, and Ryan Bauer Artificial Intelligence Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction by Tom Taulli Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Major Maxwell Nauta grew up in Chester Country, Pennsylvania, graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and commissioned in the United States Marine Corps on March 18, 2011.  After Officer Candidate School, he attended The Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course. In January 2012 he reported to 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion, MCAGCC, 29 Palms, CA, where he served as an LAR Platoon Commander from February 2012 to June 2013.  In April 2012 Maj Nauta deployed as the senior Infantry Marine to New Zealand for the six-week joint, multinational exercise, Exercise Alam Halfa.  From December 2012 to June 2013 he and his platoon independently deployed to Okinawa, Japan reporting to 3rd Combat Assault Battalion under the Unit Deployment Program.  In June, he and his LAR platoon deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Exercise Ssang Yong 13, forming a multination LAR platoon with Australian Cavalry Soldiers. Upon returning from Okinawa, Japan, Maj Nauta served as the Assistant Operations Officer for 3rd LAR Battalion until March 2014 when he augmented into the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR). In the SMCR, Maj Nauta first reported to Company C, 4th LAR Battalion, Salt Lake City, Utah serving as a Platoon Commander from March 2014 to March 2015.  He then transferred to Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 453 (CLB-453) in Aurora, Colorado, serving as the Headquarters Company Executive Officer until attending Supply Officers Course at Camp Johnson, North Carolina in August 2015. In January 2016, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Supply Officer for Special Purpose Marine-Air Ground Task Force – Southern Command (SPMAGTF-SC) 16, deploying to Honduras.  Upon re-deployment in January 2017 he served as the Current Operations Officer, CLB-453. In January 2018, Maj Nauta activated to serve as the Liaison Officer to the U.S. Embassy in Honduras for SPMAGTF-SC 18. In March 2019, he reactivated as the Key Leadership Engagement Coordinator for SPMAGTF-SC 19, deploying throughout the Southern Command area of responsibility.  In preparation for this final SPMAGTF-SC deployment he attended the Civil Affairs Officers Course in March 2019.  Upon completion of SPMAGTF-SC 19 in February, 2019, he transferred to U. S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa (MARFOREUR/AF) and activated as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) serving as a Logistics Planner, G-4 and the Prepositioning Officer, MARFOREUR/AF. In October, 2021, he deactivated and was hired by Valiant Integrated Services as a Program Analysit in support of Africa Future Operations, G-35, MARFOREUR/AF. Maj Nauta is participating in U.S. Army Command and General Staff College's Information Advantage Scholars Program and is expected to transfer to Marine Corps Information Operations Center upon graduation. Maj Nauta's awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three Gold Stars in lieu of fourth award.  His formal education includes Infantry Officer Course, Light Armored Reconnaissance Leaders Course, Supply Officer Course, and Civil Affairs Officer Course and Expeditionary Warfare School. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Dr. Cameron Zinsou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Dr. Zinsou received his Ph.D. in History at Mississippi State University, and his master's and bachelor's in History at the University of North Texas. He is an active member of the Society for Military History and served as the Graduate Student Representative for the SMH from 2016-2018. He also received the Allan R. Millett Dissertation Research Fellowship Award for his dissertation, “Occupied: The Civilian Experience in Montélimar, 1939-1945” in 2017. Dr. Zinsou's work focuses on the intersection of civil-military relations, occupation, and military strategy and operations of the Second World War, and we'll be talking about his research today.

We hope you enjoy this lecture given by Christian Keller at the CWI's 2023 Summer Conference, June 9, 2023. You can hear an interview with Christian about this topic on our Patreon channel. Just go to www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg Since 2011, Dr. Christian B. Keller has been Professor of History in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the United States Army War College, Carlisle, PA, where he teaches courses for senior leaders on the theory of war and strategy, national security policy and strategy, and the American Civil War. In 2017 he was named the General Dwight D. Eisenhower Chair of National Security and in 2019 became the Director of the Military History Program for the school. Previously, he served as Professor of Military History for five and a half years at the Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Belvoir, VA, and has also taught at numerous civilian institutions, including Shippensburg University, Gettysburg College, Dickinson College, and Washington and Lee University. In 2001-2002, after completing his Ph.D, Dr. Keller was a Fulbright Professor of American History at the University of Jena, Germany. Along with many scholarly articles focusing on strategic, operational, and ethnic topics in the Civil War, he is author of The Great Partnership: Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and the Fate of the Confederacy (Pegasus, 2019); author of  Chancellorsville and the Germans: Nativism, Ethnicity, and Civil War Memory (Fordham, 2007); co-author of Damn Dutch: Pennsylvania Germans at Gettysburg (Stackpole/Rowman-Littlefield, 2004); co-author of The Civil War: A Visual History (Dorling-Kindersley/Smithsonian Institution, 2011); and co-author of Pennsylvania: A Military History (Westholme, 2016). His newest book, Southern Strategies: Why the Confederacy Failed was published by the University Press of Kansas in June 2021. Dr. Keller's next project, a new narrative of the Army of Northern Virginia based on dozens of previously unpublished wartime letters written by generals and staff officers, is currently in the final research phases with a prospective publication date in early 2024. A native of Carlisle, Dr. Keller lives with his wife, Kelley, in an antebellum house that witnessed the occupation of Carlisle Barracks by Confederate troops at the end of June 1863.

Host Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Doug Livermore, the Director of Special Operations, Irregular Warfare, Special Programs, and Sensitive Activities for the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy. Additionally, he is a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, currently serving as the Deputy Commander of Special Operations Detachment - NATO. Previously, Doug served as a sensitive activities advisor to both the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict and the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Multiple international affairs and security studies journals have distributed Doug's works, including many publications in War on the Rocks, Small Wars Journal, and the Military Times. Doug is the National Director for External Communications for the Special Forces Association and is also a Non-Resident Fellow with West Point's Irregular Warfare Initiative. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors for both No One Left Behind and the Special Operations Association of America, where he has been instrumental in the ongoing evacuation and resettlement of Afghan interpreters and their families. Doug earned his undergraduate degree in Military History at West Point and his graduate degree in International Security Affairs from Georgetown University, and excelled in the Army Command and General Staff Officer Course.

As a current Brigade Commander Colonel Jon Harvey oversees an embedded team of human performance professionals as part of the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. Because human performance in a military setting is so dependent on leader buy in, we wanted Colonel Harvey's perspective on how he utilizes this team, and why he is personally so passionate about the program. It is obvious in this conversation that he is all in, and they're already seeing some impressive results. Colonel Jon Harvey is a US Army Field Artillery Officer and commander of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has commanded soldiers at every level from small units up to brigade, and he has extensive staff experience to include the Joint Staff, the Army Staff, and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. His postings have taken him all over the world from Korea, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to Fort Drum, New York, to Washington, D.C and now to the center of the universe at Fort Bragg. Operationally, he has served in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Iraq. He has a bachelors in political science from Eastern New Mexico University, a Masters from the Army Command and General Staff College, and a Counterterrorism and Public Policy fellowship from Duke University where he focused on military senior leader decision making and the Army's professional military education of staff officers. You can find Colonel Harvey on his (very active) Instagram page. The 18th FAB H2F team (STORM) also has their own Instagram page.

-Zach McAdams is a former Army Infantry Officer and Director of Operations at O2X-Prior to joining O2X, he served 13 years in the U.S. Army where he ended his career at the rank of Major. He served in a variety of leadership positions in Light Infantry Divisions across the Army including the 101st Airborne Division, 25th Infantry Division, and 10th Mountain Division. These roles encompassed teaching, advising, logistics, operations and command roles, and included multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan-He closed out his Army career serving as an Operations Officer and Executive Officer at the Battalion level, where he led the planning, resourcing, and synchronization of operations for an 800 soldier Infantry unit before he was medically retired in July of 2022 due a combination of career and combat injuries.-Bringing more than a decade of service as a tactical athlete, a passion for building career longevity, and extensive operations experience to his role - he leads the O2X Operations Team. Here he is responsible for all aspects of the delivery of O2X's in-person and virtual training and education programs. To facilitate hundreds of global events each year, he oversees specialist training and staffing; event planning and client coordination; forecasting of personnel and equipment needs; logistics and inventory management; staff training and feedback; and budget management.-He received his bachelor's degree from Bridgewater State University and his master's degree from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

John Hosler, Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and author of Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace, joins the show to talk about the wars, and the peace, of medieval Jerusalem. ▪️ Times  • 01:26 Introduction  • 01:46 Why care about medieval military history? • 07:22 What is it about Jerusalem?  • 12:45 Continuities • 16:19 The Byzantines and the Jews • 23:54 The Arabs arrive  • 29:42 An “evidentiary problem” • 33:59 Three hundred years of peace • 36:29 Causes of the First Crusade • 40:36 The Crusaders • 42:32 Siege and conquest • 44:23 A Christian city • 47:31 The Crusader States  • 49:29 The Knights Templar

Season 1 Episode 3 of the Operational Arch is the first in a limited series examining the pillars of operational art. In this episode, we dive into the role history plays in conducting operational art and training operational artists. Our guest, Dr. Dean Nowowiejski, discusses the U.S. Army's interesting relationship with history, how leaders can become historically minded, and the value history plays in planning and executing current and future operations. Dr. Nowowiejski is the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Ike Skelton Distinguished Chair for the Art of War and director of the Art of War Scholars program. He is an alumni of the United States Military Academy at West Point and served as an Armor officer for over thirty years, retiring as a Colonel in 2009. He is a 1995 graduate of SAMS, a 2001 graduate of the U.S. Army War college, holds a PhD in history from Princeton, and is the author of “Success Against the Odds: The American Army in Germany, 1918-1923.” MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Dan Warner, and Kelsey Kurtz are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

We start off this show covering recent news including the charging of Alec Baldwin for manslaughter, Congressman George Santos allegedly stealing $3,000 raised for a veteran charity, and the NFL playoffs. Special guest this show Frank Grippe is a retired Army Command Sergeant Major. Grippe has a distinguished 34-year long military career, serving in combat throughout the entirety of the Global War on Terror. Grippe has served in infantry, paratrooper, and Ranger units. He has a distinguished service medal, Purple Heart, along with many other military accolades. We discuss many topics with the Command Sergeant Major including the taking down of Manuel Noriega by the U.S. Army Rangers during his time in Panama. He now represents various special operations military charities. He is also working closely with a revolutionary new technology for rehabilitation/physical therapy called Neuro20 which we get into, you can visit them online at https://neuro20.com/ Follow us:http://instagram.com/battlelinepodcasthttp://twitter.com/battlelinepod For 15% off all Fort Scott Munitions ammo & gear go to http://fsm.com & use promo code: Battleline For 20% off all Bubs Naturals gear and products including collagen protein and MCT oil powder, go to https://bubsnaturals.myshopify.com/discount/BATTLELINE .. All purchases help to support the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation For full video of this episode, subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/c/BattlelinePodcast

Commander Jack Riggins – USN (Seal) Retired Commander Jack Riggins is a leadership and cultural dynamics expert, professional speaker, and consultant to high-performance business leaders across the United States. Commander Jack Riggins is a veteran with 20 years leading Navy SEALs and Special Operations Forces worldwide. Jack is the co-founder of Performance Mountain a consultant firm and host of The Darkside of Elite podcast. Jack participated in several conflicts and contingency operations throughout the globe in his 20-year Naval career. Assigned to SEAL Team ONE during September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Jack participated in contingency operations as part of the United States initial response from October to December 2001. Later, assigned to SEAL Team THREE as a Troop Commander, Jack was the Commander of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit-Ramadi, Iraq in charge of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in Al-Anbar Province. Jack graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL School (BUD/S) in Class 222. Jack is also a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and holds a Master's Degree in Global/International Affairs and Interagency Collaboration from Kansas University. Twitter - @Riggins_Jack

GEN Garrett and CSM Sims take us behind the scenes of the largest U.S. Army Command consisting of more than 750,000 active duty Army, Reserve and National Guard soldiers and how they are preparing and keeping our solders ready for whatever challenges they may face. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/yournextmission/message

Welcome to the podcast Command Chief Warrant Officer, George Munson. In this episode you'll hear about his 35+ year career in the Army, learning to fly helicoptors, how he met his wife, Ginger, and his love for the service.Follow us on instagram: @Homeland_Heroes_Salute @derry_nhLike us on Facebook: Homeland Heroes Salute @DerryTVFollow us on Twitter: @HHS_Podcast @Derry_CAM

In this episode we take a deep dive into the Indo-Pacific region and what logistics Airmen should be aware of from a strategic and tactical perspective. If you are in PACAF, you absolutely do not want to miss this episode! David S. Maxwell is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is a 30-year veteran of the US Army, retiring as a Special Forces Colonel. He served over 20 years in Asia, primarily in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Colonel Maxwell served on the United Nations Command / Combined Forces Command / United States Forces Korea CJ3 staff where he was a planner for UNC/CFC OPLAN 5027-98 and ROK JCS – UNC/CFC CONPLAN 5029-99; he later served as the Director of Plans, Policy, and Strategy and then Chief of Staff for the Special Operations Command Korea. Following retirement, he served as the Associate Director of the Center for Security Studies and the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Colonel Maxwell is a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies, and on the Board of Directors of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, the International Council of Korean Studies, the Council on Korean-US Security Studies, the Special Operations Research Association, the OSS Society, and the Small Wars Journal. He earned a B.A. in political science from Miami University, and an M.A. in Military Arts and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and an M.S. in National Security Studies from the National War College. Colonel Maxwell teaches Unconventional Warfare and Special Operations for Policy Makers and Strategists.

Episode 88: Wandering Soul Lt. Colonel Michael Aquino Joined the program, for a rare & insightful interview. Michael A. Aquino is a Lt. Colonel, Psychological Operations, U.S. Army (Ret.). He is a graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University; Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency; Foreign Service Institute, Department of State; U.S. Army Special Warfare Center (Special Forces (“Green Beret”)/Psychological Operations/Civil Affairs/Foreign Area Officer); U.S. Army Command & General Staff College; U.S. Army Intelligence School, and U.S. Army Space Institute. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/michaeldecon/message

This week on the ‘What's Your Pineapple Express?' series, Scott had the honor of sitting down and speaking with an incredible leader – Jason Howk. Jason leads a non-profit organization called Global Friends of Afghanistan and has continued doing amazing work while keeping Afghanistan at the forefront. Join us this week as Jason shares his many years of experience in Afghanistan, gives us insight into some very important information, and shares what we need to learn from the abandonment of Afghanistan. Some of the things he reveals about what happened with this abandonment and more importantly, what's happening right under our noses in this growing safe haven will blow you away. Join Rooftop Nation!Website: https://www.rooftopleadership.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RooftopLeadershipInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rooftop_leadershipLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooftop-leadershipTwitter: https://twitter.com/RooftopLeaderYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYOQ7CDJ6uSaGvmfxYC_skQ Select Afghanistan experiences and published works SummaryJason Criss Howk spent 23 years in the U.S. Army as an Infantry and Sapper Paratrooper, and also as a South Asia Foreign Area Officer (Soldier-Diplomat).  His work in Afghanistan began in 2002 and has continued until the present day as he leads the Global Friends of Afghanistan educational non-profit organization that monitors and leads discussions on Afghan issues. Jason has worked on Afghanistan portfolios at the tactical, operational, strategic, national policy and international policy levels. He has taken part in a variety of missions to include military, diplomatic, intelligence, academic, and humanitarian efforts. During his Afghanistan work Jason worked daily with dozens of generals, ambassadors, and political appointees with Afghan portfolios. Due to his assignments and knowledge of the topic, Jason is one of the few Americans that has been privy to the discussions of all 4 presidential administrations as they planned their Afghanistan policy. Jason studied both Arabic and Dari at the Defense Language Institute, is a professor at the USAF Special Operations School, and is a Malone Fellow in Arab and Islamic Studies. He holds a Master's Degree in South Asia and Middle East Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, is a CGSC graduate, and was a term-member of the Council on Foreign Relations from 2010-2015. Jason is an award-winning author who has written 4 books in English and has published over 225 works since 2008 in over 40 outlets. As a professor, lecturer, and columnist he focuses on Afghanistan, Islam, terrorism, and various National Security topics. For his work on Afghanistan Major Howk earned the Legion of Merit award for his years of exceptionally meritorious service as a Soldier-Statesman, and two Bronze Star Medals. He also earned the Afghanistan Governmental Success medal from the President of Afghanistan. Afghanistan ExperiencesSep 2002-Sep 2003       Sep-Nov 2003: Operations officer Coalition Task Force 82. Engineer Operations Officer on MG Vines General Staff at Bagram Airfield. Focus on engineer support to daily counter-terrorism operations across the country. His key effort was the completion of the FOB Salerno Airfield and Heliport in Khost province. Tactical and Operational level experiences in various Eastern Provinces.Nov 2002-Sep 2003: Aide De Camp to MG Karl Eikenberry as he took over as Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan at the U.S. Embassy Kabul and also as the U.S. Security Coordinator. They worked daily with Afghan cabinet members across all parts of the government for the first year of the interim government and got to know all of them intimately. MG Eikenberry was tasked with implementing the international Security Sector Reform program in Afghanistan, and as Chief OMC-A creating the Afghan National Army and MOD from scratch. Their typical daily interactions included the leaders of UNAMA, NATO-Nation Embassies, ISAF, the 3-star US Forces Commander, CENTCOM, OSD, the Joint Staff, the Intelligence Community, regional ambassadors, the Special Forces leaders training the ANA, and the US Ambassador. For the majority of the year Jason was the sole note-taker in over 4,000 hours of meetings and the drafter of reports to State, OSD, and CENTCOM.2004-July 2007During an assignment in TRADOC Jason began to create and teach courses in the Army and at civilian institutions about Afghan and Islamic culture. He helped the Engineer School develop their Cultural, Counter-insurgency, and Counter-IED training for 2LTs deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq. During company command the Army selected Jason for the highly competitive Foreign Area Officer (FAO) program after completing a fellowship in Oman where he studied their insurgencies and how they rebuilt their nation after those conflicts. He continued to study Afghanistan and stayed in touch with his former boss LTG Karl Eikenberry who was the Combined Forces commander in Afghanistan.2007-2009 FAO TrainingIn FAO training he obtained a Master's Degree in South Asia and Middle East Security Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in 2008. At NPS Jason focused on Afghanistan and the Oman counter-insurgency campaigns. He published a thesis on Oman's COIN and CT lessons which was distributed to his former bosses LTG Eikenberry, LTG McChrystal, and GEN Petraeus. He also wrote a directed study on the creation of the Afghan Military and the US Security Sector Reform efforts that was published as a monograph by the US Army War College in 2009 with a foreword by GEN McChrystal. That study was completed after many interviews with LTG Karl Eikenberry who was then assigned to NATO, just prior to his selection as Ambassador to Afghanistan.From 2008-2009 Jason attended Arabic language training at DLI until the day LTG McChrystal was nominated by President Obama to command ISAF. He was immediately ordered to the Pentagon to prepare LTG McChrystal for senate confirmation and to assist him when he took command in Kabul.2009-2010 As ADC to LTG McChrystal, Jason helped prepare him for his assignment and attended all meetings with Legislative and Executive branch leaders in Washington. Within hours of the Senate confirmation, they flew to Brussels to meet with NATO leaders and then onwards to Kabul Afghanistan. In Kabul Jason helped GEN McChrystal form trusting relationships with the same Afghan leaders Jason worked closely with when they first formed the government in 2002.For the next 2 months Jason traveled with GEN McChrystal to over half the provinces to listen to NATO and Afghan forces, and Afghan leaders to better understand the war.  Jason assisted COMISAF during the strategic review of the U.S. and NATO Afghanistan policy, often quietly liaising between GEN McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry, his new and old bosses.After the strategic review was sent to CENTCOM Jason was selected to initiate and design the NATO interagency team focused on reintegration — i.e., how former insurgents could rejoin society. GEN McChrystal loaned Jason to support the incoming Reintegration Advisor who had worked on a similar mission in Iraq and would carry out sensitive diplomatic missions.As the Military Assistant and Political Advisor to retired British Lt Gen Sir Graeme Lamb. They worked with the Afghan government as they developed their peace and reintegration policy with foreign governments, diplomats, and international organizations. This also helped launch the US/NATO peace process and made Jason one of the insiders on Afghan peace talks for over a decade.2010-2014After a year in Dari (Afghan Farsi) language training at DLI, and graduation from the Army Command and General Staff College, Jason was assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Afghanistan and Pakistan Task Force. In that role, he led two of the highest-level interagency teams of Afghanistan and Pakistan experts in providing products and briefings for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and OSD leadership, and the White House.  Also in that role, his teams helped prepare four different Generals to assume senior commands in Afghanistan. One of his team's key efforts was monitoring and helping U.S. leaders prepare for diplomatic negotiations with the Taliban.2015-2021After retiring in 2015, Jason continued his focus on Afghanistan and Islam as a professor at numerous institutes and continued to advise the U.S. and Afghan governments, and international bodies.From 2016 to 2017, he served as an advisor on the Presidential Transition Team's National Security cell focused on the Afghan peace process and foreign relations with Islamic nations. He contributed ideas to both the 2017 National Security Strategy and 2018 National Strategy for Counterterrorism.From 2017 onwards he served as an advisor on conflict resolution to the U.S. government, NATO member states, parts of the U.N., the Afghan President's NSC staff, and the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces leadership.Jason was invited to give presentations at the 2019 and 2020 Central and South Asia Military Intelligence conferences at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). His topics included the future of the ANDSF, and the Unconventional Warfare efforts of Pakistan against Afghan and NATO forces.Jason led a USIP project team to assess post-conflict security in Afghanistan that culminated in a an invitation from the Afghan President and UN Chief in Kabul to give a presentation to over 70 nations at the 2020 U.N. Donor Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva.A second USIP project allowed his team to remain involved in the peace process until August 2021 as part of a U.S. Institute of Peace project authorized to conduct Track-2 diplomacy while talking to the Afghan government, various parts of Afghan society, and Taliban supporters.From 2019-2021 during both USIP projects his team took part in the USIP-led discussions that contributed to the congressionally-mandated Afghanistan Study Group Report. “A Pathway for Peace in Afghanistan” was published in February 2021.August 2021 OnwardsAfter the collapse of the Afghan republic while Jason was virtually assisting the evacuation of at-risk Afghans from Kabul, he and his colleagues formed the Global Friends of Afghanistan non-profit (GFA) to speak and write about Afghanistan and ensure the topic of Afghanistan was not removed from the daily news, and to help Afghans raise their voices to the outside world. On 1 September 2022 GFA held their inaugural annual conference with Georgetown University to discuss the evacuation and resettlement of Afghans, and the humanitarian crisis and security collapse in Afghanistan. Writing ExperienceSummaryJason has written 5 books, was on the editing team of the FAO Association International Affairs Journal, and was the senior editor for A Voice for Two Nations blog. He has published over 225 articles, essays, and news reports in over 40 outlets. He is a mentor to writers and a member of the Military Writers Guild, where he edits and co-authors with new writers. Most recently he has begun publishing U.S. veterans and Afghan book authors at Tamarisk Press a niche publishing assistance non-profit. His work has been published in the following outlets: CNN, Fast Company, Foreign Policy, The National Interest, ClearanceJobs News, Military Times, The Cipher Brief, US Institute of Peace, The Global Observatory, Small Wars Journal, Divergent Options, From The Green Notebook, The Bridge, The Forge, The Foreign Service Journal, The FAOA Journal, Observer, Task&Purpose, Business Insider, Real Clear Defense and Politics, SOFX The Special Operations Forces Network, US Army War College, Naval Postgraduate School, O-Dark-Thirty, and in various Afghan newspapers like Reporterly, and Hasht e Subh. He also discusses Afghanistan, Terrorism, and Islam on CNN, Afghan International Persian, TRT World, and Voice of America, and appears on other news and radio outlets.Select Publications Books2012, Lions in the Path of Stability and Security: Oman's Response to Pressing Issues in the Middle East. My 2008 NPS thesis was published in Oman in Arabic.2017, The Quran: A Chronological Modern English Interpretation. Gold Medal Winner at the National Indie Excellence Awards2021, Leaders Always Go a Little Further: ...Unless They Trip. Foreword by LtGen Sir Graeme Lamb.2021, Ali's American Dream: An Iraqi Refugee's Story of Survival and Triumph. Foreword by SIV recipient Nasirullah Safi formerly of Afghanistan.2022, U.S. War Options in Afghanistan: Choose Your Own Path. Foreword by Afghan Colonel A. Rahman Rahmani, a would-be terrorist who was deradicalized and later flew special operations combat missions against the Taliban-Haqqani network and aided evacuation of Afghans Pilots in 2021. 2020-2022, Lead Editor of the Foreign Area Officer Association book, Culture Shock: Leadership Lessons from the Military's Diplomatic Corps. Foreword by LTG (Ret) Charles Hooper. Publishing advisor and book formatting for 4 books. 2021: Brand Elverston's Proclivity and Nasirullah Safi's Get the Terp Up Here!2022: Brand Elverston's Instruments of Ignorance and Nasirullah Safi's Indispensable: Tale of a Military Interpreter Various Studies (contributor and author/co-author)2009, US Strategy Review of US and NATO Afghanistan Policy, ISAF2009, A Case Study in Security Sector Reform: Learning from Security Sector Reform/Building in Afghanistan (October 2002-September 2003), US Army War College press2010 Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan2021, “No Going Backward”: Afghanistan's Post–Peace Accord Security Sector, USIP2022, Afghan Women: “I Don't Feel Safe.” A Global Friends of Afghanistan survey report, GFA Select recent articles and columnsAug 2022, Afghanistan Has Become a Terrorist Paradise, The National InterestAug 2022, How Can We Help Afghanistan? Ask the Afghans, The National InterestMar 2022, Information Operations: How is Ukraine Different Than Afghanistan? ClearanceJobs NewsMar 2022, Lessons Learned from the Last 20 Years: 9 Flaws in the American Way of War, ClearanceJobsDec 2021, U.S. Foreign Affairs Influence and the Afghanistan Fallout for the U.S., ClearanceJobs NewsOct 2021, Why Afghan Peace Talks Got Derailed, ClearanceJobs NewsSep 2021, ‘You Are Fighting in the Wrong Country.' How We Failed Afghan Policy Miserably, The Pilot19 Aug 2021, Taliban Takeover in Kabul: Pakistani Invasion Complete in Afghanistan, ClearanceJobs9 Aug 2021, Where is the Taliban with the Doha Peace Process? ClearanceJobs NewsMay 2021, Terrorists Kill Around 90 Afghan Students: The World Shrugs, ClearanceJobs NewsApr 2021, Afghanistan Needs a Weaker President: Decentralizing power can be key to long-term peace, Foreign Policy, with Shabnam NasimiFeb 2021, Taliban Keep Showing True Colors with Mockery of the Doha Peace Process, ClearanceJobsJan 2021, Path to Peace in Afghanistan for the Biden Administration, ClearanceJobs NewsDec 2020, Time to Make the Taliban Diplomatically Uncomfortable, ClearanceJobs NewsFeb 2019, America, don't abandon Afghanistan…Again, CNN, with Abdul Rahman Rahmani

David retired from the US Army after 33 years of military service in 2015 and currently serves with the HOPE Project. His many years of military service includes 16 years as an Army Chaplain where he deployed to Iraq twice, Afghanistan, Africa and Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His awards include three Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart. David specialized in trauma, combat stress, child loss, and grief counseling. David is a graduate of Welch College, Southeastern Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Army Command and General Staff College, US Army Chaplain Basic and Advance Courses, US Army Military Intelligence Center and School, the Basic Airborne Course and Clinical Pastoral Education. He is the co-author with Dr. Eddie Moody of “First Aid for Your Emotional Hurts: Veterans” and author of, “Operation Eternal Freedom.” This conversation is incredible. As I was editing it, I got choked up and had to shed a few tears (some of grief and some that were just a release). If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, this episode can help you or at least provide a little hope and understanding. I would love to see this interview shared with the world and hear from those that it touches. https://hopeprojectinc.org/ (https://hopeprojectinc.org/)

   Command Sergeant Major Cynthia A. Pritchett served as the Combined Forces CommandAfghanistan Command Sergeant Major beginning on 9 May 2004 and relinquished her duties on 5 April 2006.   She is the first senior enlisted female to serve as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader ofa sub-unified combatant command in a time of war.  From 9 May 2004 until 5 April 2006, Command Sergeant Major Pritchett was the principle advisor to the Commander, Combined Forces-Afghanistan on all matters concerning joint /combined forces.   A native of Concord, New Hampshire, CSM Pritchett entered the Army on 2 July 1973 as a supply  specialist. During her career she has served in a variety of leadership positions to include: Squad  Leader, Section Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, Operations Sergeant, First Sergeant, Battalion Command Sergeant Major, Installation Command Sergeant Major, Student and Faculty Battalion  Commander and Combined Arms Center and Ft. Leavenworth Command Sergeant Major.      She also served as a Drill Sergeant, an Army Recruiter, and an Instructor at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy (USASMA)   CSM Pritchett is a member of the U.S. Army Europe Sergeant Morales Club, the Secretary of the Army's Task Force on Extremist Activities, and Senior Review Panel onSexual Harassment. She served as the Army's Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS) from 1995-2001.   In March 2009,  CSM Pritchett was inducted into the Army Women's Foundation Hall of Fame; as a multifunctional logistician. In 2014, CSM Pritchett was inducted into the Quartermaster Hall of  Fame. The Quartermaster Hall of Fame program recognizes retired military and civilians who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Quartermaster Corps.    In November 2013, she was honored by Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) program's "FIRST" initiative. This program is designed to recognize significant FIRSTs for women both in the military and from across society. Representing FIRST achievements themselves  - being honored with the V-WISE First    She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Army Women's Foundation as the first VicePresident; the foundation is the premier center for educational excellence, the national network for today's Army women and a dynamic advocate for telling the history of Army women.    She is a member of the Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) Advisory Council.   She served on the Board of Directors of The Women in Military Service for America Memorial (WIMSA). Memorial (WIMSA). Support the show

In early December, 1777, Joseph Plumb Martin and his comrades in the Continental Army sat down to feast upon a Our Hero: Rhode Island Quaker ironworker turned Major General and logistician Thanksgiving meal, mandated by the Second Continental Congress.  “...To add something extraordinary to our present stock of provisions, our country, ever mindful of its suffering army,” wrote Martin decades later, “ opened her sympathizing heart so wide, upon this occasion, as to give us something to make the world stare.  And what do you think it was dear reader?—Guess.—You cannot guess, be you as much of a Yankee as you will.  I will tell you: it gave each and every man a half a gill of rice, and a table spoon full of vinegar!!” Martin's faux banquet was the result not of tightfistedness, but of bankruptcy and what my guest Ricardo Herrera describes as “the slow moving, staggering debacle that was its supply and transportation system.” If it's true that amateurs study tactics, and professionals study logistics, then Herrara's new book Feeding Washington's Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778  is definitely for professionals—but there is much in it for others to learn from as well. Ricardo A. Herrera is professor of military history at the School of Advanced Military Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. The views that he expresses here are not those of the SAMS, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, the United States Government; really, any person or institution other than Ricardo Herrera himself. For Further Investigation We've talked about Harry Lee with biographer Ryan Cole for two hours; and in Episode 110 about Nathanael Greene and the campaign for the South with John Buchanan, author of The Road to Charleston. Wayne K. Bodle, Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002) Bodle, “Generals and ‘Gentlemen': Pennsylvania Politics and the Decision for Valley Forge,” Pennsylvania History 62, no. 1 (Winter 1995): 59–89 Benjamin H. Newcomb, “Washington's Generals and the Decision to Quarter at Valley Forge,” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 117, no. 4 (Oct 1993): 311–29 Ricardo A. Herrera, “‘[T]he zealous activity of Capt. Lee': Light-Horse Harry Lee and Petite Guerre.” The Journal of Military History 79, no. 1 (January 2015): 9-36 Herrera, “‘[O]ur Army will hut this Winter at Valley forge': George Washington, Decision-Making, and the Councils of War.” Army History, no. 117 (Fall 2020): 6-26 Herrera, “Foraging and Combat Operations at Valley Forge, February-March 1778.”  Army History, no. 79 (Spring 2011): 6-29 Valley Forge National Historic Park Valley Forge Muster Roll You might remember that I tried to pronounce auftragstaktik, at least once. Rick Herrera doesn't really care if I pronounced it correctly or not...as you can see here in this YouTube conversation "The Myth of Auftragstktik and the history of Mission Command"

YOU: Oh wow! Matt just interviewed these guys. Glad I'm catching it fresh.  REALITY: Sorry, bub, but this is over a year old. Patrons got it fresh.    That's right. Being a patron helps keep this show going. Because we believe you should get something back for your financial support, we give patrons over a certain tier, episodes created especially for them. Plus, they know what's going on before you do; they get early access to some special episodes; they know before the general public when tickets for our events go on sale and MORE! Please consider helping us eat! https://www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg   ORIGINAL AIRDATE 11.23.2021   I really enjoyed this interview with Colonels McCausland and Vossler about their new book "Battle Tested!" In this interview we focused on chapters 2 and 12 about Brigadier General John Buford's and Abraham Lincoln's (respectively) leadership skills and qualities. You can get your copy of the book by clicking here . You'll be hearing a lot more from these gentlemen on Addressing Gettysburg.     From the Diamond6 wesbite: JEFF MCCAUSLAND, FOUNDER & CEO Since 2000, both domestic and internationally, Dr. McCausland has conducted numerous executive leadership development workshops and consulted for leaders in public education, US government institutions, non-profit organizations, and corporations. Dr. McCausland is a retired Colonel from the U.S. Army and former Dean of Academics at the U.S. Army War College. He is a Visiting Professor of National Security at Dickinson College. During his military career Dr. McCausland served in a variety of command and staff positions both in the United States and Europe during the Kosovo crisis and Operations Desert Shield and Storm. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger schools, and the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds both a Masters and Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Dr. McCausland is the co-author of Battle Tested! Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders, available September 1, 2020.   COL. TOM VOSSLER (RET.) | AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN Colonel Tom Vossler, U.S. Army (Ret.) served in the U.S. Army from 1968 thru 1998. He commanded an infantry platoon in the Vietnam War and a Mechanized Infantry Battalion Task Force in Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall / Soviet regime. His military education includes graduation from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. Tom taught military history, strategy and leadership at the U.S. Army War College and he is a former director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks, PA. Tom is the co-author of A Field Guide to Gettysburg and A Field Guide to Antietam. His latest book, co-authored with Jeff McCausland, Battle Tested! Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders is available September 1, 2020.   ***This episode was made available for free to the public to help Tom and Jeff promote their book. If you enjoyed this interview and would like to hear more from Addressing Gettysburg, please consider becoming a Patron and support our continued efforts to bring Gettysburg to the World.***