Eli,

Thanks for your post and thoughtful effort in shaping the next generation of military leaders!

A number one book pick from several bosses is “The Road to Character” by David Brooks- he filmed a great 5 min TED talk as a thought provoking prep.

For more military applications- John McCain’s book on “Why Courage Matters” offers many examples…[Read more]

Hello!  My best recommendation is to get the templates for each level of award from your higher headquarters so that you have a correct “shell” to work from.  Admin data is usually standardized by the S1/G1 and you can easily ensure that fonts, spacing, signature blocks, etc. are right to cut down on the correction cycle.  Many units also have sta…[Read more]

Hello!  My best recommendation is to get the templates for each level of award from your higher headquarters so that you have a correct “shell” to work from.  Admin data is usually standardized by the S1/G1 and you can easily ensure that fonts, spacing, signature blocks, etc. are correct to cut down on the correction cycle.  Many units also ha…[Read more]

Sounds like you have lots of experience and developed a fair and thorough method for adjudicating each case.

I participated in a discussion recently where leaders were weighing the benefits of applying standards and processes in a prescriptive manner vice taking each individual case and varying conditions as discrete events.  In the former…[Read more]

Justin,

Great question and speaks to larger issue of staying informed of policy changes. Good commands and staffs will keep leaders at all levels informed and arm them with tools, but it’s good to stay ahead of the bow wave when things get lost in the noise. I’ve found that subscribing to list-servs and professional forums (like this!!) helps…[Read more]

Hey Brock,

Thanks- your “We Were Soldiers” reference is timely as we honor Hal Moore’s life. Did you happen to read “We are Soldiers Still?”

Thanks,
Heather

Great pick, Michael. I had the opportunity to listen to Tom Ricks speak at Fort Leavenworth right after he released The Generals.  He certainly fell into the category of “passionate” and “dynamic” and seemed to enjoy stirring the pot.  His Foreign Policy blogs are quite insightful (often inciteful!…no, not a real word).

Thanks,

Heather

Sound like you and Ray are “on the same page”!
Thanks,
Heather

Great advice! With all the excitement in the media, there is no shortage of inflammatory material to get the wheels turning.
Almost everyone has an opinion, but as professionals we need to foster a deep and thoughtful understanding in order to best inform our decisions.

Thanks,
Heather

Great tips Chad!  One thing that I’ve found to be critical is good sponsorship.  Each installation and unit tends to handle the program differently, but like so many things, you get out of it what you put into it.  Having a great unit sponsor can make a huge difference in planning for PCS- and the ability to pay it forward for others is a great wa…[Read more]