Featured in voices
‘The Many Faces of War’ Isn’t A Comfortable Book, But It’s A Damn Good One
'The Many Faces of War' is a well-researched, creative, historical, mythological and academic look at war, in the cold and often harsh light of trauma, damaged brains, mythology and a very broad sweep of literature
How To Listen To A War Story
Why do we, as a society, insist on searching for absolute meaning in stories about war?
What Military Units Can Learn From The Rules And Suggestions Of My Local Animal Shelter
I recently signed up to volunteer at my local animal shelter. Their rules of behavior stuck me as pretty generally applicable to any organization, but perhaps especially to small military units
It’s Time to Reconsider Trump And Foreign Policy: Maybe He’s On To Something
The powers that be in Congress, the media, DoD bureaucrats, and the traditional think tanks like CNAS might want you to believe that they have a plan to recraft American foreign policy—they don't
How Mattis’s Resignation Perfectly Captures The Moral Dimension Of Leadership
The recent resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis reminds us that serving the nation at the strategic level is not an amoral activity, nor a place where realism pushes ethics off the stage or where Machiavelli is more useful than Aristotle
‘I’m Worried Nobody Will Come’ — Daughter Of WWII Hero Asks Vets To Celebrate Her Late Father’s Life
Have courage. That's how Cornelius Cornelssen VII signed off on a brief telegram to his son, Cornelius VIII, who had...
The Army Reserve Simply Doesn’t Have Enough People Willing to Fill Command Slots
Tom note: Here is the seventh entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 4th most-read item of...
The Number Of Challenge Coins That Are Passed Out Is Too Damn High
The origins of the challenge coin have been lost to antiquity. It’s really anyone’s guess as to how these trinkets...
Has The US Military Created A Small Class Of Killers?
Tom note: Here is the sixth entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 5th most-read item of...
No One Saw It Coming: How Russia Went to War Against China in 2020
Tom note: Here is the fifth entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 6th most-read item of...
Why Do So Many Recent Veterans Dislike Police Officers?
Tom note: Here is the fourth entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 7th most-read item of...
Why The Best Young Marines Are Fleeing The Corps, In One Damning Quote
Tom note: Here is the third entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 8th most-read item of...
Green Beret Receives Soldier’s Medal For Pulling Man From Vehicle Before It Exploded
Sgt. 1st Class Erik Kingsley was driving his brother-in-law to the airport in the early morning hours of April 1,...
Advice For US Troops Sent To The Mexican Border In An Age Of Terrible Leaders
Tom note: Here is the first entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 10th most-read item of...
The Most Effective Naval Anti-Ship Weapon Of The Last 75 Years, And Other Fascinating Maritime Facts
What has been the most effective naval anti-ship weapon over the last 75 years? Air to ship missiles? Bombs? Torpedoes?...
10 Things Vets Think They Know About Veteran Mental Health — And What They Get Wrong
If everyone is an expert on mental health and wellness, are we listening to those who are actually experts?There seems...
American History Can Be A Pain To Absorb. This Historian’s Work Is Anything But
I think I have read almost every book David Hackett Fischer has written, including the one on economic history and...
Tom Hanks Thinks Hollywood Can’t Capture America’s Current Wars. What Does That Mean?
Writing about what some called King Philip’s War, Jill Lepore reminds us of the tight-knit relationship between war and telling...
The 7 Most Alarming Challenges Facing Today’s Marine Corps, According To Its Own Officers
I’d missed several recent issues of the Marine Corps Gazette, so read them in a bunch when four recently arrived...
What Does John Kelly’s Exit from The White House Mean For The Military?
News of retired Marine Gen. John Kelly‘s departure as White House chief of oozed out over the weekend like toxic slime....
‘Abuse, Harassment, Intimidation, And Threats’: A New Complaint Details Weird Times At The National Defense University — Again
If you followed my old Foreign Policy column, you’ll probably remember that I have long been interested in leadership and...
How To Find Meaningful Work After The Military: Focus On Teamwork
Here's the 20th and final entry in our contest about finding meaningful work after leaving the armed services. I’ve really liked...
Dyngo The War Dog Is Having Trouble, And We Could Use a Little Help
The morning after Thanksgiving, my dog, Dyngo, was having trouble walking. He’s a strong, happy dog, so with some coaxing,...
It’s Time to Start Considering Suicide A Military Readiness Issue
Last Saturday, a vice admiral died in Bahrain of an apparent suicide. Officials were quoted as saying “no foul play”...
There Really Is No Place For Hazing In A Professional Military
The vigorous Twitter response to the recent piece “There’s A Reason For All That Hazing And Ass-Chewing, And We Shouldn’t...