Task & Purpose
The Navy’s Admiral-To-Ship Ratio, Then And Now
November 12, 2018
It has been said before, but as the song says, it bears repeating: “In 1944 there were 256 flags for 6,084 ships; today there are 359 flag officers for 280 ships.”
How I Found My Tribe After Leaving The Military
November 12, 2018
Here’s the 10th entry in our contest about finding meaningful employment after leaving the military. Brady Treanor writes: “We won no great peace, for our world or for ourselves. We had nothing but each other. To strip us of that can strip us of purpose, as it does to so many. At my first internship … Read More
This Army Vet Died Of An Overdose In His Jail Cell. He Deserved Better Than Laughter
November 9, 2018
“I understand how difficult the transition can be, but we are still responsible for our own choices regardless of anything we may have witnessed or done overseas. He chose to put that poison in his body. He is responsible for his own death. “He absolutely deserved to die over his drug problem, because that is … Read More
I Found The Answer To Life After The Military In Helping Vets And Communities
November 9, 2018
Here’s number 9 in our contest about finding meaningful work after the military. Nathan Bond writes: “I found a job serving my fellow veterans. Thirty of the States and Territories have County Veteran Service Officers. Most states require that the position is held by a veteran. Here’s a website. I also found my way to … Read More
One Major General Was The Fall Guy For The Niger Ambush. The Real Fault Lies Elsewhere
November 8, 2018
Major General Marcus Hicks, the senior officer reprimanded in connection with last year’s ambush in which four Army soldiers were killed in Niger, was not set up for success. The way this has been handled sends a clear message, but it is not a good one for building trust, accountability, and underwriting mistakes. The way this … Read More
Not All Veterans Are Created Equal. You Have To Earn Your ‘V’
November 8, 2018
Not all veterans are equal. There are veterans, and then there are Veterans. The difference has nothing to do with what we did in the military. The capital “V” is earned after leaving the service. Take Sarah Wilson. She’s a Veteran — a Huey crew chief who protected her fellow Marines with her door gun … Read More
Is Trust An Essential Element In Strategy?
November 7, 2018
The other day I began re-reading Piers Mackesy’s The War for America, 1775-1783. It was as brilliant as ever, a book I learn from every time I open it. It is one of the 2 or 3 best works I’ve ever read on strategy. But I think it is wrong on one key thing: Its … Read More
Sometimes Finding Meaning After The Military Means Not Looking For It
November 7, 2018
Here’s the eighth entry in our contest about finding meaningful work after the military. Thor O’Connell writes: “I think the purpose and sense of meaning you have from serving in the military is rarely replicable in civilian life solely through your employment. Those that can replace that sense in their employment are very few and … Read More
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