Articles
It’s All Theory Until We Do It
By Joe Byerly We can have the best of plans. We can have the greatest of intentions. But until those plans and intentions collide with reality—it’s all just theory. Theories aren’t reality. They’re untested. They live in our minds—with plot lines...
Ep 153- Tough Rugged Bastards with John Dailey
Retired Marine Raider and author John Dailey joins the podcast to discuss his memoir, Tough Rugged Bastards, and the hard-earned lessons from a lifetime in Marine special operations. In this episode, Joe and John explore: The story behind the...
Serving Until the End
by Chris Mulder Why I Joined the Air Force: A Family Legacy of Flying “You should serve as long as you can,” an old boss advised me while I contemplated my future. As I considered his advice, I reflected on why I entered the Air Force in the first...
Betting on Yourself
By Joe Byerly Before I had kids, I used to enjoy placing bets. I played blackjack at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas when I was stationed out on the west coast. I threw down friendly wagers on the game at Super Bowl parties. When I lived at Fort...
From Books to Battlefields: The Enduring Legacy of MajGen William F Mullen (USMC)
By Jeff Horn, Jr. “I prioritize self-development because I never want to look back and say, ‘I lost some of my Marines because I could not outthink the enemy.’” – Major General William F Mullen I met Major General (MajGen) William F. Mullen in a...
Ep 152- Perseverance > Endurance with Blayne Smith and Brandon Young
Send us a text Army veterans and leadership experts Brandon Young and Blayne Smith join the podcast for a powerful conversation about their new book, Perseverance > Endurance: Lead with Resilience. Grow Through Adversity. Win Together....
FM 1: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms and to Professional Development
By: Michael Villahermosa In 2008 when I arrived at 30th AG, Replacement Battalion, I was handed the IET Soldier’s Handbook (TRADOC Pamphlet 600-4). For the next 16 weeks, I carried this dry read about the Army Values, Warrior Ethos, and using...
Why Write in the Age of AI?
By Tim Devine Outsourcing your writing to AI is tantalizing because of its sudden ubiquity. Despite the convenience, there’s a hidden cost when you transfer your agency as a writer. It robs you of crucial cognitive development. Composing your...
Reflections of a Specialty Platoon Leader (and Why You Should Do It)
by William Moorhead As an Infantry Lieutenant, your time as a Platoon Leader (PL) is the peak of your first four years in the Army. You will train for it, stress over it, and only begin to appreciate it once you are out of the seat and begin...
Don’t Let the Colors Touch
By Joe Byerly Wake upSlog down a cup of coffeeBrush teeth and shaveGranola barGrab my bagFlip the office light onEmailsPhysical trainingShowerMeetingsTrainingMore meetingsLast minute emergenciesEmergencies that shouldn’t be last minuteGrab my...
Books That Every Junior Officer Should Read
“A properly schooled officer never arrives on a battlefield for the first time, even if he has never actually trod the ground, if that officer has read wisely to acquire the wisdom of those who have experienced war in...
A Homework Assignment from General Carter Ham
Recently at a gathering of senior military leaders in the Pacific meant to discuss pertinent issues in the region – as well as strategic leadership writ large – General (Retired) Carter Ham spoke at length about his career and the lessons garnered...
What Happens When War Leaves Its Box?
This post originally appeared on the Strategy Bridge on August 17, 2016 How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything: Tales from the Pentagon. Rosa Brooks. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2016. In June 1945, 850 delegates...
The Ultimate Summer Reading List
By Joe Byerly Last summer, I wrote a short article about promoting reading by simply talking about it. I believe the best way to encourage leaders to pick up a book is through conversation, not mandatory reading assignments. So this year, I thought...
Rifleman Dodd: It Should be on Your Bookshelf
Recently, I asked followers on Twitter for books recommendations. The response was amazing. Fellow military leaders, journalists, academics, and even a Ukranian offered up suggestions. This guest post by Nathan Wike is a continuation of...
Reading in 2015
For the last two years, I’ve compiled a year-end reading list to share the books I’ve completed over a 12 month period. This is one of my favorite posts, because it forces me to reflect on a year’s worth of books and take a holistic look at what...
When a Son Becomes His Father
This post was originally featured at Foreign Policy on December 3, 2015 Recently, I wrote a short piece for the Atlantic Council’s Art of Future Warfare Project about the importance of fiction in the professional development of military...
Where’s the Fiction? The Case for More Fiction on Military Reading Lists
This post first appeared on the Art of Future Warfare Blog on Friday, October 13, 2015. Ever since my developmental switch “flipped” a few years ago and the pursuit of knowledge became a critical aspect of my professional identity as a U.S. Army...
Bridging the Divide: A Social Media Reading List for Senior Leaders
Today, there is a large generational divide in the military. While our younger Soldiers and leaders were raised on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, our senior leadership was not. Many senior military leaders struggle with...
Singer and Cole’s ‘Ghost Fleet’: The Book Every Army Officer Should Read-and it’s fun
This post was originally published via Tom Ricks’ Best Defense on June 11, 2015 I’ve been in the Army for a little over a decade, and if I’m being honest with myself, my ability to imagine war in the future is somewhat...
More Than a War Story: The Power of Reflection
By Joe Byerly Better than Reality TV One of the greatest benefits of military service is the number of life experiences we pack into a year; sometimes even into a single week or day. We bring together people from different backgrounds, cultures,...
What Fairy Tales Teach Us About Power
By Joe Byerly Have you ever actually read the original Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen? It’s pretty dark. There are no singing crabs, cute blowfish, or happy endings. It’s a story about a girl who gives up something of great...
No One Warned Me About This Part of Leaving the Military
By Joe Byerly Before I retired from the military, everyone told me the same few things: “You’ll struggle with purpose.” “You’ll miss the mission.” “You’ll miss the people.” And they weren’t wrong. I’ve felt all of that to some degree. As I’ve...
Power and the Popularity Trap
This is Joe’s latest series on Power. Check out his first post here! By Joe Byerly The need to be liked is something many leaders wrestle with. But when the desire for popularity is mixed with the desire for power, it creates a toxic brew—one...
Insecurity, Power, and Tyrants
By Joe Byerly Why do people chase power? Many of us fool ourselves into thinking our pursuit of power is noble. We want to make a difference. We want to bring about change. We want to make things better. But lurking just beneath those reasons is...
Judgment Comes Full Circle: I’m the Major Now
By Sara Roger Chaos, uncertainty, deadlines, endless meetings, new guy syndrome. You might call these facts of life, but for me, they were the ingredients in this week’s signature dish: “Fill the Gap for the Brigade Operations Officer.” For the...
Why FightCamp Is the Perfect Garage Gym Setup for Veterans Getting Back in Shape
By Joe Byerly After 20 years in the military, staying physically fit is hardwired into who I am. But I’ll be honest, my body doesn’t bounce back the way it used to. My knees aren’t fans of long runs or high-impact workouts like CrossFit anymore,...
What George Marshall Would Tell Today’s Leaders
by Aaron Childers The military places a large amount of responsibility on young leaders from the moment they assume their positions. This can be overwhelming at times, but it isn’t a modern problem. In fact, some of the struggles that...
Why Every Leader Needs to Create a “Me Manual”
By Joe Byerly One of the first pieces of advice I received when I joined the Army was to create an “I love me book.” This binder became a repository for all my awards, evaluation reports, orders, and even handwritten notes from senior leaders. I...
Silent Sacrifices, Powerful Impact: The Truth About Military Spouses
Albert D. Keever Jr. In the military, the term “dependent” usually refers to someone who relies on a service member for financial and medical support, such as a spouse or a child. It’s a label that, on the surface, appears...
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