Articles
Why ‘In the Meantime’ Is the Only Time
By Joe Byerly I’ve been thinking a lot about how we treat the present versus how we imagine the future We’re often too harsh on the present and too idealistic about the future. In the present, we don’t have enough time. We’re too busy. Too many...
![The [Re-iterated] Case for an Apolitical Military](https://fromthegreennotebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/what_does_the_army_do_trooper_ed2e097d-fe4d-45f3-a043-218f4b64bde1-1080x675.webp?crop=1)
The [Re-iterated] Case for an Apolitical Military
by Brett Tinder We are not political pundits. Our service does not strip us of our rights to vote, but faithful adherence to American civil-military relations requires an ambivalence to political change. An apolitical military benefits the...
The Picture of Captain Dorian Gray
By Micah Ables There’s a portrait hidden in the closet of every company commander – one that bears every unspeakable thing they have to see, hear, and carry. To every young commander or first sergeant who’s seen more than any one person...
On Getting Humbled
By Joe Byerly The words escaped my mouth before my brain could catch up. I saw my commander lean back in his seat, eyes narrowing. His chair creaked like a spring under pressure—until it snapped forward. Then came the ass-chewing. My face...
Ep 157- How Robotics and AI Will Transform Warfare and the Future of Human Conflict with George M. Dougherty
Military strategist and author George M. Dougherty joins Joe to unpack how robotics, AI, and precision weaponry are reshaping the future of warfare—and what history can teach us about navigating this transformation. From his book Beast in the...
What Three Hobbits Teach Us About Friendship, Virtue, and the Company We Keep
by Jay Carmody Since J.R.R. Tolkien first published The Lord of the Rings trilogy nearly 70 years ago, authors and fans have published a wealth of articles exploring Tolkien’s characters and universe. One topic worth revisiting for military leaders...
Why We PT (Together), and Why You Should Too
by Garrett M. Searle In 2014, Admiral William McRaven, then Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, made a famous speech at a commencement ceremony for his alma mater, the University of Texas. The thesis of his address was the importance of...
Power Without Preparation
By: Joe Byerly Have you ever watched a baking show and thought, I could do that? Or seen a YouTube clip of someone playing a popular song on guitar and thought, How hard can it be? Or listened to a podcast and said, I could make one of those? Then...
Telling the Story: Using Narrative to Synchronize Operations
By Rich Groen In tactical operations, effective communication remains one of the most underappreciated yet crucial competencies for field-grade leaders. At the upper echelons of operational and strategic planning, one of the most enduring...
Timeliness Over Perfection: The Critical Balance in Fast-Moving Operational Environments
By Caleb D. King III Have you ever found yourself delaying reporting something up the chain of command because the information was not perfect or pretty? How much time did you spend perfecting the information before other decision-makers could...
Getting the Most Out of Professional Reading
This post originally appeared at Small Wars Journal on May 26, 2014 “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” -E.M. Forster By Joe Byerly From the time I commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army I’ve been told...
How to Lead with the Strength of Nelson
This post is also available at the U.S. Naval Institute Blog and at Small Wars Journal Typically the Services study historic leaders from their own particular domain of expertise (air, sea, land), and rarely do they venture beyond this. The Navy...
2013: A Good Year for Reading
This past year was filled with several work related trips, and because of the airports, airplanes, and hotel rooms, I was able to focus my efforts on professional study. This blog is an outgrowth of those efforts. Even though I’ve...
Leaders are Readers
From Washington to Mattis, our most successful leaders were life-long students of war. In the July-September issue of Armor Magazine, I wrote a piece called Maneuver Leaders, Self-Study and War, where I discuss the importance of life-long learning...
Three Lessons for the Commissioning Class of 2025
by John Geracitano Sixteen years ago, I was a struggling lieutenant—well-meaning but clueless. Despite caring deeply about my unit’s success, its soldiers, and my leadership role, I couldn’t grasp the “big picture.” Navigating the many demands of...
Because the Plot Demands It: On Roles, Responsibility, and Character
By Joe Byerly I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the various roles we play in life—and the responsibilities, behaviors, and costumes that come with them. Every role, from parent to spouse to commander to CEO, comes with a contract. Sometimes...
The Case for Sharing Your Personality Test Results at Work
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ian Thompson By Jared Massie All service members should take a personality test. This helps you see yourself as others do and generates positive cycles of self-reflection. Additionally, personality tests cultivate an...
From the Red Notebook: Leadership Lessons in What Not to Do
By Ray Ramos History is filled with cautionary tales. Not just of tyrants and generals who fell from grace, but of leaders undone by smaller, quieter failures—ones that rarely make headlines but still erode trust, corrode teams, and cripple...
Soul vs. Ego
By Joe Byerly I would love to play guitar in front of a crowd at a bar, watch them sing along, and then take requests for their favorite songs. I would love to have a custom-built shed in my backyard that I built myself. I would love to hike the...
The Best Job I Never Thought I Wanted
by Ned Marsh From 2022 through 2024, I served as one-third of the command team for the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Detrick, Maryland. Garrison command became the highlight of my career—the best job I never thought I wanted. First, it was a job that was...
“They Don’t Get It” is a Leadership Red Flag
By Sara Roger “Soldiers these days just don’t get it.” I’ve heard that sentence at least ten—maybe even twenty—times since arriving in Germany. And when it came up again this past Thursday, I felt a sudden urge to respond: “Maybe you don’t get...
Power, Character, and the Gates We Open
By Joe Byerly Throughout ancient history, cities didn’t always fall on the fields of battle or by infantry scaling the walls. More often than we realize, they were undone from within—by opportunists who, under the cover of darkness, opened secret...
Life Lessons from Jimmy Kimmel’s Head Writer (That Apply to the Rest of Us Too)
By Joe Byerly Danny Ricker writes jokes for a living. As one of Jimmy Kimmel’s head writers, he leads a team that churns out pages of material every day—most of which never makes it on air. But behind the punchlines is a mindset that applies far...
Power, Hubris, and the Role of Fortune
By Joe Byerly When we attain power, we often see it through the protagonist’s lens: “This is my story. I climbed the ranks. I earned this.” And while that may be partially true, it’s rarely the whole story. What’s often missing is the hand of...
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