From the Green Notebook

Was this preventable? A new perspective on accidents

By John Geracitano

In the 1930s, a crane in a Philadelphia railyard dropped a steel track onto my grandfather’s leg, injuring it so badly it had to be amputated. Accidents happen, especially in dangerous occupations. But after reading Jessie Singer’s There Are No Accidents, my perspective shifted. Singer’s research reveals a startling truth: “accidents” are often preventable and predictable. What happened to my grandfather was not an accident; it was likely the result of a series of identifiable and unmitigated gaps in the system. And at the rate at which accidents occur in the military, it is worth the investment to identify and address weaknesses in your organization. 

Cynical on Sinek: Why Simon Sinek’s Works Fall Short for Leaders, Especially Those in the Military

by Chaveso Cook and J.B. Cuartas

Simon Sinek’s Start with Why is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the hearts and minds of leaders around the world, from corporate executives to military officers. His simple message—find your purpose, and everything else will fall into place—has turned him into a global leadership guru. But here’s a hard truth: in an increasingly complex world, particularly in the military, “why” isn’t enough. As service members, we face complex, high-pressure environments where the path of purpose must meet practicality. Sinek’s ideas come up too short for that longer march.

Turning Army Values into Habits

by Katie M. Smith, LMSW

The American people trust the Army not only to fight and win the Nation’s wars, but to do so with integrity and honor.  Combat is demanding–physically, mentally, and morally. With lives on the line, Soldiers must make ethical decisions and hold themselves to the highest standards. At the same time, Soldiers trust their leaders to value their lives and never take risks unnecessarily. This mutual trust is at the core of the Army’s strength.

The Army Values include Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. They are the foundation of every decision and action, guiding Soldiers through daily challenges and extraordinary circumstances. When the values are ignored, trust erodes and causes damage to the legitimacy of the Army profession. Soldiers must often make decisions in the grey areas in complex missions, and the Army Values ensure those decisions uphold the profession’s high standards. 

Amidst the fog of war, the Army Values anchor principled choices and actions that solidify trust in the force. Leaders must weave these values into daily routines in ways that feel natural, not burdensome. By making value-based behavior second nature, the Army strengthens its bond with the Soldiers and nation it serves. 

Parental Leave: A Critical Investment for Families


by Jakob Hutter

Balancing the demands of military service with raising a family has always been challenging, especially in a country where paid parental leave isn’t guaranteed nationwide. The United States is the only high-income nation that does not mandate paid parental leave at the federal level. According to recent data, roughly 25% of civilian workers have access to paid family leave. While the Surgeon General has recently warned that parenting may be hazardous to parents’ health, parenting challenges can be mitigated when fathers are supported through paternity leave. It not only strengthens family bonds but also benefits fathers’ well-being and the organization. 

In recent years, efforts have been made to provide paid parental leave for military service members through the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) and federal employees through the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA). Today, both programs offer 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement during the first 12 months. 

What Are My Options? How to Speak Commander

By LTC Terron Wharton

Five years ago, as a battalion S3, I watched a frustrated company commander struggle to brief my battalion commander. Unfortunately, this had become a trend for this particular company commander. Later that day, I brought him into my office and explained that if he wanted the commander to hear him, then he needed to speak the commander’s language. He needed to speak in terms of requirements, resources, and risk. 

Commanders at all levels do three basic things. First, they set requirements. Second, they assign resources to meet those requirements. Finally, they accept and underwrite the risk, which, in its simplest form, is the difference between the requirements and the allocated resources. 

Today, I am the battalion commander. On my first day, I informed my staff and company grade officers how I wanted to communicate: requirements, resources, and risk. After a couple of turns, the conversations became smoother and mutual understanding came more quickly. 

However, when I finished my time as a major I realized I had missed a key portion before. In addition to mastering the basics, field grade officers must learn to speak in terms of options. By speaking in options, field grade staff officers bolster the commander’s role in the operations process by fostering discussions on risk and opportunity.

Effective Communication

By Jeff Farmer

Are you an effective communicator? Can you communicate your direction, vision, and how to overcome hurdles to meet your objectives?

In my experience, intentional leadership is the bedrock of building trust within an organization, team, or family. Additionally, management skills are required to effectively “keep the trains on time.” Deliberate verbal and non-verbal communication, integrated with focused mindfulness, can create effective communication, whether you are a leader or contributing member of a team.

Maintaining Morale in Afghanistan’s Final Days 

Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division prepare to board a U.S. Air Force C-17 on August 30th, 2021 at the Hamid Karzai International Airport. (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Alexander Burnett, 82nd Airborne Public Affairs).

By Grant Haxton

In August 2021, I deployed to Kabul with the 82nd Airborne Division as the leader of a rifle platoon. I was fresh out of Ranger School and had yet to meet all of my platoon when we received the no-notice activation to reinforce security at Kabul’s airport and aid in the evacuation of Americans, other expatriates, and certain Afghans before the August 31 deadline to be out of the country. With the U.S. exit imminent, the weight of maintaining my platoon’s morale became one of my biggest challenges. As tensions mounted, my noncommissioned officers and I had to draw on every ounce of our training—and their past deployments—to keep spirits high. This paper shares the strategies that worked best during those crucial, chaotic days.

The Challenge

The exit and evacuation of U.S. military personnel from Afghanistan was, under the Army’s tactics field manual, a “retrograde,” which is the removal of troops from the enemy or battlefield as a transitional operation, typically to the offense, but sometimes to the defense or in preparation for post-conflict stability operations. The field manual warns that “retrogrades can negatively affect Soldiers’ morale more than any other type of operation because they may view a retrograde as a defeat,” and instructs that “leaders ensure Soldiers remain disciplined and aggressive during retrograde operations to preserve unit morale. Additionally, units can counter any negative effects on morale by planning and efficiently executing the retrograde and ensuring Soldiers understand their task, purpose, and the duration of the operation.”