Lead with the best version of yourself.

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Accepting Risk in a Postmodern Military: Reducing Dependency on Information Through Creative and Critical Thinking

Accepting Risk in a Postmodern Military: Reducing Dependency on Information Through Creative and Critical Thinking

by Marc Meybaum 

The radio squawks to life, a message flashes on the screen in front of you, and your cell phone vibrates on the dash. As you sit in your vehicle during a field training exercise you cannot escape the seemingly endless requests for information.

In the modern world, advanced digital devices combined with the internet offer us immediate access to more information than leaders even twenty years ago could have imagined. However, this capability is not without costs. The increasing presence of misinformation, enemy cyber capabilities, and the sheer volume of data available presents a serious challenge as we struggle to process this information, analyze it in a timely manner, and make appropriate decisions.

From the Green Notebook’s Top 10 Articles of 2021

From the Green Notebook’s Top 10 Articles of 2021

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is already upon us. 2021 has been a year of milestones for From the Green Notebook and we are truly excited for what the new year will bring. Just this year, we saw Joe and Cassie publish their first book, watched the podcast grow into a hugely successful professional development resource, added five highly talented editors to the team, and published a record number of articles. None of this growth would be possible without you, our authors and audience. 

ACFT 3.5: How the Army can Meet Congressional Guidance without Resorting to Gender Discrimination

ACFT 3.5: How the Army can Meet Congressional Guidance without Resorting to Gender Discrimination

by Kristen M. Griest

I wrote an op-ed through the Modern War Institute in February advocating against the implementation of ACFT 3.0, the latest version of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). The new updates to this test include the option to choose either a plank or leg tuck as a core exercise, the removal of branch-specific minimum standards, and the addition of a promotion system that will assess Soldiers according to their gender. While the Army is eager to produce a version of the test that will not disadvantage women and thereby gain Congressional approval, the ACFT 3.0 misses the mark.  

A Test for Future Generations

A Test for Future Generations

Preface by Thomas E. Ricks

Editor’s Note: For this Fourth of July, the From the Green Notebook team felt it appropriate to share a copy of the Declaration of Independence so that we may reflect upon the principles upon which this nation was founded. Additionally, Pulitzer Prize winning author Thomas E. Ricks has provided us with an excerpt from First Principles: What America’s Founders Learned from the Greeks and Romans and How That Shaped Our Country to illustrate how Jefferson’s words have echoed throughout the history of our country.  

Whether or not Thomas Jefferson intended it, his assertion in the Declaration of Independence that everyone was created equal created a test for future generations, a standard against which to measure the nation again and again. That is why it figures significantly in several of the most memorable speeches and statements in American history.

Two examples came from women in the 1840s. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, at the first American convention on women’s rights, shocked some Americans in 1848 with the Seneca Falls Declaration, which stated in part that “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.” In the same decade, dissident female millworkers in Lowell, Massachusetts, demanded “EQUAL RIGHTS, or death to the corporations.”

Seven Books Every Company Commander Should Read

 

by Dan Vigeant

Leaders worth following are readers. This is not an original, or even new thought. Countless General Officers, business professionals, and thriving entrepreneurs laud the benefits of reading for personal and professional growth. From the Green Notebook even publishes a monthly reading list for the sole purpose of developing aspiring leaders (if you’re not already a subscriber, I highly recommend you click here). However, with the number of books dedicated to leader development and the Profession of Arms, knowing what to read can sometimes feel daunting.

To be clear, I am no expert on the subject. I am, however, a student of the Profession of Arms and sincerely believe commanders owe the Americans they serve the best version of themselves. As such, and in preparation for receiving the guidon, I embarked upon an eclectic reading journey focused on one central theme: leadership. The following is a short list of some of those books that prepared me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for company-level command. My hope is that this list will assist in your preparations for what will be the most rewarding, albeit challenging, experience of your career.  

An Uncomfortable Conversation

An Uncomfortable Conversation

by Thomas Krasnican

If the military wants to retain the trust and confidence of the American people, its leaders – from the most junior to the most senior – will have to do something that might feel a little bit uncomfortable.

If we want to uphold the civil-military norms that have allowed the United States to build a powerful, professional military while maintaining a healthy democracy, our leaders must start thinking, learning, and talking about politics.

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