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What I Learned from Books in 2020- A Reading List
This post was originally shared in the FTGN Monthly Reading List Email. By Joe Byerly I like to read a lot. I have a strong love of learning and I’ve found the easiest way for me to expand my repertoire is to open a book when I first wake up or...
Leadership Lessons from the Patriot Way
A Review of Jeff Benedict’s The Dynasty By Oren Abusch-Magder When I failed my first patrol at Ranger School, I paused and told myself “we’re on to Cincinnati.” On September 30th 2014, the New England Patriots were drubbed 41-14 by the Kansas City...
Turning Words into Works: Reading to Remember
By Joe Byerly Over the years I have collected passages and quotes in small notebooks that I continually refer back to in my writing and in personal reflection. They help remind me why I read in the first place. Two in particular are worth sharing...
Studying the Stoics: It’s About Progress, Not Perfection
By Joe Byerly Recently, I finished The Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.This book is a profile of twenty-six Stoics, from the founder of the philosophy to Emperor Marcus...
Why We Should Read Fiction and Nonfiction at the Same Time
By Jeroen Verhaeghe Avid readers will recognize the feeling of guilt that comes with buying ever more books knowing full well that the unread stacks you have at home are more than enough to last you several months of quarantine. Luckily, from time...
Why We All Need to Develop a Daily Habit of Reading
By Joe Byerly When it comes down to it, the purpose of a military is to fight and win its nation’s wars. And war is complex. When lives or national interests are at stake the outcome is never certain and events can unfold in a manner that no one...
4 Books to Read Before Ranger School
by 2LT Oren Abusch and 1LT Jack Hadley It’s 0200. Our platoon Charlie 1 is struggling to establish a patrol base. We have just completed a seven kilometer night ruck march, over half of which involved carrying multiple (simulated) casualties. It’s...
The Sergeant Major of the Army Shares His Reading List
By Joe Byerly Recently, I spoke with the Sergeant Major of the Army about COVID-19 and the challenges and opportunities we are facing right now as an Army and a Nation. He highlighted that now is the time to reassess our goals and set new ones. One...
5 Newsletters You Need to Sign-up For Now!
By Joe Byerly I enjoy reading email newsletters! The small number of ones I subscribe to are great source of personal and professional development. They are written from people outside of my profession and introduce me to ideas, books,...
Pick Up A Good Biography, and Learn
By Joe Byerly As Army leaders, we are always looking for leadership nuggets to help us excel in our organizations. So, imagine having the opportunity to sit across the table and listen to stories of people who shaped history in arts, sciences,...
2017 in The Books
At the end of every year, I compile all the books I read in twelve months into a year-end reading list. Here are ones from 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. This year I didn’t even come close to reaching my reading goal. However, the books I did...
25 Podcasts to Build Your Library
Whether you are traveling on a long car trip, commuting to work, or going for a long run/bike ride, there is no better way to pass the time and grow your brain than to listen to a podcast. After canvassing my network and pulling from my own...
What Are you Reading?
Are you looking for something to read for professional development? If you have been following this site for awhile, you know that I like to read. Matter of fact, I like to read ALOT. And at any give time, I’m reading between 3-5 books. They...
The 2017 Ultimate Summer Reading List
By Joe Byerly Last summer I reached out to friends from around the national security community and asked what they were reading. The collective list became a hit, and for me personally, became the bulk of my reading material for the remainder of...
2016 in Books
By Joe Byerly Every December I share a list of books that I’ve read throughout the year with the hope that readers will check them out and consider adding a title or two to their libraries. This list is a testament to my amazing network...
Preparing Your Team for Atlantic Resolve
By LTG Frederick “Ben” Hodges For those leaders of rotational brigades who will participate in great training exercises and opportunities with our European Allies, I do not want you to view your mission in isolation....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
2017 in The Books
At the end of every year, I compile all the books I read in twelve months into a year-end reading list. Here are ones from 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. This year I didn’t even come close to reaching my reading goal. However, the books I did...
25 Podcasts to Build Your Library
Whether you are traveling on a long car trip, commuting to work, or going for a long run/bike ride, there is no better way to pass the time and grow your brain than to listen to a podcast. After canvassing my network and pulling from my own...
What Are you Reading?
Are you looking for something to read for professional development? If you have been following this site for awhile, you know that I like to read. Matter of fact, I like to read ALOT. And at any give time, I’m reading between 3-5 books. They...
The 2017 Ultimate Summer Reading List
By Joe Byerly Last summer I reached out to friends from around the national security community and asked what they were reading. The collective list became a hit, and for me personally, became the bulk of my reading material for the remainder of...
2016 in Books
By Joe Byerly Every December I share a list of books that I’ve read throughout the year with the hope that readers will check them out and consider adding a title or two to their libraries. This list is a testament to my amazing network...
Preparing Your Team for Atlantic Resolve
By LTG Frederick “Ben” Hodges For those leaders of rotational brigades who will participate in great training exercises and opportunities with our European Allies, I do not want you to view your mission in isolation....
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...
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...
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...
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