Blogs for your consideration...
Over 20 years' worth of observations, recommendations, and considerations on life, family, and the military lie within these narratives. Cheers!
After I left active duty, I joined the Army National Guard as a part-time member. As such, I needed full-time employment. After six months of applying to over 20 jobs and getting just four interviews, I was made an offer with only a week left of paid terminal leave. I was so stressed to that point a...
As leaders, we each play a role in the convoluted maze of information flow. Even with multiple forms of technology at our fingertips, leaders are still needed to relay messages, ask pertinent questions, and understand the dynamics of the human mind. We are empowered to divide and conquer, each ownin...
I remember asking one of my former bosses if he was going back to work immediately after retiring from the Army after 22 years of service and as a lieutenant colonel. He scoffed and replied, “Oh, yeah. The military always has a way of taking back some of what it gives you.” To my captain-level naive...
I applaud any person or group that genuinely wants to make a situation better. I appreciate them even more when they actually take action. Action will always outweigh passive sympathy. But when I watch leaders throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks—without a deliberate plan—I want to hide un...
Wasting time is a travesty. Wasting time in a meeting that could have been solved with an email, a read-ahead, or even a single sentence explaining the objective should be a professional sin. Most leaders say they hate meetings, and I agree. But I find the hatred usually isn't directed at the meetin...
In my opinion, every retiring officer and NCO should be able to walk away from the military with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in their hands. In addition to running daily operations (which are not projects), military leaders organize, coordinate, and supervise countless proj...
There aren’t many opportunities for individual expression in the military. Why would there be? At its core, the military is a team sport. Everyone wears the same uniform. Everyone lives by the same code of conduct. Everyone understands their responsibility to something larger than themselves. Across...
On the first day of basic training, I arrived at Ft. Leonard Wood alongside hundreds of other individuals. By graduation, we left as collective soldiers. That transformation didn’t happen by luck or policy. Every person who committed to the process agreed to be indoctrinated into a time-honored cult...
Today is a day to remember, a day for those whose blank check to destiny was cashed. On Memorial Day, we pause to recognize those who died in the line of duty. Those who died while training, those who died while going about their daily business on a normal day while on the clock, and those who died ...
From the way we march to the names of military installations, the military is deeply rooted in tradition. Since our nation’s founding, these time-tested practices have been used to build teamwork, reinforce purpose, and create a strong sense of belonging.
I still remember singing the Dog-Faced Sold...
When I visit schools, I’m often asked what skills are needed to succeed in the military. Without even thinking about it, I always come back to teamwork. Nothing of significance in the military is accomplished alone. It doesn’t matter the branch, rank, status, or job; success depends on people workin...
