Defense Logistics Agency’s Post

Though not a U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) text, this book contains useful insights. The Roman military took 14 years to adapt to the warfighting methods of an innovative and resourceful enemy. The successful (if unpopular) approaches of Fabius and Scipio Africanus compensated for much less effective leaders. Roman success was ultimately due to its ability to continually regenerate capability and its strategic and operational endurance. A key passage: "The factor which, in the end, defeated the invader was not the ability of Rome's generals, but the strength and vitality of her political institutions." How ready is our system, both internal and external to our Armed Forces, to sustain and prosecute a protracted, large scale conflict? The Army University Marshall Scholars at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies U.S. Army Combined Arms Center US Army TRADOC

Preparing for block 3 of U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) "Reflections on Warfare" course (our history course, 3 blocks, 28 total lessons). The US-RVN attack into Cambodia in April through June 1970 is a very useful campaign for the modern practitioner from the strategic to tactical levels. My TOP take-aways: (1) prioritizing operational surprise over logistical readiness is sometimes rewarding, but be wary of dipping in that well too often, (2) do not take C2 for granted, it just doesn't "happen" and its degradation or absence is usually catastrophic and (3) declaring you are "mobile" doesn't mean you actually are mobile ("show me"). TOP quote: "The tempo for supply troops could be numbing." Marshall Scholars at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies | The Army University | Army University Press | U.S. Army Combined Arms Center | US Army TRADOC

Do your Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Coasties know how to access their Joint Service Transcript (JST) and how to share it with a college? #ArmyU #ArmyEdBenefits #EdCenter #JointServiceTranscript #McCoinInstitute

This is a foundational read in U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) #ASLSP course found in our Joint Warfighting and Strategic Leadership blocks. We also use this collection in support of #AMSP lessons including our Multi-Domain Operations and Futures courses. My TOP take-aways: (1) leaders can and must shape culture; it takes persistence and patience, and (2) be wary of clinging to assumptions; it frequently takes viable options off the table. TOP quote (from a former SAMS director!): "The experience of the Victorian British Army thus prefigured a challenge which today's US military has become unhappily familiar: a volunteer military, especially one committed serially to distant wars against obscure enemies for ill understood purposes, purchases internal cohesion and durability only at the risk of societal disconnection and cultural stasis." (Sinnreich, 183) Marshall Scholars at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies | Army University Press | The Army University | U.S. Army Combined Arms Center | US Army TRADOC

How does the US Army Corps of Engineers deliver large and complex programs? Simple, Regional Delivery. Learn more about how the US Army Corps of Engineers St Louis District and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District are doing this in southern Louisiana. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers- Mississippi Valley Division

Serivce member issues and social media. PART 3 1. I have no freedom in the military (not my words). a. Let’s be transparent and honest, yes the military has its own set of laws, rules, regulations, and policies. Our operations, actions, and initiatives may be tactical(locally) executed, but most of strategic(transregional and global) affects. Therefore, the Services must maintain a higher standard of morales, values, and rules (laws) than our civilian counterparts. There CAN be a perception that this imposes more restraints on service members. However, let’s take another perspective. Using Jocko as a source, “discipline equals freedom”. What does that mean to me? It means that the more discipline, initiative and intestinal fortitude that someone displays, the less micro-management is placed upon them. Boundaries and rules still exist! This allows organizational leaders to trust in their subordinates while fostering critical thinking, which allows younger organizational members the flexibility to solve problems own their own while meeting objectives. b. Secondly, your level of maturity and performance will directly affect your freedom. Case in point; On the military’s dime (due to operational requirements) I’ve been to Dubai, South Korea, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Spain, Bulgaria, Belgium, Panama and had the opportunity to interact with Senior members from partner nations, the USGOV, and developed long lasting friendships. My most memorable experiences have been visiting Dachau, Aushwitz (twice), the Nuremberg Trail courtroom, the Ardennes Forest and various other historical sights. Discipline Equals Freedom!

The US Army knows that positive climates with open communication, high trust, discipline & standards, and a strong sense of cohesion are better prepared to achieve their mission! I bet this is true in industry as well. Learn more www.army.cal

Service member issues and social media. PART 1 I’ve been putting this reply off to gather some intellectual arguments that mitigate my personal bias due to my experience. However, I think it’s worthy of tossing that in at the end as well. I’m not here to debate for or against the use of social media with respects to our service members voicing their complaints. Let’s face reality, the newer generations are social media influenced and the domain isn’t going away. Therefore, we must navigate ways to handle or throttle the use of platforms and especially exploit them. I don’t think we, the older generation are experts in the exploitation phase of social media compared to those who are in our charge. Secondly, I think any organizational leader should listen to ALL complaints where you agree or disagree them. A good command climate (work environment) must also exist where employees have a mechanism to voice compliants, propose ideas, and be incorporated in to the information/feedback loop. If a mechanism doesn’t exist, your employees will find an outlet of expression (social media). Let’s address some complaints here; your feedback is welcomed and encouraged. 1. The military doesn’t pay well. a. With the national wage index in 2022 of ~$63, it’s hard to counter this argument…if you don’t have the additional factors. I will say that it is a positive fact that the younger generation is conducting a comparative analysis between different job markets. As service members/veterans , let’s further the education piece to better inform them! The 2024 military pay chart ONLY includes base pay (https://lnkd.in/e-Gz-u-6). b. I’ll use my personal case as an example. According to the pay chart, my rough annual income is $96k. However, the hidden part that the younger generation and civilian sector don’t see are the other pays and allowances (housing, food, travel, proficiency pay, various other deployment and hardship pays). Factoring in the other pays and allowances my income jumps upwards to $130k. Realizing that this is not Officer pay which is strikingly higher and took me over 25 years to obtain, still not a bad salary. Let’s also toss in free health care. What are your monthly health care premiums? c. Let’s also examine the performance to pay relationship. If you are highly qualified to exceptional in your career field, you can expect a steady rise in pay over time. If you reside in the normal realm of performance and only do what is required without taking initiative, then you can expect your pay raise to be behind your peers. Lets be honest, those who fall behind, or only do what’s expected will most likely separate from the service anyways. Mike Robinson

Service member issues and social media. PART 2 1. Performing your job and duties in inclement weather as a justification to exit the service. Below is a quote from a fellow Special Forces Soldier that sums the argument that we must be comfortable with being uncomfortable. "Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about how hard it is, he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home. He knows only The Cause." a. If you can’t handle the minor stress incoluations of conventional military training, you are opening up yourself, and others to high risk in the event that you are exposed to a kinetic environment. Let’s be honest with overseas, you are probably not going to handle daily (non-military) life stressers as well and are most likely in the wrong line of work. Does the extreme hot,cold, and wet environments suck, absolutely. But the pain and being uncomfortable doesn’t last forever. b. I’m gonna plagiarize from our SEAL brother Demo Dick, the less you bleedth in training, the less you bleedth in war. Meaning, train how fight, fight to win.

Success is no accident.