The Mission, the Men, and Me
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
The Mission, the Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander Reviewed by Dylan Nigh “We called ourselves the Wolverines. Our mission was marauding. We were five hundred miles behind enemy lines. I commanded the Wolverines. They called me Panther.” These succinct yet powerful words open the stirring work The Mission, the Men, and Me by Pete Blaber. This 2008 book is a cornerstone of what has since become an internationally viral subgenre; military leadership books written by former special operators. Naturally intriguing subject matter and generic leadership lessons buoy the suc ..read more
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An Officer Cadet and a Head Teacher: Reflections on the Reserve Commissioning Course
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
An Officer Cadet and a Head Teacher: Reflections on the Reserve Commissioning Course By Vic Carr Last year I made an error. I posted in LinkedIn. I posted about being a middle-aged Headteacher, a female officer cadet, starting her reserve course at Sandhurst. Why was it an error? Not because I received a pile-on. On the contrary, it was because I arrived at Sandhurst already on the radar of my platoon staff – potentially a dangerous position to be. But it had a hugely positive result as well. I received swathes of encouragement from hundreds of people. I was also asked three questions, questi ..read more
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Standard Learning Credits: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sports Coach?
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
Standard Learning Credits: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sports Coach? By Melissa Ilic Education is dull. Listen in to the first hour of any military education course and you will hear this time and time again, an excuse for why someone hasn’t engaged in their personal development. But would we continue to file personal development under the ‘could’ tab instead of the ‘must’ tab if it was paid for and we chose the course? Because there is literally money on the table if you know how to apply for it – and this article will tell you how. Like playing golf? How about a golf coaching fundamentals cour ..read more
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More Than Just ‘Don’t Be A Dick’
The Army Leader
by David Crosbie
2y ago
More Than Just ‘Don’t Be A Dick’ By Dave Crosbie In my last week of Sub-Unit Command, I was having a coffee with a friend. We were discussing the crux of good leadership at any level and mused that it probably boiled down to ‘don’t be a dick’. Whilst this thoughtful, lucid observation does have many benefits (simplicity for one), I decided afterwards that there were probably a few more factors to ‘good leadership’. As I did after my initial Major’s staff job, I also wanted to reflect on the experience of Sub-Unit Command. Why? Because reflection makes us better, especially when it is ‘fresh ..read more
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The Leadership Book by Neil Jurd
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
The Leadership Book by Neil Jurd Reviewed by Sarah McEntee Most people with an interest in leadership, whether military or civilian, will likely find that their bookshelves are groaning under the weight of numerous tomes including those of heavyweights such as Patrick Lencioni and David Rock. I recommend that you add one more to your collection.  The Leadership Book by Neil Jurd has one compelling objective: to develop better leaders no matter what their walk of life, profession or level within it. Better leaders will, of course, help make the world will become a better place. For most of ..read more
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(Re)serve to Lead: Leading a Reserve Subunit
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
(Re)Serve to Lead: Advice on Leading a Reserve Subunit By Chris, Mike and Chris Much ink has been spilled around Regular subunit command in this journal, but none about Reserve subunit command. Reserve subunit commanders (henceforth referred to Officers Commanding – OCs) who are about to take over subunits deserve some advice written specifically for them. This article fills that gap. As a Reserve OC, the trick is getting a good balance between getting valuable training done with a decent user experience. User experience is key because it can kick off a cycle, either vicious or virtuous. A ci ..read more
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Imagine, Align, Communicate: How To Provide Vision
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
2y ago
Imagine, Align, Communicate: How To Provide Vision By Major Paul Cooper “We need to destroy – not attack, not damage, not surround – I want you to destroy the Republican Guard. When you’re done with them, I don’t want them to be an effective fighting force anymore. I don’t want them to exist as a military organization.” General H Norman Schwarzkopf’s infamous ‘vision statement’ before 1991 Gulf War would leave no driver, gunner, loader or commander in any doubt over exactly what he wanted them to do in the forthcoming battle. Less violent, but in no way less powerful was Bill Gate’s vision ..read more
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The Modern Regimental Sergeant Major
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
3y ago
The Modern Regimental Sergeant Major By WO1 Lee Jones I write this as I reach the end of my non-commissioned career, finishing my time as RSM of the 1st Battalion, The Rifles. Before I left, I wanted to share my thoughts on what I think it means to be an RSM these days. Gone are the days when the stereotypical RSM was someone with a large frame, large moustache and spent their time as rear marker on CO’s PT. That RSM seemed to focus his efforts on guard, fire, discipline and shouting; a large presence seemed to be the most important factor. Over the years the role has evolved; RSMs must now a ..read more
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Rifle vs Support Company: How Cultural Bias is Damaging the Infantry’s Specialists
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
3y ago
Rifle vs Support Company: How Cultural Bias is Damaging the Infantry’s Specialists By Carl Brindley There are two thousand years of experience to tell us that the only thing harder than getting a new idea into the military is getting an old idea out. B.H. Liddell-Hart As someone currently serving as the Officer Commanding (OC) of an Infantry Support Company, this issue is something close to my heart; both from a personal career perspective and with the best intentions for the soldiers under my command. The issues surrounding Support Company are broad, but it is clear that a bias exists acros ..read more
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Learning to Lead – The Hard Way
The Army Leader
by thearmyleader
3y ago
Learning to Lead – The Hard Way By LCpl David Griffiths It is easy to write about leadership. Putting pen to paper or finger to keyboard is the easy part. It takes no real effort and can be done from bed. The real difficulty lies in practicing leadership. I have learnt this the hard way. I owe my continued interest in leading (and, indeed, being led) to a previous Platoon Sergeant of mine. What I have learnt since beginning to lead (as a Guardsman) and leading (as a Lance Corporal) is that it is not smooth sailing. The road, like Brecon, is boggy. It is full of obstacles that will trip you up ..read more
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