Strategists: The Next Generation
MAJ Matt Cavanaugh discusses five key characteristics which will differentiate the next generation of strategist, each tied to tidal trends in the strategic environment that will drive the next 35 years.
Read More
Tag: Profession of Arms
How to Prevent the Army’s ‘Brain Drain’
West Point Cadet Bradley Baker argues that exit surveys for all officers leaving the Army with 8 or fewer years of service is a critical first step in understanding and eventually countering lower junior officer retention rates.
Read More
Stars and Stripes, Forever?: Why New Zealand’s Flag Choice Matters
MAJ Matt Cavanaugh investigates the relationship between a nation’s flag and it’s Soldiers through the lens of New Zealand’s current debate over adopting a new flag.
Read More
Follow the Yellow Brick Wall: The Reasons Why Military Officers Do Not Write
MAJ Matt Cavanaugh argues for military officers to contribute to the military profession through writing.
Read MoreShould retired generals be allowed to “cash in” and keep their commissions?
Image courtesy of the Wall Street Journal. Pull Pin, Throw Grenade, Run Away: A provocative thought to kick off the weekend… By Major Matt Cavanaugh Should retired generals and admirals be allowed to “cash in”...
Read MoreOn Midrats Radio: Asking the right questions to build the right leaders
Check Out Military Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Midrats on BlogTalkRadio By Major Matt Cavanaugh I was thrilled to get to spend Sunday afternoon on the Midrats Radio Show with hosts Commander Salamander and Eagle One –...
Read MoreThe Value of the Historical Staff Ride
By Major Matt Cavanaugh
Having just returned from a historical staff ride to Gettysburg, there are still some things fresh in mind that seem worth sharing. There are generally three phases to a historical staff ride: preliminary study, an in-depth site visit, and an integration (or reflection) period. The step which connects the site visit to the reflection is the most important, as this is when memories are formed and lessons stored for future use. What follows are some thoughts I offer cadets at the start of the reflection period to help enable this connection along (Note: the use of “you” – this is typically directed toward cadets).
Beginning Integration/Reflection
First, you must learn to fight wars in your mind before learning to fight with your hands. Three days at Gettysburg is every bit as important, as, say, three days in formal military schooling (i.e. Officer Basic Course). It’s often said that the greatest weapon on the battlefield is the radio (or the rifle), but one could counter that it is actually the sound military judgment of a member of the Profession of Arms. When one thinks in specific of the Battle of Gettysburg, many consider Major General John Buford’s vision on June 30/July 1st as critical in Union victory. Certainly his judgment – his simultaneous consideration of a multitude of factors (time, space, and firepower to name just three) – is noteworthy and indicative of the lessons on offer for military professionals at Gettysburg.
Read MoreBalancing the Search for Truth with Obedience – Where the Profession of Arms (Often) Fails
Friday’s Last Word – Pull Pin, Throw Grenade, Run Away: A provocative thought to kick off the weekend…
By Major Matt Cavanaugh
In war, as in the Profession of Arms, two major concepts often collide – the search for truth – and obedience. George Orwell wrote about this indirectly in 1946,
“The point is that we are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield.”
On one hand, the battlefield can be conceived of as one gigantic “problem” that takes curiosity, patience, and persistent study. Clausewitz wrote in On War, “Bonaparte rightly said that …many of the decisions faced by the commander-in-chief resemble mathematical problems worthy of the gifts of Newton or Euler.” On the other hand, a military (armies in particular) can be thought of as a single organic body. If it does not function as one, or with “unity of effort,” then it’s effectiveness is significantly degraded. In short, from my perspective, the U.S. military tends to lean towards the second at the expense of the first.
Read More