A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
- Episodes
- 450
- Released
- weekly
- Location
- Carlisle Barracks, PA
- Latest episode
- Nov 10, 2026
About the podcast
This is the podcast of WAR ROOM, the official online journal of the U.S. Army War College. Join us for provocative discussions about U.S. national security and defense, featuring prominent national security and military professionals.
Episodes 450
RE-RELEASE: HONORING THE WAR DEAD: AMERICA'S MILITARY CEMETERIES
With Kate Lemay
EDITOR'S NOTE: While modern-day Veterans Day in the United States honors and thanks all living American military veterans who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces, it was born out of the commemoration of …
Show notes
EDITOR'S NOTE: While modern-day Veterans Day in the United States honors and thanks all living American military veterans who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces, it was born out of the commemoration of the armistice signed between the Allied nations and Germany, which took effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. It originally honored both living and deceased veterans. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA), fulfills the nation's commitment to permanently honor its military veterans.
Wars are costly affairs. It costs money to raise and train and equip militaries. The cost to rebuild societies after the destruction of battle is tremendous. But most costly is the staggering human cost of war. And so as we approach Memorial Day in the United States it's only fitting that this episode examines how the nation memorializes and honors those who have died in service to their country. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Kate Clarke Lemay to examine the history and significance of military cemeteries around the world. She joins our Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline Whitt to discuss her study of U.S. military cemeteries and her book Triumph of the Dead: American World War Two Cemeteries, Monuments and Diplomacy in France. Their conversation covers the art and architecture of the cemeteries, along with the politics and diplomacy of their locations and creation. Honoring and remembering the war dead speaks to the fabric of a nation's morality as well as the lengths it will go to in defense of its beliefs.
Go to the website HONORING THE WAR DEAD: AMERICA'S MILITARY CEMETERIES (RE-RELEASE)
25 YEARS LATER: RANGERS ON OBJECTIVE RHINO
With Joseph Votel
Retired General Joseph Votel joins host Tom Spahr to revisit Objective Rhino—the high-stakes October 2001 mission that put the first overt U.S. boots on the ground in Afghanistan. General Votel, who commanded …
Show notes
Retired General Joseph Votel joins host Tom Spahr to revisit Objective Rhino—the high-stakes October 2001 mission that put the first overt U.S. boots on the ground in Afghanistan. General Votel, who commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment during the airborne assault, reflects on the realities of plunging into the unknown shortly after September 11. He explains how what began as a rapid airfield seizure quickly evolved into a broader campaign of desert raids, forcing elite light infantry to overcome demanding mobility and logistical hurdles.
Beyond the battlefield, General Votel shares vital leadership lessons. He discusses why tactical success must align with realistic strategic goals and honest conversations about risk. He also highlights the importance of fostering strong, curious partnerships with intelligence teams, urging future leaders to listen to ground-level experts, adapt as situations evolve, and stay grounded in the fundamentals of sound leadership. Tune in to explore these enduring lessons in military command and strategy.RIVALRIES, READINESS, AND REALIGNMENT: GOLDWATER-NICHOLS 40 YEARS LATER
With Levi Rains and Bob Bradford
Forty years ago, the Goldwater-Nichols Act reshaped how the U.S. military operates. Passed in 1986 following coordination breakdowns in operations like Vietnam and the Iranian hostage rescue, the law forced the …
Show notes
Forty years ago, the Goldwater-Nichols Act reshaped how the U.S. military operates. Passed in 1986 following coordination breakdowns in operations like Vietnam and the Iranian hostage rescue, the law forced the branches to overcome fierce rivalries and operate as a joint team.
Host Ron Granieri sits down with Bob Bradford and Levi Rains to examine whether those reforms worked, where friction remains, and where defense reform goes next. Together, they break down the tension between the services—responsible for training and equipping forces—and regional combatant commanders who employ those troops in real-world missions. The discussion explores how the law clarified the chain of command, mandated joint officer education, and balanced readiness against immediate crises.
Looking ahead, Bradford and Rains consider what future reorganization should tackle, from synchronizing military strategy across other government departments to joint force design.RIVALRIES, READINESS, AND REALIGNMENT: GOLDWATER-NICHOLS 40 YEARS LATER
BIASES AND BLINDSPOTS: THE ART OF MILITARY DECEPTION
With Michael Posey
Shaping an opponent’s expectations can change an entire operation’s course. Tom Spahr sits down with naval flight officer and strategist Mike "Quatto" Posey to break down the craft and impact of military …
Show notes
Shaping an opponent’s expectations can change an entire operation’s course. Tom Spahr sits down with naval flight officer and strategist Mike "Quatto" Posey to break down the craft and impact of military deception.
Posey explains that deception is far more than a fun trick—it achieves real benefits through the manipulation of an adversary’s choices. From World War II’s ghost armies to decoys drawing fire in Ukraine, convincing the enemy to look the wrong way dramatically tilts the odds. Even in a world of ubiquitous sensors, satellites, and drones, human psychology remains the ultimate battlefield. Visibility does not equal understanding, and clever planners exploit confirmation bias by feeding opponents clues they already want to believe.
Adversaries can also target the larger public by exploiting these same cognitive vulnerabilities through social media and news feeds. Resisting manipulation requires sharpening media literacy and practicing critical thinking daily. It’s a great discussion of the history, art, and high-stakes psychology behind military deception.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
BEYOND DRONES: WHY TECHNOLOGY CANNOT REPLACE MASS
With Gil Barndollar
Headlines typically highlight how high-tech drones are transforming combat, but the raw reality of protracted warfare still comes down to people. Gil Barndollar, a senior research fellow and Marine veteran who …
Show notes
Headlines typically highlight how high-tech drones are transforming combat, but the raw reality of protracted warfare still comes down to people.
Gil Barndollar, a senior research fellow and Marine veteran who has conducted multiple research trips across Ukraine, sits down with host Steve Trynosky to discuss what the West might be missing. Barndollar argues that Western militaries risk drawing the wrong conclusions from the conflict by focusing almost exclusively on technological innovation while overlooking the grueling demands of military manpower and societal mobilization.
From frontline exhaustion and strained rotation cycles to the messy friction of conscription, the war demonstrates that technology cannot replace mass or human endurance. Trynosky and Barndollar examine why peacetime societies struggle to prepare for the shared sacrifices required in sustained, large-scale conflict—and why assuming a nation can simply switch on a draft overnight is a dangerous gamble.
It is a sobering look at the human dimension that democracies must confront before the next crisis hits.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
SCRUTINY AND THE STRANGER: SECURITY IN THE WAKE OF 9/11
With deRaismes Combes
Marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, host Jadwiga Biskupska sat down with deRaismes Combes to explore how that tragic morning permanently reshaped American security, culture, and everyday life. Drawing …
Show notes
Marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, host Jadwiga Biskupska sat down with deRaismes Combes to explore how that tragic morning permanently reshaped American security, culture, and everyday life. Drawing from her forthcoming book, "Becoming the Stranger: American Identity and Security in the Shadow of 9/11", Combes unpacks thousands of public records, media reports, and pop-culture touchstones to examine how our shared national story took root.
Rather than viewing the post-9/11 era as inevitable, she highlights the human choices that elevated counterterrorism into an open-ended state of war. From the routine hassles of airport screening to the expansion of covert drone strikes, daily routines quietly transformed as the lingering perception of threat shifted toward the unknown stranger next door.
Together, Combes and Biskupska tackle the central question of whether these sprawling policies have truly made us safer, or if enduring anxiety continues to sideline critical debate. For both those who remember the day vividly and the rising generation that only knows its aftermath, this discussion offers a vital, reflective look at risk, strategic empathy, and the hidden costs of national security.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
RE-RELEASE: BEYOND VIETNAM: SUNK COSTS IN PRESIDENTIAL STRATEGY
With Bryan Groves
This week in the studio, editor-in-chief JP Clark sits down with Bryan Groves to discuss his new book, "When Presidents Fight the Last War: The Oval Office, Sunk Costs, and Wartime Decision-Making Since …
Show notes
This week in the studio, editor-in-chief JP Clark sits down with Bryan Groves to discuss his new book, "When Presidents Fight the Last War: The Oval Office, Sunk Costs, and Wartime Decision-Making Since Vietnam." Groves, a U.S. Army strategist and accomplished academic, focuses on the difficult mid-conflict course-correction decisions made by presidents. His research uses an interdisciplinary approach to analyze how the enormous "sunk costs" of war—lives, time, and treasure—tempt presidents to escalate or "double down" on a conflict rather than cut their losses. Groves's analysis of five cases—including the Iraq surge and the Desert Storm endgame—reveals a major historical pivot: while pre-9/11 decisions were often guided by the fear of repeating the Vietnam "quagmire," post-9/11 decisions were also driven by the powerful lesson of preventing another domestic catastrophe.
Go to the website Clickable Link Text
RE-RELEASE: UNMASKING THE BOOGEYMAN: THE BIN LADEN PAPERS
With Nelly Lahoud
Twelve years ago last week, on May 2, 2011, the U.S. military conducted a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan that killed Usama bin Laden. Once the mission was accomplished, the SEAL team conducted sensitive site …
Show notes
Twelve years ago last week, on May 2, 2011, the U.S. military conducted a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan that killed Usama bin Laden. Once the mission was accomplished, the SEAL team conducted sensitive site exploitation and gathered up and returned with all of the materials and equipment they discovered in the compound. Nelly Lahoud and her team sorted through some 97,000 files and 6,000 pages of declassified documents, all in Arabic, to discover the truth about bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network. She's in the studio to discuss her book, "The Bin Laden Papers: How the Abbottabad Raid Revealed the Truth about Al-Qaeda, Its Leader and His Family" with host John Nagl. The information gleaned from this incredible undertaking paints a picture of a man and a network that, after the 9/11 attack, were confined, restrained and not very successful.
Go to the website Clickable Link Text
SMUGGLING, SUPERMAX, AND THE SECOND WAVE: POST-9/11
How does an unremarkable and non-ideological businessman end up trying to bring nuclear weapons into the United States for a notorious terrorist organization? Former war crimes prosecutor Michael Lebowitz joins …
Show notes
How does an unremarkable and non-ideological businessman end up trying to bring nuclear weapons into the United States for a notorious terrorist organization? Former war crimes prosecutor Michael Lebowitz joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to explore this chilling reality in his new book, "Second Wave: Inside Al Qaeda's Post-9/11 Attack Plan and America's Secret Effort to Stop It." He dives into the true story of Saifullah Paracha and his son Uzair, two businessmen with New York ties who became entangled in Al-Qaeda's post-9/11 attack plans.
Lebowitz reveals how Al-Qaeda sought Saifullah’s expertise in international shipping and smuggling to help execute a massive "second wave" of attacks on the United States. The narrative also uncovers the intense, behind-the-scenes turf wars between the FBI, CIA, and the military over the Parachas. Clashing approaches to interrogation, intelligence gathering, and legal jurisdiction created messy outcomes, left the father and son in legal limbo for decades while they were detained at Guantanamo Bay or in the United States. This insider's look at America's counterterrorism response offers vital lessons on past successes and failures on combatting terrorist organizations.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE SEMINAR AND THE BATTLEFIELD
With Oleksandr
Colonel Oleksandr, a Ukrainian Army officer with 30 years of service, spent the 2026 academic year as an International Fellow at the U.S. Army War College. Joining host Jadwiga Biskupska, he offers a real-time …
Show notes
Colonel Oleksandr, a Ukrainian Army officer with 30 years of service, spent the 2026 academic year as an International Fellow at the U.S. Army War College. Joining host Jadwiga Biskupska, he offers a real-time perspective on fighting a massive adversary. Oleks explains how Ukraine relies on human innovation, revealing that older, simpler weapons often bypass advanced electronic warfare better than modern technology. Beyond studying American strategic frameworks, he brought the stark reality of the Russian invasion to his seminar peers, emphasizing the critical need for international alliances, economic strength, and understanding adversary culture. As he returns to the front lines, his insights provide enduring lessons on resilience and the human element in modern combat.
Go to the website Clickable Link Text
MODERNIZING THE DIA WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
With Robert Kinney
Rapid innovation challenges any large government organization, but for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) embracing artificial intelligence is essential to maintaining the joint force's competitive edge. Tom …
Show notes
Rapid innovation challenges any large government organization, but for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) embracing artificial intelligence is essential to maintaining the joint force's competitive edge. Tom Spahr sat down with Major General Robert Kinney, the DIA's Chief AI Officer, to explore how the agency is navigating this digital transformation.
Rather than replacing human intelligence analysts, the DIA actively uses commercial AI tools to augment everyday processes and better manage the massive amounts of data generated on the modern battlefield. This technology efficiently handles time-consuming administrative tasks.
To overcome cultural resistance, the DIA focused on quick technological wins, such as launching an internal tool called "ChatDIA," and rolling out mandatory basic AI training for its workforce. Ultimately, Major General Kinney emphasizes that AI integration accelerates the human decision-making cycle, ensuring adversaries never outpace us on the global stage.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
RESTORING THE OFFENSE IN CONTEMPORARY COMBAT
Is maneuver warfare truly dead in modern combat? Tom Galvin sits down with Carlisle Scholars Kevin Krupski, Michael Moore, and Erick Buckner to examine the conventional wisdom that defense dominates the modern …
Show notes
Is maneuver warfare truly dead in modern combat? Tom Galvin sits down with Carlisle Scholars Kevin Krupski, Michael Moore, and Erick Buckner to examine the conventional wisdom that defense dominates the modern battlefield, making stalemate inevitable. Drawing on historical case studies and current events like the conflict in Ukraine, the team explains that it is possible to overcome tough defenses and get forces moving again. But doing so requires militaries must build system that combine classic military tactics with modern tools, deep planning, smart deception, and strong supply lines. Restoring battlefield movement is less about finding new gadgets and more about shifting strategies, adapting leadership, and mastering teamwork across every branch of service.
Go to the website Clickable Link Text
OPEN-SOURCE INTELLIGENCE AND ARTIFICIAL ILLUSIONS
With Michael Moore and Kelly Ihme
Open-source intelligence is rapidly becoming a dominant force in national security, accounting for a significant portion of intelligence activities in western law enforcement and national security. But what …
Show notes
Open-source intelligence is rapidly becoming a dominant force in national security, accounting for a significant portion of intelligence activities in western law enforcement and national security. But what happens when the internet is flooded with artificial intelligence hallucinations and digitally manufactured spam?
Tom Spahr sits down with Kelly Ihme and Michael Moore to explore how the intelligence community navigates this data deluge. They discuss the double-edged sword of AI: it is essential for sorting massive volumes of publicly available information, yet it introduces significant risks through deceptive "AI slop." Their conversation highlights the urgent need for a dedicated professional training pipeline for open-source analysts to establish credibility and standardization across the joint force.
Discover how analysts are adapting to this democratized information space, and why the ultimate tool in the AI era remains a focused human mind.Go to the website Clickable Link Text
DEFAULT TO SHARE: DECLASSIFYING SPACE-BASED CAPABILITIES
With Aaron Brown, Justin Bierens, and Gerald Bowman
Hiding military tools too well can weaken deterrence. Aaron Brown, Justin Bierens and Gerald Bowman join host Tom Galvin to discuss why the military must adopt a "share unless proven necessary to hide" approach …
Show notes
Hiding military tools too well can weaken deterrence. Aaron Brown, Justin Bierens and Gerald Bowman join host Tom Galvin to discuss why the military must adopt a "share unless proven necessary to hide" approach for space operations. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/declassifying-spaceBRINGING WWII TO LIFE THROUGH STORYTELLING
With Doug Douds
Why does WWII still captivate our imagination? Host Darrell Driver and military historian Doug Douds discuss how the conflict shapes modern geopolitics, unpacking pivotal moments, unsung advisors, and …
Show notes
Why does WWII still captivate our imagination? Host Darrell Driver and military historian Doug Douds discuss how the conflict shapes modern geopolitics, unpacking pivotal moments, unsung advisors, and intriguing historical counterfactuals. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/wwii-storytellingTHE MISSING TIER: RESHAPING MILITARY MAINTENANCE
With Octavia Davis and Scott Pinkstaff
On today’s high-tech battlefield, "safe" rear areas no longer exist. Combat units are bogged down dragging broken gear because the military lacks a middle tier for complex repairs. Octavia Davis & Scott …
Show notes
On today’s high-tech battlefield, "safe" rear areas no longer exist. Combat units are bogged down dragging broken gear because the military lacks a middle tier for complex repairs. Octavia Davis & Scott Pinkstaff join host Steve Trynosky to map out the fix. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/reshaping-military-maintenanceSTRESS TESTING TRANSFORMATION: WAR COLLEGE STUDENTS AT WORK
With Jared Britz and Josh Eggar
What happens when you unleash senior military students to fix bureaucracy? Guests Jared Britz and Josh Eggar join host Bob Bradford to discuss how Army War College students used tabletop exercises & AI tools to …
Show notes
What happens when you unleash senior military students to fix bureaucracy? Guests Jared Britz and Josh Eggar join host Bob Bradford to discuss how Army War College students used tabletop exercises & AI tools to stress-test Army reforms and spot friction points. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/unleashing-expertiseCAN AI PASS THE U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM?
With Kevin Boyce and John Nagl
Can AI pass military exams? Kevin Boyce & John Nagl join host Tom Spahr to discuss testing ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude & Grok on Army War College comps. All passed, but limits caused AI to degrade under pressure …
Show notes
Can AI pass military exams? Kevin Boyce & John Nagl join host Tom Spahr to discuss testing ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude & Grok on Army War College comps. All passed, but limits caused AI to degrade under pressure, proving human judgment remains indispensable. You can read the article Can AI Pass the U.S. Army War College? by Kevin Boyce, John Nagl and Kris Wheaton here https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/News/Display/Article/4472536/can-ai-pass-the-us-army-war-college/ You can find the manuscript Responsibly Pursuing Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for the War Fighter by Blair Wilcox and Anthony Pfaff here https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3365&context=parameters https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/ai-compsNAVAL POWER & POLICY: RED STAR OVER THE PACIFIC
With James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara
How has China transformed into a dominant naval power, and what strategic choices must the U.S. make to protect its interests in the Pacific? Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes join Ron Granieri to discuss the …
Show notes
How has China transformed into a dominant naval power, and what strategic choices must the U.S. make to protect its interests in the Pacific? Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes join Ron Granieri to discuss the third edition of Red Star Over the Pacific, which answers those very questions. The authors explain how Beijing synthesizes Western and Eastern strategic ideas to expand its maritime reach. Crucially, the conversation moves beyond simple threat assessments to explore how the United States should respond. Yoshihara and Holmes emphasize that the U.S. must maintain its unrivaled regional alliances, exploit competitive undersea strengths, and enforce strict strategic discipline to counter China's growing naval challenge. China's quest for control in the maritime domain is driven both by a weird combination of both confidence and insecurity. James Holmes, PhD, is the inaugural holder of the J.C. Wiley Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College and previously served on the faculty of the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs. A former U.S. Navy surface warfare officer, he also earned a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Toshi Yoshihara, PhD, is a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Previously, he was the inaugural John A. van Beuren Chair of Asia-Pacific Studies and a professor of strategy at the U.S. Naval War College. He holds a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Photo Credit: Created by GeminiAT THE SPEED OF RELEVANCE: REFORMING PROCUREMENT
With Antonio Ilario, Jeremy Jackson, and John Williams
How can the military adopt tech at the speed of relevance? Host Tom Galvin talks with Carlisle Scholars John Williams, Jeremy Jackson & Antonio Ilario on bridging the gap between bureaucratic acquisition …
Show notes
How can the military adopt tech at the speed of relevance? Host Tom Galvin talks with Carlisle Scholars John Williams, Jeremy Jackson & Antonio Ilario on bridging the gap between bureaucratic acquisition timelines and rapid tech evolution.BEYOND THE SELECTIVE SERVICE MYTHS
With Katherine Kuzminski and William Taylor
Is a return to a military draft even viable? William Taylor and Katherine Kuzminski join JP Clark to bridge the gap between myth and reality regarding the all-volunteer force and the political and logistical …
Show notes
Is a return to a military draft even viable? William Taylor and Katherine Kuzminski join JP Clark to bridge the gap between myth and reality regarding the all-volunteer force and the political and logistical hurdles of 21st-century mobilization.ESCAPING THE READINESS TRAP: RESHAPING THE RESERVES
With Kiona Pritchard, Brandon Collins, and Colleen Vermeulen
To meet the demands of modern, high-intensity warfare, the U.S. Army Reserve must remake itself --"Army Reserve 4.0"-- is the finding of an Army War College integrated research project. Steve Trynosky discussed …
Show notes
To meet the demands of modern, high-intensity warfare, the U.S. Army Reserve must remake itself --"Army Reserve 4.0"-- is the finding of an Army War College integrated research project. Steve Trynosky discussed this study with authors Kiona Pritchard, Brandon Collins, and Colleen Vermeulen. They found the Army Reserve is in a "readiness trap" caused by spreading insufficient infrastructure and budget across too many formations. To address this, the team proposes a tiered readiness model: "Ready Now" for immediate response, "Expand Tomorrow" for operational depth, and "Endure Always" for a long-term strategic reserve. Beyond structural changes, the authors advocate for a "unified culture" through increased cross-pollination, such as embedding Reserve officers in active-duty units and vice versa. By offering flexible service options tailored to diverse civilian lifestyles, the Army Reserve can better retain top talent and remain an indispensable partner to the joint force in future peer conflicts. One of the things that we see here at the Army War College and out across the broader force—it's considered okay as an active duty officer to not be familiar with the reserve component. And that's a problem because the reserve components, plural, make up roughly 50% of the force. Brandon Collins is an Army lieutenant colonel and was commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer in 2006 from Officer Candidate School and has held an array of assignments in both the Regular Army and Army Reserve, to include, most recently, CJ2X Director for Combined Joint Task Force-OIR in Baghdad, Iraq. LTC Collins holds a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law – Houston; a Master’s Degree in Global and International Studies from the University of Kansas, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Stephen F. Austin State University. He is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College. Kiona Pritchard is a colonel and an Army Nurse Corps Officer commissioned in 2005 through the Army ROTC Green to Gold Program following several years of active duty enlisted service. She began her career in the Regular Army and later transferred to the Army Reserve becoming a Nurse Practitioner. COL Pritchard has held a variety of command, clinical, and staff assignments, most recently as Commander of the 10th Battalion, 108th Regiment, an Army Reserve instructor unit for medical non-commissioned officer professional military education and enlisted medical MOS qualification courses. Kiona holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Portland. She is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College. Colleen Vermeulen is a colonel who earned her commission as an Army Engineer Officer from ROTC in 2004. She has held a diverse range of command and staff assignments in both the Regular Army and Army Reserve, to include, Reserve Command Engineer for Special Operations Command South and Commander, 3rd Battalion, 330th Infantry Regiment, a unique Army Reserve unit missioned to deliver Infantry One Station Unit Training. COL Vermeulen holds both a Master of Divinity and Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University. She is a member of the AY26 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College. Photo Credit: Created by GeminiSTRESS, SLEEP, AND STRATEGIC STRENGTH
With Curt Brooker
Curt Brooker and Ron Granieri discuss why sleep is an operational requirement. Using wearables to track biometrics can help the military move past a culture of exhaustion toward data-driven readiness. You can't …
Show notes
Curt Brooker and Ron Granieri discuss why sleep is an operational requirement. Using wearables to track biometrics can help the military move past a culture of exhaustion toward data-driven readiness. You can't outwork your body.RE-RELEASE: JOHN BOYD AND THE 'OODA' LOOP (GREAT STRATEGISTS)
With Clayton Chun
Clay Chun & Jackie Whitt present the theories of #JohnBoyd, a contemporary airpower theorist who created the #OODA Loop, a learning approach to reducing uncertainty on the battlefield
RE-RELEASE: IT'S ONLY A PRE-WAR PERIOD IN HINDSIGHT
With Brian Linn and Con Crane
Whether leadership views the inter-war period as post-war or pre-war determines where the organization goes.
RE-RELEASE: THE FUTURE IS EXPEDITIONARY: JOINT WARFIGHTING HQ
With Tom Bruscino and Lou Yuengert
Successful military organizations are always assessing and adapting; this includes methods of command and control. The joint task forces with constituent air, land, and maritime components currently used by the …
Show notes
Successful military organizations are always assessing and adapting; this includes methods of command and control. The joint task forces with constituent air, land, and maritime components currently used by the U.S. military have demonstrated benefits, but are all too often ad hoc structures that take too long to stand up and fight as a cohesive team. Tom Bruscino and Lou Yuengert are in the studio to talk about their recently released manuscript, The Future of the Joint Warfighting Headquarters: An Alternative Approach to the Joint Task Force, which they wrote with fellow authors Eric Bissonette, Kelvin Mote, Matthew Powell, Marc Sanborn and James Watts. Tom and Lou argue that now is the time to create standing, numbered, and regionally aligned joint warfighting headquarters— American Expeditionary Forces (AEFs)—around a command council and a staff organized into Joint centers and cells. They join host Darrell Driver to share the thought process behind the organizational structure and why the U.S. military must become a superior and sustainable joint force sooner than its adversaries.RE-RELEASE: LESSONS OF AFGHANISTAN: A CONVERSATION WITH MG BRIAN MENNES
With Brian Mennes
For many, Afghanistan and the lessons that should have been learned have been overshadowed recently by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. And as much as Ukraine deserves the attention of the world, national …
Show notes
For many, Afghanistan and the lessons that should have been learned have been overshadowed recently by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. And as much as Ukraine deserves the attention of the world, national security professionals have a duty to learn as much as possible from the successes and failures of Afghanistan. To that end, A BETTER PEACE is extremely pleased to welcome Maj Gen Brian Mennes, the Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He joins Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss his experiences in Afghanistan during his multiple tours in the theater. Tom and the general served together on three separate tours in Afghanistan and their conversation focuses on the wins that they achieved along the way along with the losses and the eventual fall of the Afghan government in August 2021.RE-RELEASE: REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP FROM TWO MIRROR IMAGES
With Derek Baird and TJ Baird
When twins Derek and TJ Baird joined the Army in the '90s, neither of them had any idea what lay ahead. But 26 and 30 years later respectively, one is a colonel and the other a command sergeant major, and it's …
Show notes
When twins Derek and TJ Baird joined the Army in the '90s, neither of them had any idea what lay ahead. But 26 and 30 years later respectively, one is a colonel and the other a command sergeant major, and it's safe to say the Army has been a great place for them. The Baird brothers join podcast editor Ron Granieri in the virtual studio to tell the story of two very different yet very similar careers serving the nation. Derek and TJ share how they have relied on each other throughout the years for advice and support both as professional soldiers and as brothers. It's a great story of their similar leadership philosophies and styles and decades of service that they plan to continue for decades more.RE-RELEASE: MILITARY MIGHT AND THE DEFENSE MARKETPLACE
With Jennifer Mittelstadt
Has the promise of cost savings due to outsourcing been realized? Or, has the dependence on the private sector caused overall costs to increase?
TIADS AND TARGETING THE ADVERSARY'S WILL
With Sean Heidgerken
Editor’s Note: This is our 500th episode. Thank you for being part of this journey, we wouldn't be here without you. Your loyalty and engagement have turned a project into a community. Here’s to the next 500 …
Show notes
Editor’s Note: This is our 500th episode. Thank you for being part of this journey, we wouldn't be here without you. Your loyalty and engagement have turned a project into a community. Here’s to the next 500 episodes. Modern warfare transcends tactical victories; it targets the adversary's "will." Sean Heidgerken joins host Tom Spahr to discuss the Army’s newest capability: Theater Information Advantage Detachments, or TIADs. These specialized units integrate experts in cyber, intelligence, psychological operations, public affairs, electronic warfare, civil affairs, and information operations to influence foreign actors and protect friendly information systems. Heidgerken, the commander of the 1st TIAD in the Indo-Pacific, explains that these organizations break traditional military silos by organizing into cross-functional teams. Whether exposing corruption through media or leveraging emerging AI to sense the environment, the TIAD mission is to ensure the Joint Force maintains an advantage in the gray zone of competition. The operations, whether it be psychological operations, electronic warfare, or cyber, have been siloed in those sub-staff sections… which inherently builds a lack of synchronization and coordination across those activities. Sean Heidgerken is a colonel and an Information Operations Officer who has served over 30 years in the U.S. Army. He has deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom four times, supported Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria, supported the evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021, and conducted operations to support Ukraine during the Russian invasion in 2022, as well as operations against the Houthis in Yemen in 2023, and most recently in Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025. He is the commander of the 1st Theater Information Advantage Detachment (TIAD) in the Indo-Pacific theater. Photo Credit: Generated by Gemini
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