General Gary Brito, the 18th and final commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), is in the studio to discuss the Army's ongoing "continuous transformation." He sits down with Editor-in-Chief JP Clark to examine the ambitious process led by Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff of the Army Randy George. They also discuss the TRADOC merger with the Army Futures Command to form the new Transformation and Training Command, or T2COM. Driven by the quickly evolving modern battlefield and advancements of adversaries, General Brito emphasizes that success depends on professional leaders at all levels driving change to ensure the Army is ready to fight and win.
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32:54
THE ETERNAL TASK: SECURING PEACE IN EUROPE
During the administration of President Bill Clinton, Strobe Talbott, a close friend and confidante, served as Deputy Secretary of State. Historian Stephan Kieninger joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss his new book, "Securing Peace in Europe: Strobe Talbott, NATO and Russia after the Cold War". Kieninger explains that Talbott consistently pursued both NATO enlargement and engagement with a reformed Russia, believing these two goals were not contradictory. The discussion highlights the differing approaches between the United States and Europe in engaging with Russia, a dynamic that continues to be relevant in current events.
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35:44
MANEUVER WARFARE: INNOVATION AND THE ELASTIC MINDSET
One of the many diverse educational opportunities at the U.S. Army War College are specialized seminars that deep-dive into specific areas of interest. Kurt McDowell and Mike Smith participated in the AY25 Futures Seminar, and they're in the studio with host Darrell Driver to discuss their findings. Sponsored by the J-7, Lieutenant General Anderson, the seminar was tasked with exploring innovation for maneuver warfare in 2040. , McDowell, Smith and the team advocate for an "elastic mindset" and "effectual logic," a means-based approach that focuses on what's available, rather than a traditional causal, end-state approach. They contrast this with the military's current high-certainty planning scenarios, which are often based on specific threats like Russia and China.
The first kind of foundational key finding is that the elastic mindset is essential for U.S. military innovation.
Kurt McDowell is a colonel in the U.S. Army and the Director of the Washington Field Office for U.S. Southern Command. Previously, he held key armor and information operations roles, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and assignments on the Joint Staff and in U.S. Army Europe and Africa. He is a graduate of the AY25 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College.
Michael Smith is a U.S. Army colonel and an Army space operations officer. He most recently served as the Chief of Operations (G33) at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and deployed multiple times in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and United Assistance. He is a native of Ambridge, PA, and is a graduate of the AY25 Resident Program at the U.S. Army War College.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: Students from the Infantry and Armor Basic Leader courses train for their future careers and develop realistic tactical skills during a combined competitive maneuver exercise at Fort Benning's Good Hope Training Area November 03, 2017. Students are tasked with the objective of defending or seizing an installation.
Photo Credit: Patrick A. Albright/MCoE PAO Photographer Used under Creative Commons license
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THE SOMALIA STORY: BEYOND BLACK HAWK DOWN
The Battle of Mogadishu, known by many as "Black Hawk Down," lasted roughly 18 hours and cost the lives of 18 Americans and one Malaysian, along with many more allied troops wounded. Somali casualties were far higher, with some estimates nearing 700 dead or injured. Jonathan Carroll, author of Beyond Black Hawk Down, points out that this was just one day in a nearly two-and-a-half-year operation. He joins host and Editor-in-Chief JP Clark to discuss what he has deemed the most ambitious attempt in history to rebuild a nation—the first country to be called a "failed state" after a brutal civil war. Carroll concludes that Somalia offers crucial lessons on the need for a clear strategy and that the events there foreshadowed challenges later faced in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In my view, Somalia isn't an example of why we shouldn't intervene... Somali is an example of don't go in without a strategy on how to get there.
Jonathan Carroll is an Associate Professor of Military History at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, a doctoral graduate of Texas A&M University and a former infantry officer in the Irish Defence Forces, Jonathan specializes in analyzing modern military operation with a current focus on the military history of 1990s conflict and stabilization operations. In addition to his recent work on the intervention in Somalia, Jonathan is working on research projects focusing on the UNAMIR mission during the Rwandan Genocide, and the UN/NATO intervention during the Bosnian War.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: A "technical" vehicle in Mogadishu at the time of the UNOSOM I mission 1992-1993.
Photo Credit: CT Snow from Hsinchu, Taiwan via Wikipedia.org
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SEAMLESS SYSTEMS: OPERATIONAL DATA IN THE FIRST ARMY
U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platform called Vantage to provide leaders with a "single pane of glass" view of friendly forces, including data on equipment, personnel, and finances. She emphasizes the importance of leadership empowerment and building trust to drive collaboration and cultural change within a large organization.
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.
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