A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

Michael Neiberg is back in the studio for the next installation of the On Writing series. This week's guest is Shashank Joshi, Defense Editor for The Economist. This episode is a slight variation from the normal On Writing discussion because Shashank is a journalist writing a much shorter form than our usual guests, and then there's the little issue of the deadlines associated with a fast-paced news cycle. Their conversation turns to the organization and formulation of an interesting and accessible article, avoiding personal injury when dealing with demanding editors, and what sort of formal and informal research is necessary to build a mental database useful for informing a news-oriented writing format.

It's time once again to feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. For over 50 years, the Eisenhower Program has reached out to colleges and town halls across the nation to introduce War College students to audiences that are often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. military. This time we have two officers of NATO's northern front in the studio, Norwegian Steinar Dahl and Canadian Eric Landry. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to present their thoughts on the NATO alliance and their country's contributions to the organization. The conversation focuses on interoperability, what the war in Ukraine has revealed about NATO and what the organization's world role might be after that war has ended. We've titled this "Revisited" because regular listeners might remember that in 2020 A BETTER PEACE sat down with Major General Torgeir Gråtrud, commander of the Norwegian Special Operations Command, to discuss his perspectives on strategic leadership and Norway's role in NATO.

Regular listeners might remember previous episodes in which we looked at the 2022 National Security Strategy and the 2022 National Defense Strategy. In this episode, we continue the examination of strategic-level documents with a review of the 2023 National Intelligence Strategy. Genevieve Lester is in the studio, but this time she's the guest with podcast host Ron Granieri. Their conversation dissects the document that is the Director of National Intelligence's strategic direction for the Intelligence Community (IC) for the next four years. Ideally, it aligns IC priorities with other national strategies and supports the IC’s mission to provide timely, insightful, objective, and relevant intelligence and support to inform national security decisions and to protect the United States and its interests. But what can you say about an institution whose business is keeping secrets in a document that is shared with the world? Gen and Ron share their thoughts about the language used, the specificity and vagueness, and the overall message the document conveys.

It's time once again to feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. For over 50 years, the Eisenhower Program has reached out to colleges and town halls across the nation to introduce War College students to audiences that are often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. military. In this episode, two senior Army officers share their personal and professional experiences with the diversity, equity and inclusion policies of the U.S. Army. Kirk Daniels and Dena Goble are in the virtual studio with podcast host Ron Granieri. Their conversation ranges in topic from "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"—its inception and its end—to frank and honest conversations with leaders and supervisors and the many positive aspects of a diverse force that represents the nation it defends.

For those of you of sufficient age, you should have heard that title in your head with the stentorian voice of this fine announcer. But in all seriousness, the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Space Command have their work cut out for them, developing doctrine and strategy and educating the public on the contributions of space to daily life in the modern world. A.P. Penaflor joins host Jacqueline Whitt in the studio to discuss space, a topic that once held nations spellbound but has become so routine that the average citizen gives it little thought. But the members of the DoD that work in the space realm every day are busy developing the tactics, techniques and procedures that allow the military and commercial industries to operate and navigate in the unforgiving environment today and well into the future.

It's time once again for a visit to the Wargaming Room. In this episode, three recent graduates of the AY23 Resident Course at the U.S. Army War College share the wargame they developed as part of the Carlisle Scholars Program. Giovanni Corrado, Ian Hopper and Kent Park are in the studio to discuss the impetus and goal of their Strategy Simulation Exercise. Joined by podcast editor Ron Granieri, the three game creators share how the exercise demonstrates how policy is made at many different levels. Using alliances, negotiations, political capital and timed periods, they've created a game that is an incredible teaching tool for a handful, a dozen, or even over a hundred students at a time.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has revived interest in and discussions about NATO. When 31 countries, each with their own national interests and goals, come together, interoperability becomes a driving consideration. Giovanni Corrado and Joel Gleason conducted a study of NATO interoperability and doctrine as their research project for the Carlisle Scholars program at the U.S. Army War College. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to share the findings of numerous interviews and studies. What they found was that despite all the different languages, interests, equipment and procedures, multinational formations on the battlefield make it work. Much of that is due to well-formed doctrine that most members aren't aware of in their daily routine.

It's back to school time across the United States, and it's no different here at the U.S. Army War College. What's different this year is that the resident class of academic year 2024 will arrive at a brand new academic facility, dubbed the new Root Hall by faculty and staff. It's a beautiful building with every detail designed around facilitating the education of leaders today and well into the future. And of course, you can't have a school without a library, but this isn't the library you remember from grade school. Greta Braungard, Academic Library Division Chief, and Heather Goyette, Knowledge Commons Branch Chief, join podcast editor Ron Granieri to explain the features and innovations of the new facility. From movable stacks and digital databases to self-checkout and a whole new spectacular view (quite a change from the previous basement location), the new library will be at the center of the student body's research effort. If you are a new student or faculty member at the Army War College, be sure to make time for a 20-minute guided tour during one of the upcoming library open houses listed below: Monday, August 7, 2023, 1300 and 1500 Tuesday, August 8, 2023, 1300 and 1500 Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 1300 and 1500 Thursday, August 17, 2023, 1300 and 1500

Fifty years ago, the United States Department of Defense ended the draft and chose to rely exclusively on volunteers to fill the ranks. The all-volunteer force was born and the competition was on to attract the best and brightest to military service. This year, the Army, Navy and Air Force, including National Guard components, all expect to fall well short of their recruiting goals. Tony Perez feels that one of the major shortcomings of the recruiting game is communication. He's in the studio with podcast editor Ron Granieri to explain why a significant portion of the problem is old people failing to communicate with young people. Old people may be a bit of an overstatement, but Tony sees an issue with the inability of military recruiters to explain why the military provides so many of the things that the next generation desires in a job or even a career.

In our last episode, we examined the relationship between military medicine and tactical effectiveness, as well as some of the incredible advances in combat medical care over the last few decades. In this episode, Manny Menendez asks some hard questions about how well the excellent casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) system developed and refined over 20+ years of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq will transition to large-scale combat operations. In a wide-ranging discussion with podcast host Darrell Driver, Manny discusses the problems of mass casualties, enemy anti-air capabilities, organizational culture and societal expectations about casualty care. In his Army War College research project, Menendez suggests the Army must alter its approach to CASEVAC, giving the example of pairing a ride-sharing system combined with a grab-and-go philosophy that strikes a different balance between tactical need, specialized medical care, and speed of evacuation.

Once upon a time, a wound as simple as a scratch could lead to death. Many of incredible advances in medicine and medical care since were driven by the exigencies of war. Tanisha Fazal has conducted a fascinating study that examines the relationship between military medicine and military effectiveness in interstate wars globally since 1900. She's in the studio with podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the outcomes of the study and the methodology her team used to arrive at their conclusions. Whether it is technological advances, or changes in tactics, techniques and procedures like the golden-hour rule or the platinum fifteen minutes, medicine has a profound effect on not just the ability to field a force but also its morale. Be sure to check out Tanisha's book Military Medicine and the Hidden Costs of War when it releases 15 March 2024.

In May 2023, the War College hosted the second annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. Bringing together students, scholars and practitioners, the symposium presented senior leaders with original research and recommendations for the application of landpower to achieve national objectives. Included within the symposium were the findings of the Army War College Strategic Landpower Integrated Research Project, an effort of eleven members of the Class of 2023 in support of Army senior leader priorities. A BETTER PEACE has organized four podcast episodes with those students to discuss their projects, their relationship to the Strategic Landpower Symposium and possible implications for the future of U.S. security policy. In the virtual studio for this fourth and final episode are Mike Barnett, Mark Mullinax, Ryan Noble, and Jon Holm. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the daunting task of mobilization for large-scale operations. Their conversation examines such topics as maximizing the effective use of reserve component mobilization authorities, leveraging alternate mobilization sites, expanding civilian hires and contracting and increasing continuity and reallocation of deployable readiness assets. The third annual Strategic Landpower Symposium is already scheduled for 7-9 May 2024. On-line registration will open 1 August, 2023 on the Army War College website.

The United States Department of Defense spends a great deal of time and resources developing uniforms. The respective organizations in each branch of service take requirements from leadership and design functional clothing that meets environmental, operational, safety and visual performance factors. The uniforms need to fit all heights, weights, shapes, sizes and genders across the force, be manufactured economically via mass production practices, and by law utilize a U.S.-based textile industry that has shrunk over the last few decades. Amy Brayshaw has been a part of this developmental community for 20+ years, and she's in the studio to share her experiences with podcast editor Ron Granieri. Amy explains the difficulties associated with uniform development, including supply base issues, mass rollouts, color matching and durability, all while trying to meet the needs of the force and leadership's guidance.

In May 2023, the War College hosted the second annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. Bringing together students, scholars and practitioners, the symposium presented senior leaders with original research and recommendations for the application of landpower to achieve national objectives. Included within the symposium were the findings of the Army War College Strategic Landpower Integrated Research Project, an effort of eleven members of the Class of 2023 in support of Army senior leader priorities. A BETTER PEACE has organized four podcast episodes with those students to discuss their projects, their relationship to the Strategic Landpower Symposium and possible implications for the future of U.S. security policy. In the virtual studio for this third episode are Jennifer Hunt, Matthew Inglis, and Lillian Woodington. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the complicated task of protection writ large. Their conversation covers the concepts of the role the National Guard might play in addressing vulnerabilities in the cyber domain, air and missile defense across the competition continuum, and the role of protection in deterrence. The third annual Strategic Landpower Symposium is already scheduled for 7-9 May 2024. On-line registration will open 1 August, 2023 on the Army War College website.

The U.S. Army War College Civil-Military Relations Center hosted its inaugural conference in May 2023. This year’s theme on the military and society was the American all-volunteer force as it turns 50. One of the major sub-themes throughout was the recruiting crisis and what it portends for the all-volunteer force. What affects people’s willingness to join the military? What policies may be most effective in sustaining the all-volunteer force? How does the relationship between a military and its society impact national security? On Saturday, May 6, the keynote speaker was one of the most prominent scholars of civil-military relations, Peter Feaver. He was joined by moderator and chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy, Carrie Lee, to discuss the state of public trust in the military and his new book, Thanks for Your Service: The Causes and Consequences of Public Confidence in the Military. We were able to capture their conversation and are pleased to present it to you as a bonus episode on A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast.