Hook's Leadership Profiles

[Dadmanly]

My long time readers know all about Dadmanly Profiles, but I want to alert readers to the start of another fine, and related series, under development by one fine Command Sergeant Major (CSM).

As SGT Hook explains in his original post, he recently undertook what has been the most challenging mission of his career, standing up a new Battalion from scratch as the senior noncommissioned officer (NCO) for the unit, the CSM. I’m flattered that, in the course of his reflections on leadership, SGT Hook had found inspiration in my Profiles:

Then, while reading the ever eloquent Dadmanly today, I found his collection of Profiles of key leaders, and was quite impressed. Add my recent reflections on past duty assignments, and I was suddenly inspired to put my own thoughts to paper (read blog) on defining just who/what a squad leader, platoon sergeant, etc. is in the Army.

Hook’s a lot kinder than my own CSM. Eloquent would not have been the word he used, rather a less polite synonym for “verbose.” Who, when he (often) reached a point where I had said too much, used to say I made his brain hurt. I think it was more often exposure – to the elements for sure, preferring the Mohatma Ghandi hairstyle, but possibly also to unpleasant news… Listen, if you want more on him, read it here.

CSMs, I suppose come in all shapes and sizes, but almost all with a max decibel voice and what seems like a 10 foot standard issue frame (at least when he’s in your face). For those who don’t quite understand how the Army is organized, if the NCO Corps is the backbone of the Army, then CSMs are the spinal cord within the backbone of the Army.

I’m pleased to announce that SGT Hook has indeed commenced his profiles, with the first two installments. In the first, The Army Organized, Hook helpfully offers a primer on Army organization. I want to excerpt it in its entirety, if only because I am finding myself explaining these structures to the uninitiated – or listening to Little Manly do so, I think he’s got it down pat now!

Go check out Hook, and his first installment of The Squad Leader.

(Cross-posted with excerpts at Dadmanly.)

The Last of the "Golden Thirteen"

[Eagle1]

The "Golden 13 " were the first African-American Naval Officers, commissioned in 1944.

The last of these 13 pioneers has died, and honors are somewhat belatedly paid here.

How Many Divisions Do You Command?

[Soldier's Dad]

It seems a simple enough question. To civilians living in societies where elected leaders run the show, it is a somewhat meaningless question. In a region of the world where military coups are more common than free elections , it is THE question. When the regional commander of the most powerful military in the history of the World speaks, serious people in the Middle East listen.

John Abizaid, Commander of Central Command, speaking at Harvard for 1 hour and 18 minutes on the "Long War" here.

Code Pink Sighting in Korea, "Pyongyang Cindy" Protests USFK

[GIKorea]

Who in Korea approved her entry into South Korea?:

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan visited a village near Camp Humphreys on Monday night in a show of “solidarity” with local residents opposing the installation’s expansion.

Sheehan was part of a group of about 20 activists from the United States who are in South Korea this week to oppose the expansion project and a proposed South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.

The camp is set to triple in size in coming years and become the U.S. military’s main installation on the peninsula.

Some local residents backed by South Korean anti-US activists have been resisting the expansion since 2005.

What does Cindy Sheehan know about South Korea? Absolutely nothing. She can’t even make up her own signs. This picture is absolutely priceless.

Will this confuse Lex?

[Eagle1]

Nimitz in a pond?

Explanation at Murdoc Online

H/T: Fred Fry International

Violence in Iraq...

[Greyhawk]

...is now "at the lowest levels since the government was formed in May".

But you probably already saw that as the lead story on CNN or the big banner headline in the New York Times, right?