School of War Ep 271: Geoff Ball on the Future of America’s Infantry
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Feb 3, 2026 Geoff Ball, a U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer and Naval Academy instructor who runs The Connecting File, talks about how infantry companies might reorganize for drones, electronic warfare, and tailored task forces. He covers balancing technical specialists with core infantry skills. He discusses grassroots innovation like DIY spectrum boxes and the prospect of dedicated unmanned battalions.
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Speed Of Learning Matters
- The Marine Corps is actively watching Ukraine and Israel and rapidly sharing tactical lessons through grassroots platforms like The Connecting File.
- Young leaders and units are experimenting organically and closing the gap between industry and warfighters.
Organize By Mission, Not Uniformity
- Task organize units for the specific mission and accept variation across deployments rather than forcing one rigid company model.
- Ensure specialized MOS exist for complex skills while commanders retain clear authorities to employ them.
Preserve Core Infantry Skills
- Keep core infantry skills central and avoid forcing every rifleman to master every new technical system.
- Field specialized drone, EW, and SIGINT experts who can bolt onto maneuver units when needed.