A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

The J in JPME stands for joint. In order to qualify for joint accreditation each senior service college and the National Defense University are mandated by CJCS instruction to include a proportional number of students and faculty from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Each year hundreds of senior officers attend the college of another service and they find themselves confronted with a whole new world of traditions, culture, acronyms and terms. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Henry Wicks, a member of the Navy element and graduate of the AY20 Resident class at the U.S. Army War College. Henry joins podcast editor Ron Granieri as they discuss what it's like to be a representative of the U.S. Navy and naval warfare to the School of Strategic Landpower. Henry explains the differences he expected to find in Carlisle along with the vast number of things that are very much the same regardless of uniform or service component. So, it's actually been kind of nice to be at Carlisle because for the first time in many years I actually have a chance to see mountains, don't tend to be a lot of mountains right next to the ocean where the Navy has submarine bases. Henry Wicks is a Commander and Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of the AY20 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College and has entered the prospective commanding officer pipeline to be the Commanding Officer (Gold Crew) of the U.S.S. Maryland (SSBN-738). Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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: The Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Maryland (SSBN 738) transits the Saint Marys River. Maryland returned to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay following routine operations. KINGS BAY, Ga. (Aug. 1, 2012) Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Kimber/Released

In the last decade the U.S. Army reserve component has moved from a strategic to an operational reserve. This has driven a clear requirement for greater reserve integration amongst the active component. To accomplish this the Army and the Joint force have expanded the use of multi component units (MCUs) to improve efficiency and readiness across the active and reserve components of the DoD. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Darren Buss and Rick Giarusso to discuss the employment of MCUs in support of the the Army and Joint missions in keeping with the Total Force Policy. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to explain the challenges and successes of marrying up the different components in support of real world missions. Transcript: https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/20-043-MULTI-COMPONENT-UNITS-MAXIMIZING-THE-TOTAL-FORCE-Transcript.pdf

A BETTER PEACE welcomes Alexandra Richie, internationally acclaimed and award-winning writer and historian, and one of the world's foremost experts on World War II in Europe. Richie joined Michael Neiberg to discuss her studies and books on both German history as viewed from Berlin, and the Warsaw Uprising. Their conversation covered how she first started writing and how her study of classical music years earlier aided her mindset and method of writing. The interview took place at the new U.S. National World War II Museum in New Orleans. TRANSCRIPT: https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/19-198-THE-MORE-BEAUTIFUL-QUESTION-ALEXANDRA-RICHIE-ON-WRITING-Transcript.pdf

Playboy magazine first hit newsstands in December 1953, so it was quite well established by the time the United States joined the conflict in Vietnam. Derided by a portion of the population as disgraceful smut, the common retort from the men who perused the sordid pages was "I just read it for the articles." A BETTER PEACE welcomes Amber Batura to the studio as she discusses Playboy's place amongst soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines during the Vietnam conflict. She joins our Editor-In-Chief Jacqueline Whitt to explore how the articles and interviews the magazine presented truly were a lifeline to home, relaying the thoughts and concerns of the citizenry these military members represented. With subjects like Stanley Kubrick, Martin Luther King Jr., Nabokov, Ayn Rand, Muhammad Ali and Ralph Nader it's hard to deny that Playboy captured some of the most popular voices of the time. And perhaps there were other features that attracted the attention of young men in a far off land. But mostly they read it for the articles. I was in a small village outside of Hanoi when we ran across a Playboy store...and so I decided I have to know why this is here and why is it still here. Why is it branding the war basically?   Amber Batura is an Instructor at Texas Tech University. She researches gender, sexuality and popular culture's influence on soldiers in the US military. Jacqueline E. Whitt is an Associate Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. 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 soldier spends his off time reading the Jul '69 edition of Playboy magazine. Location unknown. Photo Credit:Photographer and subject unknown. Believed public domain. Please contact warroomeditors@gmail.com for credit or removal

When you talk about the millennial generation a lot of them want some kind of fulfillment out of the work that they're doing and not feel like they're just gonna be a cog in the machine. In September of 2019 we introduced you to the Eisenhower Series College Program. Members of the Eisenhower Program began the year on the road visiting colleges and universities, interacting with audiences often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. Military. Unfortunately the DOD's Travel Policy, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, has curtailed the Spring schedule for the program. It is our hope at WAR ROOM to bring you a glimpse of what some of those presentations might have looked like via A BETTER PEACE: The WAR ROOM Podcast. The first three episodes discussed diversity and inclusivity in the military and social media's impact on national security and technology's role on the battlefield. In this fourth and final episode of the series A BETTER PEACE editor Ron Granieri is joined by three members of the U.S. Army War College AY20 resident course Aaron Sadusky, Eric Swenson and Melissa Wardlaw. The four of them discuss the relationship between higher education in the United States and the military. Their conversation ranges from compulsory national service, to the impact of current education standards on the military recruiting pool and the all volunteer force, to a free 13th and 14th grade. Aaron Sadusky is a Lieutenant Colonel and a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army. Eric Swenson is a Colonel and an Engineer in the U.S. Army. Melissa Wardlaw is a Lieutenant Colonel and a Medical Operations officer in the U.S. Army. All three of them are graduates of the AY20 resident class at the U.S. Army War College. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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: AmeriCorps is potentially one of the national service options spoken of in this episode. It is a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. Members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more. Photo Credit: Photographer unknown Also of possible interest The Martial Citizen "Inspired to Serve" Final Report "Inspired to Serve" Executive Summary Other releases in the "Eisenhower Series": PARTNER AND COMPETITOR: MANAGING THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIPALLIES AND INFLUENCE: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EISENHOWER SERIESTHE REAL FOREVER WAR: THE WAR ON DRUGS(EISENHOWER SERIES)GREAT POWER COMPETITION: ALLIANCES IN INDOPACOM (EISENHOWER SERIES)PRESERVING DOMESTIC SECURITY (EISENHOWER SERIES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT REVISITED (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH(BACK TO SCHOOL)TO WHAT END? INTERESTS AND VALUES IN AFGHANISTAN(EISENHOWER SERIES)RECONSIDERING GREAT POWER COMPETITION(EISENHOWER SERIES)STRATEGY FROM THE INSIDE OUT(EISENHOWER SERIES)SERVICE TO THE NATION: CLOSING THE CIVIL-MILITARY DIVIDE(EISENHOWER SERIES)NEW WEAPONS FOR NEW DOMAINS?(EISENHOWER SERIES)SOCIAL MEDIA: GOOD MEDICINE OR A BAD PILL (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH

Getting that idea from the battlefield...back into the hands of someone who can fix it back in the states or elsewhere in the world rapidly is absolutely critical. In September of 2019 we introduced you to the Eisenhower Series College Program. Members of the Eisenhower Program began the year on the road visiting colleges and universities, interacting with audiences often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. Military. Unfortunately the DOD's Travel Policy, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, has curtailed the Spring schedule for the program. It is our hope at WAR ROOM to bring you a glimpse of what some of those presentations might have looked like via A BETTER PEACE: The WAR ROOM Podcast. The first two episodes discussed diversity and inclusivity in the military and social media's impact on national security. In this episode A BETTER PEACE editor Ron Granieri is joined by three members of the U.S. Army War College AY20 resident course Ryan Ehrler, Henry Schantz and Dave Short. The four of them discuss technology's role on the battlefield, and whether or not new tech truly requires new domains or simply levels the playing field and speeds up the battle. Their conversation ranges from the new Space Force to prop-driven aircraft to lightweight batteries and the infantryman that still has to carry them to the fight. While some of this technology leads to dramatic new ways to fight much of it just enhances tried and true tactics. Ryan Ehrler is a Colonel and a Special Forces officer in the U.S. Army. Henry Schantz is a Lieutenant Colonel and F-22 pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Dave Short is a Lieutenant Colonel and an Air Defense officer in the U. S. Army. All three of them are graduates of the AY20 resident class at the U.S. Army War College. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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: Lt. Col. Keith Colmer, a test pilot with the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command Test Center in Tucson, Ariz., successfully releases a 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided weapon from an AT-6C experimental light attack aircraft Sept. 28, 2011. The Air Force has stated as recently as March 2020 that it will only purchase a limited number of light attack aircraft for experimentation and training foreign militaries. Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/James Haseltine Other releases in the "Eisenhower Series": PARTNER AND COMPETITOR: MANAGING THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIPALLIES AND INFLUENCE: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EISENHOWER SERIESTHE REAL FOREVER WAR: THE WAR ON DRUGS(EISENHOWER SERIES)GREAT POWER COMPETITION: ALLIANCES IN INDOPACOM (EISENHOWER SERIES)PRESERVING DOMESTIC SECURITY (EISENHOWER SERIES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT REVISITED (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH(BACK TO SCHOOL)TO WHAT END? INTERESTS AND VALUES IN AFGHANISTAN(EISENHOWER SERIES)RECONSIDERING GREAT POWER COMPETITION(EISENHOWER SERIES)STRATEGY FROM THE INSIDE OUT(EISENHOWER SERIES)SERVICE TO THE NATION: CLOSING THE CIVIL-MILITARY DIVIDE(EISENHOWER SERIES)NEW WEAPONS FOR NEW DOMAINS?(EISENHOWER SERIES)SOCIAL MEDIA: GOOD MEDICINE OR A BAD PILL (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH

What do you do when the training your organization requires you to accomplish doesn't actually prepare you for your mission or enhance your unit readiness. You create a board game, of course. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Mike Loftus, Will McKannay and Jim Markley to discuss how Mike and Will, with Jim's help, came to create a board game during their year at the U.S. Army War College. The three join podcast editor Ron Granieri to explain how their game helps to illustrate the development of appropriate requirements, training plans and reporting cycles for Brigade Combat Teams across the Army. Mike and Will sought out Jim to advise them on the actual game construction and the central question they were trying to answer. They then incorporated inputs from offices in the Pentagon, actual units in the field and the commanders that are living the readiness drill. I struggled and I questioned why we did so much training to meet certain gates to go someplace and then ultimately be told 'Hey that training was very useful, it got you ready, but doesn't meet the requirements of this particular mission.'   Lieutenant Colonel Mike Loftus is an Army Engineer who most recently served as Brigade Engineer Battalion Commander with the 1st Armored Division and forward deployed to the Republic of Korea. He previously served as a Fellow for the Chief of Staff of the Army Strategic Studies Group. Colonel Will McKannay is a Military Policeman with 26 years of service across all echelons most recently as a Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Battalion Commander. A former Joint Staff Intern, COL McKannay served on both the Joint and Army Staffs. They are both graduates of the AY20 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College. Jim Markley is the Deputy Director of Wargaming at the Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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 Credit: U.S. Air Force Photo/Airman 1st Class Christopher R. Morales Other releases in the "Wargaming Room" series: WAR FIGHTING, WAR THINKINGSIMULATING DIPLOMATIC DISASTER (WARGAMING ROOM)BETTER STRATEGY? IT’S ALL IN THE GAME(WARGAMING ROOM)WARGAMING IN THE SEMINAR: A STUDENT’S VIEW (WARGAMING ROOM)NOT JUST WAR GAMES: SIMULATING CRISIS NEGOTIATIONS (WARGAMING ROOM)LIKE YOUR BRAIN HAS JUST GONE TO THE GYM (WARGAMING ROOM)A LABORATORY FOR MILITARY PROFESSIONALS (WARGAMING ROOM)GAMES, PLAY, AND THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN (WARGAMING ROOM)

There is a concept called collective coping. It's using social media and specifically social relationships to cope with issues...more than ever you can see that people are reaching out.   In September of 2019 we introduced you to the Eisenhower Series College Program. Members of the Eisenhower Program began the year on the road visiting colleges and universities, interacting with audiences often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. Military. Unfortunately the DOD's Travel Policy, as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, has curtailed the Spring schedule for the program. It is our hope at WAR ROOM to bring you a glimpse of what some of those presentations might have looked like via A BETTER PEACE: The WAR ROOM Podcast. Our first episode in the series discussed diversity and inclusivity in the military. In our second episode our podcast editor Ron Granieri is joined by War College students Ryan Ehrler, Steve McNamara and Henry Schantz. In their conversation they try to address the overarching topic of modern communications and social media including how they impact national security and how they shape contemporary politics and society. For all the good social media can do for the world there are dangers associated with its use and abuse. Military members in particular must guard against the information leaks that are inherent to the world of social media. Ryan Ehrler is a Colonel and a Special Forces Officer in the U.S. Army. Henry Schantz is a Lieutenant Colonel and F-22 pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Steve McNamara is a Lieutenant Colonel and Tactical Air Control Party member in the U. S. Air Force. All three of them are members of the AY20 resident class at the U.S. Army War College. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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 Credit:Original Photo by cottonbro from Pexels Other releases in the "Eisenhower Series": PARTNER AND COMPETITOR: MANAGING THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIPALLIES AND INFLUENCE: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EISENHOWER SERIESTHE REAL FOREVER WAR: THE WAR ON DRUGS(EISENHOWER SERIES)GREAT POWER COMPETITION: ALLIANCES IN INDOPACOM (EISENHOWER SERIES)PRESERVING DOMESTIC SECURITY (EISENHOWER SERIES)OBSERVATIONS FROM NATO’S NORTHERN FRONT REVISITED (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH(BACK TO SCHOOL)TO WHAT END? INTERESTS AND VALUES IN AFGHANISTAN(EISENHOWER SERIES)RECONSIDERING GREAT POWER COMPETITION(EISENHOWER SERIES)STRATEGY FROM THE INSIDE OUT(EISENHOWER SERIES)SERVICE TO THE NATION: CLOSING THE CIVIL-MILITARY DIVIDE(EISENHOWER SERIES)NEW WEAPONS FOR NEW DOMAINS?(EISENHOWER SERIES)SOCIAL MEDIA: GOOD MEDICINE OR A BAD PILL (EISENHOWER SERIES)THE EISENHOWER SERIES COLLEGE PROGRAM: 50 YEARS OF OUTREACH

Suddenly I was distracted by this amazing roar...and I turned to the umpire and I said 'What is that?' absolutely dumbstruck by this vision and sound and he said 'That's a Spitfire' A BETTER PEACE welcomes James Holland, internationally acclaimed and award-winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. A familiar and trusted face appearing in numerous WWII documentaries, James is also the author of over two dozen books and novels. He joins Michael Neiberg in the studio to discuss how he began writing, where he finds his passion and the immense pleasure he derives from interviews and research that have made him a highly sought after subject matter expert. In this episode Holland explains to the listener how a chance encounter with a Supermarine Spitfire lead him back to his childhood fascination with WWII and his first novel about the Battle of Britain. Neiberg interviewed Holland at the new U.S. National World War II Museum in New Orleans last year. Michael Neiberg (L) and James Holland (R) in front of WWII themed artwork at the Higgins Hotel adjacent to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. James Holland is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. The author of the best-selling historical novels, he has also written nine works of historical fiction. He regularly appears on television and radio, and has written and presented the BAFTA-shortlisted documentaries. Michael Neiberg is the Chair of War Studies 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: Ray Hanna at the controls of his famous Spitfire MH434 at the Flying Legends of 2005 Photo Credit: Bryan Fury75 at French Wikipedia. Other releases in the "On Writing" series: COLONELS WRITING FOR COLONELS (RE-RELEASE)ON WRITING: MILITARY AUTHORS AND THE HARDING PROJECT (RE-RELEASE)FIGHTING TOGETHER: THE CANADIAN-AMERICAN PARTNERSHIP IN WORLD WAR II(ON WRITING)THE SCHOLAR AND THE STRATEGIST:SIR HEW STRACHAN(ON WRITING)COLONELS WRITING FOR COLONELSON WRITING: MILITARY AUTHORS AND THE HARDING PROJECTUNDERSTANDING RUSSIAN CULTURE: JADE McGLYNN(ON WRITING)CHINA’S SHIFTING HISTORY: STEPHEN PLATT (ON WRITING)UNDERSTANDING CHINA THROUGH ITS RECRAFTED PAST: RANA MITTER (ON WRITING)WRITING ON A DEADLINE: SHASHANK JOSHI (ON WRITING)REAGAN AS THE PEACEMAKER: WILL INBODEN(ON WRITING)RUSSIAN IMPERIAL HISTORY-THEN AND NOW: ALEXANDER MIKABERIDZE(ON WRITING)TAKING COMMAND: TAMI DAVIS BIDDLE(ON WRITING)HOW TO WRITE THE HISTORY THAT HASN’T ENDED: IAN ONA JOHNSON(ON WRITING)AS TIME GOES BY: UNDERSTANDING FREE & VICHY FRANCE (ON WRITING)SHIFTING MENTAL GEARS: PHILIP CAPUTO (ON WRITING)GENERAL HISTORY: H.R. McMASTER (ON WRITING)WHEN A GENERAL WRITES FOR THE GENERALIST (ON WRITING)THE VALUE OF WRITTEN THOUGHT: STEPHEN VOGEL (ON WRITING)TWO AUTHORS UNDER THE SAME ROOF (ON WRITING)THE MORE BEAUTIFUL QUESTION: ALEXANDRA RICHIE (ON WRITING)FACT AND FICTION: THE RECOUNTING OF WWII WITH JAMES HOLLAND (ON WRITING)THE U.S. ARMY IN THE 20TH CENTURY: AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN LINN (ON WRITING)LIBERATION FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE LIBERATED (ON WRITING)PARIS 1919: A CONVERSATION WITH MARGARET MACMILLAN (ON WRITING)THE CHALLENGES OF WRITING BIOGRAPHIES (ON WRITING)FINDING “WOW” MOMENTS (AND OTHER WRITING TIPS FOR SENIOR LEADERS) (ON WRITING)THE ART OF WRITING HISTORY (ON WRITING)

The Defense Acquisition System is the management process by which the Department of Defense provides effective, affordable, and timely systems to the users. -Department of Defense Directive Number 5000.01 Misunderstood, under-appreciated, Congressionally scrutinized, and even mocked and immortalized in a Hollywood movie, the acquisition corps of each of the services have a difficult job. Charged with acquiring all of the stuff necessary to train and equip the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines of the nation's military, the professionals in the acquisition world face daily challenges. Good, fast and cheap are a great set of guiding principles but everybody knows you can only have two of those thing at the same time. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Jason Tate, an Army acquisition officer, to share his experiences and thoughts based on his time in this crucial career field. He joins podcast editor Ron Granieri as they delve into COTS, GOTS, PMs and PEOs along with a number of other misunderstood tools and terms of the acquisition community. Jason Tate is a Lieutenant Colonel and Acquisition Officer in the U.S. Army. He is a student in the AY20 Resident class of the U.S. Army War College. And yes he passed his oral comps. Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE. 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: Bruce Jette (center), Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics & Technology (ASA(ALT)) & Army Acquisition Executive (AAE), gets a briefing on product improvements for cannon systems. Photo Credit: John Snyder/U.S. Army