The Operational Arch – Details, episodes & analysis

In today's episode we speak with Lt Col Amos Fox about attrition as an effect of war, not as a type of war, and why there doesn't appear to be any "modern" military theorists. Article Discussed: https://warontherocks.com/2024/01/setting-the-record-straight-on-attrition/ Suggestions for Additional Listening/Reading: Thinking In Systems: A Primer: Donella H. Meadows https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3828902-thinking-in-systems The Scientific Way Of Warfare: Order and Chaos on the Battlefields of Modernity: Antoine J. Bousquet https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6576413-the-scientific-way-of-warfare Amos Fox's Upcoming or Recent Writings: Revolution in Military Affairs Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/63ZhWg6UUWUiTNEfSknGzF?si=fe1ef17606c4420d De Gruyter Handbook of Drone Warfare, Book Chapter https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204879648-de-gruyter-handbook-of-drone-warfare https://twitter.com/AmosFox6 https://www.linkedin.com/in/amoscfox/

In this episode we discuss the role of a commander integrating the staff solving complex problems, fostering collaborative organizations, and utilizing components two and three with Lieutenant General Jon Jensen, director of the Army National Guard. Book Recommendations: If You Survive: From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge to the End of World War II, One American Officer's Riveting True Story: George Wilson - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/227026.If_You_Survive Lieutenant General Herbert R. Temple, Jr., ARNGUS, Retired [interview] From Texas to Rome: Fighting World War II and the Italian Campaign with the 36th Infantry Division - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22854737-from-texas-to-rome

In today's episode we start our first of two episodes discussing Napoleon and some myths and beliefs about him as a military genius.

We discuss the rise of Napoleon and his actions as the leader of the French Military and the changes Napoleon implemented on the military.

Check out Dr. Abel's Podcast @ https://open.spotify.com/show/4umHPpMClIU6Oi6eGIKPMv

The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US government.

Today we have Doctor Dan Cox of SAMS, focused on the future of warfare, including future information warfare adaptations, the role of cost and emerging trends and capabilities, reemerging trends like trench warfare and implications for our future force. Dr. Cox's Books: Terrorism, Instability, and Democracy in Asia and Africa (Northeastern Series on Democratization and Political Development) Human Terrain Systems and the Moral Prosecution of Warfare Population-Centric Counterinsurgency: A False Idol? Stability Economics: The Economic Foundations of Security in Post-conflict Environments https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2959825.Dan_G_Cox Book Suggestions: Red Team Handbook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50436277-the-red-team-handbook---the-army-s-guide-to-making-better-decisions?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Vaa7l9G1aM&rank=1 The Hundred-Year Marathon : Michael Pillsbury https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20696000-the-hundred-year-marathon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=472MucSVFL&rank=1 LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media: P.W. Singer, Emerson T. Brooking https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38242140-likewar?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_7 Networks of Rebellion: Paul Staniland https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18848754-networks-of-rebellion?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21 The Logic of Violence in Civil War: Stathis N. Kalyvas https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/275420.The_Logic_of_Violence_in_Civil_War?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17 Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100: Michio Kaku https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492907-physics-of-the-future?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21 Cyber Persistence Theory: Redefining National Security in Cyberspace: Michael P Fischerkeller, Emily O. Goldman, Richard J. Harknett, etc. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60371210-cyber-persistence-theory?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_13 The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity: Byron Reese https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297413-the-fourth-age The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall: Ian Bremmer https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125226.The_J_Curve?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_11 The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US government.

On Episode 16 of the Operational Arch, Major General Costanza provides insight and perspective for future division planners and discusses what he learned from his time leading the Third Infantry Division. When we discussed operational art, Major General Costanza highlighted the utility of time and space and future operations. We hope you enjoy the conversation

 

Book Recommendations

 Paris, 1919: Six Months that Changed the World (Margaret MacMillan, Casey Hampton) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26348.Paris_1919

 

War Transformed (Mick Ryan) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59810166-war-transformed

 

Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Paul Scharre) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61089453-four-battlegrounds

 

The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History (Serhii Plokhy) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63326676-the-russo-ukrainian-war

 

Mahan, Corbett, and the Foundations of Naval Strategic Thought (Kevin D. McCranie) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57141105-mahan-corbett-and-the-foundations-of-naval-strategic-thought

 

Airpower Reborn (John Andreas Olsen) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25365163-airpower-reborn

The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US Government.

Security Assistance is a big topic to cover in 30 minutes. BG Nicholson provides comments on how the US does it, and how it applies to Operational Art. Covering topics from Foreign Military Sales to how do we recruit and retain talent.

Links to Book Recommendations:

Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power Pekka Hämäläinen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44310208-lakota-america?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VqTk7VxRkv&rank=1

Podcast: How I built this: The Tetris Company: Henk Rogers

(Link below to Spotify, but can be found on your favorite Podcast Platform)

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1f66cfb2-1d79-4d4b-b9b1-ddbde6a77bcf/episodes/aadc6906-4381-49a9-9ef3-7dcf8329d1de/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz-the-tetris-company-henk-rogers

In this episode we say goodbye to last year's hosts, and introduce our new hosts. We also briefly go over what you as our listener can expect for content over the next year.

New Hosts: J.D. Corless, Active Duty Air Force

Tom Haydock, Army National Guard

Sheila Holder. Active duty Army Military

Brian Lander.  active-duty Marine Officer

Jesse Valles, Army National Guard

Aaron Warren, Active-duty Space Force

Season 1, Episode 14 of the Operational Arch. This is part two of our conversation with guest Mr. Sebastian Bae where he talks about Wargaming and its utility to military planning and training. In this episode, Sebastian explains how to integrate board games into your units training. He also talks about the processes of incorporating moral, ethical, and diverse decision making into board game design. Mr. Bae is an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Strategic Studies. He serves as the co-chair of the Military Operation Research Society (MORS) Wargaming Community of Practice. Formerly Sebastian served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry and deployed to Iraq in 2009. He is the developer of the game Littoral Commander, and has been published in War on the Rocks, Strategy Bridge, Task and Purpose, The Diplomat, and Georgetown Security Studies Review. His professional focus is wargaming, emerging technologies, future warfighting concepts, and strategy and doctrine for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Links to Mr. Bae’s Publications: - Put Educational Wargaming in the Hands of the Warfighter. https://shorturl.at/dqsGH - Promise Unfulfilled: A Brief History of Educational Wargaming in the Marine Corps. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/JAMS_Fall2021_12_2_web.pdf - Forging Wargamers. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Forging%20Wargamers_web.pdf MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/us.sams/ Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1, Episode 13 of the Operational Arch. This is part one of our conversation with guest Mr. Sebastian Bae where he talks about Wargaming and its utility to military planning and training. Sebastian argues that Wargaming is useful as an educational tool, not necessarily as an outcome generator or simulator. Sebastian also talks about where and how he believes wargaming should be used in the military planning process and how scope and focus influence the creation of a board game.

 

Mr. Bae is an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Strategic Studies. He serves as the co-chair of the Military Operation Research Society (MORS) Wargaming Community of Practice. Formerly Sebastian served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry and deployed to Iraq in 2009. He is the developer of the game Littoral Commander, and has been published in War on the Rocks, Strategy Bridge, Task and Purpose, The Diplomat, and Georgetown Security Studies Review. His professional focus is wargaming, emerging technologies, future warfighting concepts, and strategy and doctrine for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

 

Links to Mr. Bae’s Publications:

- Put Educational Wargaming in the Hands of the Warfighter. https://shorturl.at/dqsGH

- Promise Unfulfilled: A Brief History of Educational Wargaming in the Marine Corps. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/JAMS_Fall2021_12_2_web.pdf

- Forging Wargamers. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Forging%20Wargamers_web.pdf

MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS

Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/us.sams/

Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 episode 12 of the Operational Arch is part two of our conversation with guest Dr. Ben Zweibelson where he talks all things Center of Gravity. Ben argues that Centers of Gravity insufficiently prepare us to understand the emergent systems spawned when two opposing forces collide, and offers some alternative constructs we might use to make sense of increasingly complex systems.

Dr. Zweibelson is the Director for the U.S. Space Command’s (USSPACECOM) Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG). Previously, Ben was the lead design educator/facilitator for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) through the Joint Special Operations University. A retired U.S. Army Infantry officer and veteran of multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben has an undergraduate degree (BA in Fine Arts) in Graphic Design from the University of Connecticut, three different master’s degrees (Louisiana State University, Air Command and Staff College, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies) and a doctorate in Philosophy from Lancaster University (UK). Ben is also the author of the recently released book "Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation."

Through the month of July '23, use code SMA35 to get 20% off physical and digital copies of his book "Understanding the Military Design Movement." https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-the-Military-Design-Movement-War-Change-and-Innovation/Zweibelson/p/book/9781032481784

Links to Dr. Zweibelson's Publications:

- Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation https://a.co/d/eotFjmb

- "Rhizomes: In Paradox to ‘Centers of Gravity’ and Centralized Hierarchies in War" https://aodnetwork.ca/rhizomes-in-paradox-to-centers-of-gravity-and-centralized-hierarchies-in-war/

- Part 1 and Part 2 of the "Looking to the Future" section in JAMS Vol 13, no. 2 https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/MCU-Journal/JAMS-vol-14-no-1/

MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams

Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield