The Application of the Principles of High Command

Cpt. Harris Laning, U.S. Navy

This article purports to outline a practical method for insuring in naval forces the success of the high command.

Published: Oct-Dec 1922

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Essentials of Leadership

A Lecture by Major General H. J. Brees, United States Army

The subject of this lecture is one about which volumes have been written. I claim no originality. On the contrary, I quote freely from articles I have read on this subject although I have endeavored to incorporate my own individual views.

Published: September 1936

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The Officer and His men

Anton A. Bebler

The first responsibility of the officer is not merely to train and to lead his men, but to know them.

Published: January 1943

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Military Leadership

Lieutenant Colonel John H. Carter, Artillery Instructor, Command and General Staff College

The military profession, and rightfully so, has no monopoly on leadership. In every walk of life, in every industry, in every government, in every phase of human endeavor, there must be leaders as well as followers. Today, more than ever in history, the Army is in need of leadership of the highest caliber.

Published: April 1952

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Divided Loyalty for the Military Officer

Lt. Col. Thomas H. Reese

A little more than 100 years ago, divided loyalty played a prominent part in the life of the professional soldier who was a native of one of the Southern States.

Published: October 1964

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The Battalion and Zero Defects

Maj. Gene T. Sherron

Commanders often find it difficult to get a unit “up” and keep it there. One possible solution is Zero Defects (ZD). The ZD program originated in 1962 in the defense industry during the development of the Pershing missile system. From there, it was adopted by the entire US Army Missile Command, followed by the Defense Supply Agency. By late 1965, the Army Chief of Staff directed that the program be launched Army-wide covering all commands and headquarters.

Published: April 1968

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Leadership from Within

Major Henry G. Gole, United States Army

Today, the US Army would seem to be as unpopular as it has been since the From Here to Eternity era of the 1930s. A case could be made, and documented with ease, that the situation is worse now than during the pre-World War II period since the Army of James Jones was a largely ignored subculture. The Army of the 1970s is, and promises to remain, an easy target for the barbs of the press, assorted intellectuals and pundits.

Published: February 1973

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Challenge for the Future

Educating Field Grade Battle Leaders and Staff Officers

Colonel Huba Wass de Czege, US Army

Conditions on the battlefield of today make it imperative that commanders and staff officers be capable of handling a multitude of tasks that are focused on defeating the enemy. Recent changes in the Army’s education system are aimed at producing highly qualified officers who can shoulder such responsibilities.

Published: June 1984

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Leadership Lessons from Downsized Corporate America

Colonel Herbert F. Harback, US Army

We are at a major crossroads in the development of our future military leaders. It is called "downsizing," and we need to be concerned with the impact it will have on our Army. This article discusses some of the preliminary findings of a current study on corporate change and its potential implications for the Army.

Published: August 1993

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Leadership, Commandership, Planning, and Success

General Bruce C. Clarke, U.S. Army, Retired

Since my retirement, I have had a chance to reflect on experiences gained during my 40-year (plus) affiliation with the Army. Some years ago I surveyed, under an Army contract, the successful U.S. Army generals of World War II to determine the characteristics of outstanding commanders.

Published: July-August 2002

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Reassessing Army Leadership in the 21st Century

Major Jason M. Pape, U.S. Army

Just as it reconsidered its view of Army operations with FM 3-0, the Army should reassess its leadership philosophy to account for evolutions in U.S. society and the 21st century’s complex, uncertain operating environment. While Army leadership and leader development doctrine has matured in the last two years, the Army has yet to account fully for modern demands on its leaders and changes in society at large.

Published: January-February 2009

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Motivating and Educating Millennials

Sgt. Maj. Kanessa Trent, U.S. Army

Understanding the keys to educating and motivating the millennial generation is imperative for the growth and development of soldiers as well as the readiness of the Army. This is an updated version of an article previously published in the April 2019 edition of the Journal of Military Learning

Published: November 2019

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Leadership during Large-Scale Combat Operations

Maj. Jeremy Smith, U.S. Marine Corps

A Marine Corps officer opines that mission command is a philosophy and a principle, not a warfighting function, and argues that Army leaders should study history and embrace command and control to prepare for large-scale combat operations. This article won third place in the 2019 MacArthur Writing Contest.

Published: January-February 2020

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The Well-Intentioned, Zero-Defect Officer Corps

Maj. Robert E. Murdough, U.S. Army

Army policies and the proliferation and overuse of centralized records systems combine to produce a compliance-focused environment that favors a zero-defect, risk-averse officer corps in ways that are contrary to the Army’s interests. This article was a 2020 General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Competition entry

Published: March-April 2021

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