2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Exclusive Online articles are published only online to support timely discussion on emerging time-sensitive issues. Online publication also allows us to publish more articles than before due to the unconstrained nature of the website.

Publishing Disclaimer: In all of its publications and products, Military Review presents professional information. However, the views expressed therein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Army University, the Department of the Army, or any other agency of the U.S. government.


September 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

China’s Energy Empire in Africa and Its Threats to U.S. National Security

 

Capt. Elianna Esau, U.S. Army

Chinese influence in Africa has helped it dominate the field of the rare minerals and rare earth elements that are critical for producing clean energy and defense technology. As the United States prioritizes national security through clean energy options, it must address China’s outsized influence in Africa through comprehensive and integrated strategies to mitigate the risks of current power dynamics.

Article published on: 20 September 2023

 

Automated Systems: The Complexity of the Supply and Logistics System of the U.S. Army and the Need for Automation

 

Alan Cunningham

The U.S. military is seriously underprepared to deal with supply chain issues in times of direct action and during combat operations and years behind in maintaining an advantage in emerging technology like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technology.

Article published on: 18 September 2023

 

Down the Tubes? How Failed Leadership Succession Harms National Security

 

Col. Todd Schmidt, PhD, U.S. Army

The editor in chief of Military Review discusses the hazards of holding up high-level military promotions and other government leadership appointments for political purposes.

Article published on: 14 September 2023

 

Cross-Generational Problem-Solving: A Case Study of Fort Leavenworth

 

Dr. Kate Dahlstrand

The author discusses the CAC Gross-Generational Team, a new volunteer committee created by the CAC commanding general, to address workplace climate concerns identified on Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, investigate solutions to those concerns, and offer recommendations that would result in individuals given authority to make change happen.

Article published on: 12 September 2023

 

Developing Leaders of Character: It Is Our Job

 

Maj. Tiarra J. McDaniel, U.S. Army

Yasmine L. Konheim-Kalkstein, PhD

In response to “Developing Leaders of Character: Whose Job Is It?,” published in April as a Military Review online exclusive, two authors from West Point argue that faculty, by nature of their role, do influence students’ character, even beyond the intellectual virtues.

Article published on: 01 September 2023

 


August 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Take Ownership of Your Formation’s Data Literacy

 

Capt. Orlando Nieves III, U.S. Army

1st Lt. John Boyer, U.S. Army

Sgt. Feihrren Calhoun, U.S. Army

The U.S. Army must match the intensity of its adversaries regarding technology and the speed of data by focusing on its soldiers’ and civilians’ skill sets. It is critical that units do not wait for the Department of Defense, service headquarters, and senior leaders to order the participation in generalized data literacy programs. Rather, each unit must take charge of its own literacy in a way that is customized to its unique mission requirements.

Article published on: 25 August 2023

 

The Tank is Dead … Long Live the Tank

 

Maj. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard, U.S. Army

Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Feltey, U.S. Army

Lt. Col. John M. Nimmons, U.S. Army

Maj. Austin T. Schwartz, U.S. Army

Dr. Robert S. Cameron

It is premature to draw conclusions on the continued efficacy of tanks and armored formations based on recent conflicts. Tanks will continue to be a tremendous battlefield asset when employed properly.

Article published on: 17 August 2023

 

The 11th Airborne Division Reborn: Arctic Angels

 

Maj. Gen. Brian S. Eifler, U.S. Army

Natalie M. Hardy

The 11th Airborne Division, reactivated in 2022, is capable of operating in the Arctic, in mountainous terrain, and in other extreme cold weather areas while maintaining readiness for global deployments.

Article published on: 08 August 2023

 


July 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Responses to Gender Bias and Discrimination among Women Officers

 

Col. Adrian “A. J.” Sullivan, U.S. Army

Allison Abbe, PhD

A study examines women officers’ experiences regarding gender in the Army and provides recommendations to build a more gender-inclusive Army culture.

Article published on: 28 July 2023

 

The More Things Change … Russia’s War in Ukraine Mirrors the Past as Much as It Shows the Future

 

Lt. Col. John Q. Bolton, U.S. Army

This article discusses observations and implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The most intense fighting in Europe since World War II provides insights that should inform defense doctrine, equipping, and training.

Article published on: 20 July 2023

 


June 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Fifty Years Strong: The All-Volunteer Force of the United States Military and Resolving the Recruiting Crisis

 

Alan Chase Cunningham

While conscription was a fact of life in many of the U.S. conflicts, the United States has still overwhelmingly been an all-volunteer force, which has been the dominant method of military recruiting for decades. Some believe a return to conscription is warranted to solve the Army’s current recruiting problems, but this short-term solution will weaken America’s defenses rather than strengthen them.

Article published on: 30 June 2023

 


May 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Nanoenergetic Materials for Microscale Tactical Applications

 

James J. Valdes, PhD

Richard S. Potember, PhD

Diane M. Kotras, MS

Military missions require small energy-dense formulations to power future generations of miniature autonomous systems and satellites, and to provide sufficient destructive energy yields in small explosive payloads.

Article published on: 23 May 2023

 

Heard, Understood, Acknowledged

 

Maj. Aaron Lawless, U.S. Army

The word “hooah,” according to at least one version of the legend, began life as the acronym H-U-A for “heard, understood, acknowledged.” Hooah, then, implies three steps of a four-step process: receive the message, process the message, acknowledge receipt of the message, and then act on the message. The recent Military Review article “We Hear You!” accomplishes the first step of this process.1 The article leads with a summary of senior captains’ published frustrations with command, indicating receipt of message. After summarizing, however, the article demonstrates that the full point is not completely understood.

Article published on: 16 May 2023

 


April 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

Everyone Is a Chef: Cooking as an Analogy to Explain Operational Art

 

Maj. Chris Adams, British Army

This author uses cooking as a tangible and easily understood analogy to help newly promoted field grade officers understand operational art. In doing so, it provides a model that explains tactics, strategy, operational approaches, ends, ways, means, and risk.

Article published on: 19 April 2023

 

We Hear You, but You’re Wrong: In Response to “We Hear You!”

 

Lt. Col. Matthew L. Jamison, U.S. Army

The author provides an alternative view of the problems with junior officer retention from what is discussed in “We Hear You!” by Lt. Gen. Milford Beagle Jr. et al.

Article published on: 13 April 2023

 

Leading Successful Organizations—Relationships Matter

 

Brig. Gen. Mark A. Holler, U.S. Army

A general officer shares his insights and some of the lessons he learned over his career and discusses the importance of subordinate leader development by senior leaders.

Article published on: 13 April 2023

 

Developing Leaders of Character: Whose Job Is It?

 

Dr. Stephen J. Finn

The author argues against the concept that faculty instructors at both West Point (and Service Academies in general) are responsible for the character development of cadets through attempted integration of character development measures into the curricula of the specialized fields of study they teach (e.g., integrating character development into math and physics courses). The author acknowledges and briefly outlines the concerns causing debates on this issue and then offers a possible solution to both sides by recommending that a department specializing in character development be established with a core mission of fostering character development through focused course work and other directed activities.

Article published on: 06 April 2023

 


March 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

The Graveyard of Command Posts: What Chornobaivka Should Teach Us about Command and Control in Large-Scale Combat Operations

 

Lt. Gen. Milford “Beags” Beagle, U.S. Army

Brig. Gen. Jason C. Slider, U.S. Army

Lt. Col. Matthew R. Arrol, U.S. Army

To fight and win on the modern battlefield in large-scale combat operations, Army command posts must become more flexible, agile, and resilient while not sacrificing effectiveness.

Article published on: 28 March 2023

 

We Hear You!

 

Lt. Gen. Milford H. Beagle Jr., U.S. Army

Lt. Col. Michael Soyka, U.S. Army

Maj. Lasherdo Harris, U.S. Army

Capt. Sean Robishaw, U.S. Army

The Combined Arms Center commander and three other officers address the dissatisfaction voiced by junior officers concerning careers, the challenges of command time, and shortfalls in professional military education. The authors provide insights from their experiences on how an Army career evolves and how to reframe experiences across that career.

Article published on: 27 March 2023

 

End the Professional Military Education Equivalency Myth: Restructure the Army Captains Career Course Based on Best Practices for Distributed Learning

 

Maj. William L. Woldenberg, U.S. Army Reserve

The Army Distributed Learning Program fails to meet the shared vision established in 2020 by the Joint Chiefs of Staff because of insufficient course design and counterproductive policies and doctrine, damaging the quality of education experienced by both Active and Reserve Component officers.

Article published on: 27 March 2023

 

Peace Games: Preparing U.S. Officials for Challenges and Opportunities Abroad

 

Kathryn Elliott

Thomas P. Sheehy

with Ambassador David C. Miller Jr., Retired

The uniformed services conduct war games of various scales and varieties as an integral part of training their personnel, but there is no equivalent that allows civilians to practice winning the peace. The Peace Game can address that shortcoming.

Article published on: 17 March 2023

 

Reimagining Homeland Defense: A Need for an Integrated Approach

 

Col. Timothy Teague, U.S. Army, Retired

Maj. Duncan E. Braswell, U.S. Army

Given the complexity of the current global environment and the expanding, holistic capabilities of our competitors, particularly the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia, the United States must approach deterrence in a new way.

Article published on: 06 March 2023

 

Russian Antiwar Music in American Perspective

 

Dr. Robert F. Baumann

Numerous Russian bands and rock stars are using their music to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Like in the United States during the Vietnam War, antiwar music has become their principal medium of political protest against the actions of the regime.

Article published on: 03 March 2023

 


February 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

A Roadmap to Launching Survey Operations Within the U.S. Department of Defense

 

Karl G. Feld

E. Lee Hill

Victoria A. Leoni

The Defense Media Activity seeks to employ surveys, focus groups, and other applied social science methods to generate new data to inform the organization’s strategic initiatives and improve its services to the DOD public affairs enterprise.

Article published on: 17 February 2023

 

A Military Lesson Plan to Justify the Special Military Operation in Ukraine

 

Aleksandr Perendzhiev

Translated and Foreword by Ray Finch

A Russian educator provides the Russian perspective on and justification for that country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Article published on: 06 February 2023

 


January 2023 Online Exclusive Articles

 Developing Insight: Personal Anecdotes from OEF XIII

Capt. Andrew J. Baer, U.S. Army

A junior officer provides insights from his time as a member of a security force advise and assist team in Afghanistan.

Article published on: 25 January 2023

 

Food Resiliency in Moldova: Assessment and Lessons from Ukraine

 

Maj. Jamie Critelli, U.S. Army Reserve

Capt. Gustavo Ferreira, PhD, U.S. Army Reserve

Many lessons have been learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine to include the growing awareness of the need for resilient civil societies that are prepared to deal with shocks and will likely bounce back after a crisis.

Article published on: 19 January 2023

 

It’s an Image Problem: How Vietnamization Affected the PSYOP Mission

 

1st Lt. Kyle K. Rable, U.S. Army Reserve

Vietnamization, the process of shifting combat operations in Vietnam from U.S. to South Vietnamese forces, negatively impact the conventional units in the field and the psychological operations mission in particular.

Article published on: 09 January 2023