A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

It’s time once again to feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. For over 50 years, the Eisenhower Program has reached out to colleges and town halls across the nation to introduce War College students to audiences that are often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. military. This episode features Qiana Harder, Seana Jardin, and Carina Kelley as they discuss their personal and professional experiences as women serving in the United States Army. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the challenges they've experienced during their time in the military, as well as to highlight the successes and opportunities they've encountered. With nearly seventy years of combined experience, these three soldiers point out that while there is still plenty of room for improvement, military service for women has come a long way. They believe there are plentiful opportunities open to the next generation of women for a successful, fulfilling career in the U.S. Army. And these three ladies prove that fighting like a girl is a good thing.

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, U.S. special operations forces (SOF) rose to the forefront of the American public's consciousness as the right tool for the task in Afghanistan. In the last several decades, there have been many changes to the structure, organization and makeup of SOF. In 2013, Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) created Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH), the theater special operations command (TSOC) for USNORTHCOM. In the studio today is Colonel Matthew Tucker, commander SOCNORTH, to explain just why the nation needs a TSOC on its own continent. Matt joins host Tom Spahr to explain how SOF detects, deters and disrupts threats throughout the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility through cooperation with SOF partners in Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas.

Whether putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, writing clarifies and improves ideas while also allowing those thoughts to be shared with others. But the idea of publishing one's thoughts can be intimidating. Why does it seem so hard to get thoughts down on paper? And how do you approach an editor? How do you even get started? Zach Griffiths and Theo Lipsky are in the studio to explain why you absolutely should share your ideas more widely. They join our Editor-in-Chief, JP Clark, to discuss publishing for professional purposes and the Chief of Staff of the Army's (CSA) Harding Project an effort to renew professional publications, strengthen the profession, and ultimately enhance the warfighting capability of the U.S. Army.

After all these years, many of the intricacies of the European Union remain a bit of a mystery. Even the relatively straightforward aspects of economic, legal, and regulatory union have many nuances of detail. But when it comes to matters of defense, then things get really complicated. What is the role of the EU in relation to both individual states and NATO, to which most but not all EU members also belong? Fortunately, we have an expert guide in Rear Admiral Henning Faltin, the Military Advisor at EU Delegations to the U.S. and to Canada. He joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to help explain what the EU does (and what it does not do) in Europe and around the world.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Despite a stunning victory over Iraq during Operation DESERT STORM, the U.S. Army of the 1990s was beset by doubts about its post-Cold War mission, the challenges of deployment quite different than what it had trained for, and the need to adapt to changing societal norms. David Fitzgerald has written about all of this and more in his recent book Uncertain Warriors: The United States Army between the Cold War and the War on Terror.. He joins guest host Carrie Lee in the studio for the next installment in our special series supporting the U.S. Army War College’s Civil-Military Relations Center.

Ten days after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Rear Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was named commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). He was quickly promoted to admiral, and his demonstrated leadership and strategic thought are worthy of in-depth study. Trent Hone has done just that, and his recent book, Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific, is an outstanding read about a fascinating military leader. Trent joins our editor-in-chief, JP Clark, in the studio to discuss the personal traits that made Nimitz effective, the evolution of his headquarters over the course of the war and how he leveraged his personal schedule and routine for success. It's a great discussion and a great read for future flag and general officers or anyone interested in senior leadership.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This episode was recorded in October 2023 but due to some technical difficulties we were unable to publish until now. It's still as relevant as the day it was recorded. It's time for another episode in our On Writing series, and joining host Michael Neiberg in the virtual studio is author and Russia specialist Jade McGlynn. Jade is the author of Russia’s War and Memory Makers: The Politics of the Past in Putin’s Russia, and her extensive study of Russian culture offers fantastic insights into Russia and Putin's motives in Ukraine. Their conversation delves into her initial interest in Russia and the academic career that led to a thorough understanding of Russia's actions in Ukraine present day.

General Randy George, Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA), has identified four priorities for the service during his tenure: building cohesive teams, delivering ready combat formations, continuous transformation and strengthening the army profession. Today's episode focuses on the profession, and we're pleased to have Allison Abbe and Ron Granieri in the studio to discuss the Army War College's efforts to support the CSA's priorities. They join Editor-in-Chief J.P. Clark to examine both the traditional elements of the profession as well as the adaptations that must occur in light of the changing character of war and an evolving society.

One of the benefits of being located so close to Washington, D.C., is that the U.S. Army War College has access to some of the nation's most senior leaders. Most recently, the Honorable Melissa Dalton addressed the Homeland Defense Symposium in Carlisle and took time out of her busy schedule to join podcast editor Ron Granieri for an intriguing conversation. Sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs on March 4, 2022, Secretary Dalton currently performs the duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. She shares how she found her way to the civil service and the challenges her office faces in pursuit of national defense priorities. Her portfolio includes Indo-Pacific Affairs, International Security Affairs, Space Policy, Special Operations Low-Intensity Conflict and Homeland Defense Hemispheric Affairs.

Depending on who you talk to, artificial intelligence (AI) will either be the ruination of mankind or its savior. As ever, the truth is likely somewhere between those extremes. It certainly will be important. For this reason, the Chief of the Staff of the Army (CSA) has charged Dr. Alexander Miller to find the necessary technology and tools so the Army can best understand and uses its masses of data. Alex is the CSA's Senior Advisor for Science and Technology, and he found the time to sit down with guest host Tom Spahr to discuss how the Army is approaching AI, machine learning, and other related technologies. The ultimate goal is to ensure the United States doesn't lose its advantages in decision-making in the intelligence world and on the battlefield.

Understanding the history, or perhaps more importantly, the treatment of history in China, is a critical skill for anyone seeking greater comprehension of the national security arena. Stephen Platt has spent a great deal of his career as a historian and author studying events like the Taiping Civil War and the Opium War in the nineteenth century. During his time researching these topics, he acquired an excellent understanding of culture and history in China, as seen by both the people and the government of China. And now he's in the studio with host Michael Neiberg for another episode in our On Writing series. Their conversation covers Stephen's books Imperial Twilight and Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom and how the perception of both historic events and their participants has changed over time in China.

What a society accepts as normal changes over time. As it does, inevitably the military organizations that protects that society adapt to reflect those changes. Throughout history, the U.S. military has both led and lagged societal changes. Heather Haley is in the studio to discuss how the Department of Defense has handled LGBT issues and the changing attitudes in American society. She joins guest host Carrie Lee for a conversation about the acceptance of lesbian, gay ,and bisexual service members and the ongoing discussion about transgender service members.

There are plenty of studies of armies at war or in pre-war periods as preparations were made for conflict, but the study of post-war armies, specifically the U.S. Army, is far less complete. Fortunately, we happen to know Brian Linn, a renowned scholar of the U.S. Army as an institution and the author of Real Soldiering: The US Army in the Aftermath of War, 1815–1980, and he's in the studio to discuss his body of research. He joins Editor-in-Chief J.P. Clark for a comprehensive conversation on the Army's behavior after multiple major conflicts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Brian shares his insights about the institution's actions and mindset following successive periods of preparation and execution, always resulting in drawdowns and often leading to the unintended loss and degradation of readiness and warfighting capabilities.

The boxes are unpacked, the books are on the shelves, both real and virtual, and the library is open for business in the new Root Hall at the U.S. Army War College. Greta Braungard and Heather Goyette are back in the studio with podcast host Ron Granieri to talk about everything they do to help students and faculty find the information they need. Whether it's the physical stacks or the digital ones, the new Knowledge Commons is the heart of academic research at the War College, and a great deal of thought has gone into making sure that searchability and accessibility are at the center of its functionality. Greta and Heather share the extensive efforts they and the entire team have taken to ensure that the library meets and exceeds the needs of its patrons, now and for years to come.

It's time for another episode in our special series supporting the U.S. Army War College’s Civil-Military Relations Center. This time, the conversation shifts beyond the borders of the United States and looks at the African continent. Comprised of 54 countries and numerous ethnic and linguistic groups, Africa has experienced 220 coup attempts since 1950, indicating a significantly different approach to civil-military relations than those commonly discussed in the Western world. Charles Thomas joins guest host Carrie Lee to examine the unique aspects of the relationship of African militaries to their political leadership. The conversation ranges from the formation of colonial armies to the internal and external threats many African countries have endured in an attempt to explain the modern-day power dynamic on the continent. This is the 7th episode in the series.

Whenever Kara Dixon Vuic comes through Carlisle, we are sure to bring her into the War Room for a conversation that never disappoints. She joins host Ron Granieri for a wide-ranging discussion about sex, gender, the military and society. They touch on everything from the different experiences of American Red Cross "Donut Dollies" and commissioned professionals in the Nurse Corps to the military leadership's complicated attitudes towards the "commodification of companionship." It's a great conversation that touches on the impact of human nature, societal norms, and the ever-changing conception of gender, and attitudes towards equality of the sexes.

Civilian control of the military is a foundational concept of democracy in the United States. In recent years, voices in the community that study the civilian-military relationship have raised concerns that civilian control is being slowly eroded away by the outsized participation of the military in national policy making. Todd Schmidt, Director, Army University Press, joins guest host Carrie Lee to share his thoughts on how the nation got here and what might be done to better balance the relationship. This is the sixth episode in our multi-part special series supporting the U.S. Army War College’s Civil-Military Relations Center.

One of the priorities of U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Randy George is war fighting, particularly the charge to refocus and prioritize efforts that build lethality and cohesive teams. This follows previous guidance from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to focus on war fighting, ideally through wargames, and from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to increase the classroom attention devoted to China, the Department of Defense's pacing challenge. Zenel Garcia and Tom Spahr join podcast host Ron Granieri to discuss how the Army War College has adapted its curriculum to incorporate all that guidance and to better prepare graduates. The class of 2024 is the first to experience the newly designed China Integrated Course, which combines discussions of Chinese history, politics and strategy with a practical war-fighting exercise to cap off the core curriculum.

Max Margulies is in the studio with guest host Carrie Lee for the fifth episode in our multi-part special series supporting the U.S. Army War College’s Civil-Military Relations Center. Max and Carrie discuss the relationship between the government and society when it comes to the use of the military. Whether it's peacekeeping operations versus declared war, the impact of casualties on public opinion, or the resources expended to prosecute international goals, today's discussion considers how much the views of the voting population play in the calculus of policy making. How does public opinion affect where, how and why U.S. officials prosecute foreign policy through the use of the military?

An exorbitant privilege. That is what French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing called the U.S. dollar's role as the global international reserve currency. That role brings many advantages but is it sustainable and worth any costs? What would it take for an alternative to emerge? The raising of the debt ceiling, the rise of China as a financial power and recent troubled economic times in the United States have many questioning the future of the U.S. dollar. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Rob Farley and Mark Duckenfield to discuss the realities of the power and place of the U.S. economy in the international market. They join podcast host Ron Granieri for a conversation about world finance. Their goal is to explain why debt is actually necessary, why the Chinese renminbi won't likely become the new reserve currency and how much gold could fit in Bliss Hall here at the War College.