“If you want to talk to men, it doesn’t matter whether they are private soldiers or staff officers, if you want to talk to them as a soldier, and not as a politician, there are only two things necessary. The first is to have something to say that is worth saying, to know what you… Read More
“The state of ethical conduct is abysmal. Few battalion commanders can afford integrity in a zero defects environment. Telling the truth ends careers quicker than making stupid mistakes or getting caught doing something wrong. I have seen many good officers slide into ethical compromise.” Army Research Institute’s (ARI’s) command climate assessment, quoted in General Dennis… Read More
“There’s only one truth about war; people die.” Philip Sheridan (1831 to 1888) Philip Henry Sheridan was a US Army officer and Union general. He was a highly successful US cavalry officer whose driving military leadership in the last year of the American Civil War was instrumental in defeating the Confederate Army.
“The most rigid barrier to truth is the assumption you already have it.” Unknown Also presented as: “The only true barrier to truth is the presumption that you already have it.” “The only certain barrier to truth is the presumption that you already have it.”
“When duty and honour conflict – choose honour.” Unknown
The Five (US) Special Operations Forces Truths: Humans are more important than hardware. Quality is better than quantity. Special Operations Forces cannot be mass produced. Competent Special Operations Forces cannot be created after emergencies occur. Most special operations require non-SOF assistance (forgotten since 1989(ish), but resurrected in 2009). Adapted from the SOF Imperatives noted in… Read More
[What] has no survival value. “…since ‘pure’ truth not only does not exist, it has no survival value whatsoever.” (Wilden, 1972 & 1980, p.303). Although often credited to Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman talking about violent encounters (Buckeye Firearms Association, 2015): “Denial kills you physical, mentally, and financially. It has no survival value. Chew it up, spit… Read More
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