Archive for November, 2012

Don’t box in the red team

It must be free to truly challenge the organization

Red teaming is a white light that takes on various characteristics as it shines through the prism of different organizations. Some teams focus …

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Unloved aerial vehicles

Gutting its UAV plan, Air Force sets a course for irrelevance

In early 2011, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned that the Air Force, which had bowed to pressure to fly more unmanned …

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Help troops save

Simple fixes can put them on the right financial road

It is military leaders’ responsibility to take care of their troops, and that includes setting them up for success when they leave. …

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The cyber terror bogeyman

We have let our fears obscure how terrorists really use the Internet

About 31,300. That is roughly the number of magazine and journal articles written so far that discuss the phenomenon of …

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Defending cyberspace

To Defense secretary Leon Panetta for establishing a baseline cybersecurity doctrine for the U.S. military and for simultaneously pressing Congress to do its part to shape national policy on the issue.

Panetta’s …

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Paper dragon

Worry less about China’s rise than its fall

Current U.S. security policy and the “strategic pivot” toward Asia are rooted in the premise that China’s rise to economic and military power threatens …

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Culture-savvy Marines

To the Marine Corps for requiring all new sergeants to get culture-and-language training.

Starting last month, Marines who ascend to E-5 and above enroll in familiarization courses focusing on one of 17 …

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In this issue

Dissent is always difficult, yet history is rife with examples of people who spoke out against consensus and saved the day. In a military context, dissent is especially tricky. Good commanders value …

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Flying backwards

To the Air Force for attempting to return to the thrilling days of yesteryear, when manned jets ruled the skies.

Looks like Bob Gates called this one. A few months before he …

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Back to basics

The Army must reinforce standards of discipline

Nearly two years into the Army Profession campaign, this systematic effort to identify and promote key principles has assessed the service’s strengths and weaknesses, identified …

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