When I taught at the National War College, an exercise required students to develop a national security strategy, then a national military strategy and finally a rough-cut at force-structure recommendations. Because the …

To the Marine Corps, the latest service to perform miserably at managing a complex, multibillion dollar program. The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, or EFV, went back to the drawing board after program costs …

In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in January, Defense Secretary Robert Gates pointed out that since the end of World War II, there have been nearly 130 studies on problems …

Your two-part cover story, “Starting over,” [January] was right on target. Phillip S. Meilinger, in his article “New principles for new war,” has done a great job updating the 20th-century principles of …

Killing is a necessary precursor to successful counterinsurgency

The six years of Operation Iraqi Freedom have seen a fundamental shift in how the U.S. military fights. In early 2003, the Rumsfeldian doctrine …

Since the administration of President Dwight Eisenhower, newly appointed American ambassadors have been given a presidential letter outlining their authority over U.S. government programs and personnel in the country to which they …

I agree with Gene Myers’ assertion that killing the effects-based operations construct is a mistake [“Don’t kill EBO,” November].

While serving as an officer on the U.S. Pacific Command staff in 2003, …

The shortfall of nuclear-powered attack submarines can be mitigated with conventional subs

U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) are key elements of the Navy’s striking power. They were critical during the Cold War …

At the tip of the spear of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Army Special Forces Maj. James Gavrilis found himself forced to rely on “common sense, the trust of Iraqis and …

Every American ambassador carries a letter establishing his or her authority over all U.S. government programs and individuals in the accredited country — except those under authority of a combatant commander. On …