In this episode the team discusses urban warfare with Professor John Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern Warfare Center. If you liked Professor Spencer's points and want to learn more about Urban Warfare check out his podcast or book below, along with some other books he suggests. John Spencer's Podcast: Urban Warfare Project Podcast https://mwi.westpoint.edu/category/podcasts/urban-warfare-project-podcasts/ Book Recommendations: Understanding Urban Warfare: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63133593-understanding-urban-warfare Block by Block: The Challenges of Urban Operations https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14611374-block-by-block Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83814899-conflict

In this episode we discuss Space Operations with LTC Jerry Drew one of the principal authors on a new book titled "The Battle Beyond: Fighting and Winning the Coming War in Space" Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199444232-the-battle-beyond?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=fAQSRO9bAC&rank=1

The team speaks with Dr. James Platte about Deterrence Theory.

LTC Broyles discusses his "Counter-Punch" Theory of warfare and how we can use it as a offensively minded, but defensively postured military force. The subject of this episode was published in the November to December issue of Military Review. Check it out at the following link. https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/English-Edition-Archives/November-December-2023/Counterpunching-to-Win/ Guest Book Recommendation: 4th and Goal Every Day: Alabama's Relentless Pursuit of Perfection (Phil Savage, Ray Glier, et al) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34996158-4th-and-goal-every-day?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Q48rgtEDpo&rank=1

We continue to explore the topic of Napoleon as a historical figure as well as our thoughts on the upcoming movie. If you have not listened to episode 18, we encourage you to do so before listening to this one. In this episode we discuss the movie and what we hope to see visualized for audiences. We also discuss the influences that Napoleon has had on modern operational thought, as well as the differences that the military finds itself in today's security environment. Book Recommendation: Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century (P.W. Singer) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6098718-wired-for-war Podcast Recommendations: A Confused Heap of Facts (Dr Abel's Podcast) @ https://open.spotify.com/show/4umHPpMClIU6Oi6eGIKPMv Age of Napoleon @ https://open.spotify.com/show/6xbzk3HMnP0pRohjm6hBvz The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US government.

In today's episode we start our first of two episodes discussing Napoleon and some myths and beliefs about him as a military genius. We discuss the rise of Napoleon and his actions as the leader of the French Military and the changes Napoleon implemented on the military. Check out Dr. Abel's Podcast @ https://open.spotify.com/show/4umHPpMClIU6Oi6eGIKPMv The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US government.

Today we have Doctor Dan Cox of SAMS, focused on the future of warfare, including future information warfare adaptations, the role of cost and emerging trends and capabilities, reemerging trends like trench warfare and implications for our future force. Dr. Cox's Books: Terrorism, Instability, and Democracy in Asia and Africa (Northeastern Series on Democratization and Political Development) Human Terrain Systems and the Moral Prosecution of Warfare Population-Centric Counterinsurgency: A False Idol? Stability Economics: The Economic Foundations of Security in Post-conflict Environments https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2959825.Dan_G_Cox Book Suggestions: Red Team Handbook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50436277-the-red-team-handbook---the-army-s-guide-to-making-better-decisions?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Vaa7l9G1aM&rank=1 The Hundred-Year Marathon : Michael Pillsbury https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20696000-the-hundred-year-marathon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=472MucSVFL&rank=1 LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media: P.W. Singer, Emerson T. Brooking https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38242140-likewar?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_7 Networks of Rebellion: Paul Staniland https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18848754-networks-of-rebellion?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21 The Logic of Violence in Civil War: Stathis N. Kalyvas https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/275420.The_Logic_of_Violence_in_Civil_War?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17 Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100: Michio Kaku https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492907-physics-of-the-future?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_21 Cyber Persistence Theory: Redefining National Security in Cyberspace: Michael P Fischerkeller, Emily O. Goldman, Richard J. Harknett, etc. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60371210-cyber-persistence-theory?ref=nav_sb_ss_2_13 The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity: Byron Reese https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297413-the-fourth-age The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall: Ian Bremmer https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125226.The_J_Curve?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_11 The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US government.

On Episode 16 of the Operational Arch, Major General Costanza provides insight and perspective for future division planners and discusses what he learned from his time leading the Third Infantry Division. When we discussed operational art, Major General Costanza highlighted the utility of time and space and future operations. We hope you enjoy the conversation Book Recommendations Paris, 1919: Six Months that Changed the World (Margaret MacMillan, Casey Hampton) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26348.Paris_1919 War Transformed (Mick Ryan) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59810166-war-transformed Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Paul Scharre) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61089453-four-battlegrounds The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History (Serhii Plokhy) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63326676-the-russo-ukrainian-war Mahan, Corbett, and the Foundations of Naval Strategic Thought (Kevin D. McCranie) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57141105-mahan-corbett-and-the-foundations-of-naval-strategic-thought Airpower Reborn (John Andreas Olsen) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25365163-airpower-reborn The views and expressions heard here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of SAMS, the US Army or the US Government.

Security Assistance is a big topic to cover in 30 minutes. BG Nicholson provides comments on how the US does it, and how it applies to Operational Art. Covering topics from Foreign Military Sales to how do we recruit and retain talent. Links to Book Recommendations: Lakota America: A New History of Indigenous Power Pekka Hämäläinen https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44310208-lakota-america?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VqTk7VxRkv&rank=1 Podcast: How I built this: The Tetris Company: Henk Rogers (Link below to Spotify, but can be found on your favorite Podcast Platform) https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1f66cfb2-1d79-4d4b-b9b1-ddbde6a77bcf/episodes/aadc6906-4381-49a9-9ef3-7dcf8329d1de/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz-the-tetris-company-henk-rogers

In this episode we say goodbye to last year's hosts, and introduce our new hosts. We also briefly go over what you as our listener can expect for content over the next year. New Hosts: J.D. Corless, Active Duty Air Force Tom Haydock, Army National Guard Sheila Holder. Active duty Army Military Brian Lander. active-duty Marine Officer Jesse Valles, Army National Guard Aaron Warren, Active-duty Space Force

Season 1, Episode 14 of the Operational Arch. This is part two of our conversation with guest Mr. Sebastian Bae where he talks about Wargaming and its utility to military planning and training. In this episode, Sebastian explains how to integrate board games into your units training. He also talks about the processes of incorporating moral, ethical, and diverse decision making into board game design. Mr. Bae is an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Strategic Studies. He serves as the co-chair of the Military Operation Research Society (MORS) Wargaming Community of Practice. Formerly Sebastian served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry and deployed to Iraq in 2009. He is the developer of the game Littoral Commander, and has been published in War on the Rocks, Strategy Bridge, Task and Purpose, The Diplomat, and Georgetown Security Studies Review. His professional focus is wargaming, emerging technologies, future warfighting concepts, and strategy and doctrine for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Links to Mr. Bae’s Publications: - Put Educational Wargaming in the Hands of the Warfighter. https://shorturl.at/dqsGH - Promise Unfulfilled: A Brief History of Educational Wargaming in the Marine Corps. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/JAMS_Fall2021_12_2_web.pdf - Forging Wargamers. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Forging%20Wargamers_web.pdf MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/us.sams/ Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1, Episode 13 of the Operational Arch. This is part one of our conversation with guest Mr. Sebastian Bae where he talks about Wargaming and its utility to military planning and training. Sebastian argues that Wargaming is useful as an educational tool, not necessarily as an outcome generator or simulator. Sebastian also talks about where and how he believes wargaming should be used in the military planning process and how scope and focus influence the creation of a board game. Mr. Bae is an adjunct assistant professor at Georgetown University’s Center for Strategic Studies. He serves as the co-chair of the Military Operation Research Society (MORS) Wargaming Community of Practice. Formerly Sebastian served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry and deployed to Iraq in 2009. He is the developer of the game Littoral Commander, and has been published in War on the Rocks, Strategy Bridge, Task and Purpose, The Diplomat, and Georgetown Security Studies Review. His professional focus is wargaming, emerging technologies, future warfighting concepts, and strategy and doctrine for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Links to Mr. Bae’s Publications: - Put Educational Wargaming in the Hands of the Warfighter. https://shorturl.at/dqsGH - Promise Unfulfilled: A Brief History of Educational Wargaming in the Marine Corps. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/JAMS_Fall2021_12_2_web.pdf - Forging Wargamers. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Forging%20Wargamers_web.pdf MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/us.sams/ Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 episode 12 of the Operational Arch is part two of our conversation with guest Dr. Ben Zweibelson where he talks all things Center of Gravity. Ben argues that Centers of Gravity insufficiently prepare us to understand the emergent systems spawned when two opposing forces collide, and offers some alternative constructs we might use to make sense of increasingly complex systems. Dr. Zweibelson is the Director for the U.S. Space Command’s (USSPACECOM) Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG). Previously, Ben was the lead design educator/facilitator for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) through the Joint Special Operations University. A retired U.S. Army Infantry officer and veteran of multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben has an undergraduate degree (BA in Fine Arts) in Graphic Design from the University of Connecticut, three different master’s degrees (Louisiana State University, Air Command and Staff College, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies) and a doctorate in Philosophy from Lancaster University (UK). Ben is also the author of the recently released book "Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation." Through the month of July '23, use code SMA35 to get 20% off physical and digital copies of his book "Understanding the Military Design Movement." https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-the-Military-Design-Movement-War-Change-and-Innovation/Zweibelson/p/book/9781032481784 Links to Dr. Zweibelson's Publications: - Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation https://a.co/d/eotFjmb - "Rhizomes: In Paradox to ‘Centers of Gravity’ and Centralized Hierarchies in War" https://aodnetwork.ca/rhizomes-in-paradox-to-centers-of-gravity-and-centralized-hierarchies-in-war/ - Part 1 and Part 2 of the "Looking to the Future" section in JAMS Vol 13, no. 2 https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/MCU-Journal/JAMS-vol-14-no-1/ MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 episode 11 of the Operational Arch is part one of our conversation with guest Dr. Ben Zweibelson where he talks all things Center of Gravity. Ben offers a deconstruction of COGs by taking a look at the models the concept is born from, and why those models might explain why COG analysis may be becoming less relevant as the systems around us become increasingly complex. Dr. Zweibelson is the Director for the U.S. Space Command’s (USSPACECOM) Strategic Initiatives Group (SIG). Previously, Ben was the lead design educator/facilitator for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) through the Joint Special Operations University. A retired U.S. Army Infantry officer and veteran of multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben has an undergraduate degree (BA in Fine Arts) in Graphic Design from the University of Connecticut, three different master’s degrees (Louisiana State University, Air Command and Staff College, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies) and a doctorate in Philosophy from Lancaster University (UK). Ben is also the author of the recently released book "Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation." Links to Dr. Zweibelson's Publications: - Understanding the Military Design Movement: War, Change, and Innovation https://a.co/d/eotFjmb - "Rhizomes: In Paradox to ‘Centers of Gravity’ and Centralized Hierarchies in War" https://aodnetwork.ca/rhizomes-in-paradox-to-centers-of-gravity-and-centralized-hierarchies-in-war/ - Part 1 and Part 2 of the "Looking to the Future" section in JAMS Vol 13, no. 2 https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/MCU-Journal/JAMS-vol-14-no-1/ MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Kesley Kurtz, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 episode 10 of the Operational Arch is part two of our conversation with guest Dr. Jim Greer as he takes us on a deep dive into John Boyd and his Patterns of Conflict. We continue our conversation on how we should engage Boyd, and explores how John Warden's Five Rings theory collates with Boyd's theories. Boyd and Warden's theories remain complimentary in that they take a systems approach to understanding warfare, and may well be last pair of military theorists whose ideas substantively impacted how the U.S. Army conducts operations. Dr. Greer is currently a professor at the Advanced Military Studies Program. He served thirty years in the US Army, commanded at all levels from platoon through Brigade, is a prior director of SAMS, and is a veteran of six combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and the Balkans. Dr. Greer retired as a COL and holds a Doctorate in Education from Walden University. Link to Boyd's Patterns of Conflict slide deck: http://www.projectwhitehorse.com/pdfs/boyd/patterns%20of%20conflict.pdf MAJs Kesley Kurtz and Josh Bedingfield are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 episode 9 of the Operational Arch is part one of our conversation with guest Dr. Jim Greer as he takes us on a deep dive into John Boyd and his Patterns of Conflict. He explains how we tend to get caught up in Boyd's OODA loop, often at the expense of Boyd's other insights into the nature and character of conflict. He explores the concept of the OODA loop as a point of departure and offers a perspective we should think about and employ Boyd's theories in a more complete way to help make sense of complexity and find advantage. Dr. Greer is currently a professor at the Advanced Military Studies Program. He served thirty years in the US Army, commanded at all levels from platoon through Brigade, is a prior director of SAMS, and is a veteran of six combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and the Balkans. Dr. Greer retired as a COL and holds a Doctorate in Education from Walden University. Link to Boyd's Patterns of Conflict slide deck: http://www.projectwhitehorse.com/pdfs/boyd/patterns%20of%20conflict.pdf MAJs Kesley Kurtz and Josh Bedingfield are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 Episode 8 of the Operational Arch is the final episode in our limited series exploring the pillars of operational art. Our guests this week are COL Andrew Morgado, the Director of the School of Advanced Military Studies, and Dr. Bruce Stanley, the Director of the Advanced Military Studies Program. They explore the relationship between practice and experience, how history, doctrine, and theory inform the practitioner, and how operational art remains ever the same even as our understanding of it changes in light of our experiences. Moreover, they offer an inside look on what the future of SAMS holds and some insight into what they are looking for in future students of the program. Below is a list of sources that provide some further reading for topics discussed in this episode. Norman Maclean's "Young Men and Fire:" https://a.co/d/ehMQT03 MAJs Ksley Kurtz and Josh Bedingfield are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 Episode 7 of the Operational Arch is the third episode in our limited series exploring the pillars of operational art. We peel back the unique role doctrine plays in conducting operational art and training operational artists. Our guest, COL (Ret.) Rich Creed, discusses how history and theory informs doctrine, which theorists and history were key in developing "Multi-Domain Operations," the U.S. Army's new operating concept, and why a common language is so important when dealing with complex problems. COL (Ret.) Creed is the Director of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, or CADD, at Fort Leavenworth. While serving, COL Creed was an armor officer and commanded at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. He is a 2002 graduate of the Advanced Military Studies Program at SAMS, and a 2011 graduate of the US Army War College. **Disclaimer: We experienced some technical difficulties while recording this episode and the audio is not as clean as we would like, or our audience expects. We published the episode in the best form possible. Thank you for your understanding. Below is a list of sources that provide some further reading for topics discussed on this episode. Combined Arms Directorate: https://usacac.army.mil/organizations/mccoe/cadd Army Publishing Directorate: https://armypubs.army.mil/default.aspx "Deep Operations: Theoretical Approaches to Fighting Deep," https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/images/LSCO%20DeepOps%20book%20interactive%20with%20cover%20spread%2012Nov21.pdf. MAJs Josh Bedingfield and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 Episode 6 of the Operational Arch inspects the human dimension of the U.S. Army's multi-domain operating concept. Our guest, LTC Nate Finney, frames the discussion against the complex INDOPACOM operational environment and offers techniques on how planners and leaders should think about the human dimension to create relative advantage. LTC Finney is the creator and co-founder of The Strategy Bridge, a founder of the Military Writers Guild, and a founding member of the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum. He is the co-editor and author of Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics and the editor and an author of On Strategy: A Primer. He regularly contributes to the Project on International Peace & Security, Military Strategy Magazine, the Military Writers Guild, and the Council on Foreign Relations. LTC Finney is a graduate of the SAMS ASP3 program and recently earned his PhD in history from Duke University. LTC Finney also holds masters degrees in History from Duke University and Public Administration from Harvard University and the University of Kansas. MAJs Kelsey Kurtz, Josh Bedingfield, and Dan Warner are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. On Strategy: A Primer https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/on-strategy-a-primer.pdf Redefining the Modern Military: The Intersection of Profession and Ethics https://www.amazon.com/Redefining-Modern-Military-Intersection-Profession/dp/1682473635 School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield

Season 1 Episode 5 of the Operational Arch focuses on how irregular warfare fits into the operational level of war and operational art. Our guest, COL (Ret.) Derek Jones, representing the Irregular Warfare Center, discusses how irregular warfare is just one aspect of an irregular approach to campaigning and provides insights on how to perceive and frame irregular operations across the range of military operations. COL Jones is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces officer, special plans officer for the Irregular Warfare Center, Chief Strategy Officer of Valens Global, a 2009 graduate of the Advanced Military Studies Program at SAMS, and 2017 graduate of the U.S. Army War College. He is a well-respected subject matter expert in irregular and unconventional warfare with decades of operational experience spanning the globe. Derek holds four master's degrees from the U.S. Army CGSC, American Military University, SAMS, and the U.S. Army War College. MAJs Josh Bedingfield and Jonathan Janos. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have. Irregular Warfare Center: https://irregularwarfarecenter.org School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield