The term "cohesion" features prominently in discussions of military effectiveness, especially at the small-unit level. We all know intuitively what it means, but understanding how to develop and nurture it in practice is a challenge. That's even more true as technological advancement continues to make constant connectivity with the outside world easier, even from a battlefield. How do soldiers' stresses from home impact cohesion? What about when soldiers no longer process shared traumatic experiences together? John Spencer spent twenty-five years as an infantry soldier and officer, including leading troops in combat. His new book, Connected Soldiers, is based on both his personal experience and deep research. He joins this episode to discuss how unit cohesion affects military performance and how leaders can foster its development.
In this episode, Capt. Jake Miraldi speaks to Col. Jonathan Neumann, the director of West Point's Department of Military Instruction and previously the commander...
The recent death of Ayman al-Zawahiri marks a rare inflection point for a terrorist organization that has had just two leaders in the more...
This is a sneak peek at the newest podcast series we're launching at the Modern War Institute: the Urban Warfare Project podcast. Each episode...