This book describes the changes in leadership and organization for the Army of the Potomac. The author explores the reasons for the changes and shows them in 23 pictorial organization charts.
Major General William F. (Baldy) Smith was a genuine, but largely unsung hero of the Civil War. After he devised and carried out the plan that saved the Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga, General Grant said," He [Smith] is possessed of one of the clearest military minds in the army; is very practical and industrious." Grant advocated making General Smith commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing General Meade. For a variety of reasons, that didn't happen. General Smith was then assigned to command the Eighteenth Corps of the Army of the James under Major General Benjamin F. Butler, the man Lincoln called "The Damnedest Scoundrel". Grant expected Smith, "to keep him [Butler] straight in military matters". It was an impossible task. Butler was powerful politically, and in a presidential year, could not be controlled. Eventually, either Butler or Smith had to go, and Smith lost out. This book is the story about the life of Major General Baldy Smith, Vermont hero.
In order to be a truly effective leader, it is necessary to learn as much as possible from the examples of history—the disasters as well as the triumphs. At Gettysburg, Union and Confederate commanders faced a series of critical leadership challenges under the enormous stress of combat. The fate of the nation hung in the balance. These leaders each responded in different ways, but the concepts and principles they applied during those traumatic three days contain critical lessons for today’s leaders that are both useful and applicable—whether those leaders manage operations at a large corporation, supervise a public institution, lead an athletic team, or govern a state or municipality. In the twenty-first century, leadership is the indispensable quantity that separates successful organizations from failures. Successful leaders communicate vision, motivate team members, and inspire trust. One must move both people and the collective organization into the future while, at the same time, dealing with the past. A leader must learn to master the dynamic requirements of decision-making and change.
Gettysburg is a defining moment in our history when two great armies were on a collision course with each other and with history. The Civil War is arguably the pivotal moment in American history. This great battle was crafted by leaders who would be the stuff of legend, even after 150 years. The struggle provides an excellent moment to study leadership in all of its complexity. The American code and culture cannot be understood without grasping the centrality of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln. We can look at battlefields and talk of tactics and strategy. We can talk about the intriguing leaders who led thousands of civilians-turned soldiers into a maelstrom that no one now can even imagine (Gettysburg incurred ten times the number of causalities as D-Day). However, the Civil War is much more than this. The Civil War defined who we are as a people (this country, made up of separate states, was forged into a single nation). What emerged in the struggle were some of the most prominent and revered leaders this country and the world has ever seen. Next to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln is the greatest leader in American history. At the little hamlet in south central Pennsylvania-the greatest leader and the greatest battle to be fought on American soil-where the battle's fulcrum lies, that convergence would be put into words. These were not just any words. They constituted the most elegant explanation ever placed before the American people regarding the nature and destiny of our nation.
Iron-Sharpened Leadership, Transforming Hard Fought Leadership Lessons into Action is a leadership book the reader will find valuable and inspiring. This leadership book is based on real-world operational experience including life and death decisions from the caldron of fierce combat. The book is peppered with inspirational stories along with actions one can take to become a more effective leader. Each chapter stands on its own and a leader will find valuable life-changing leadership lessons with the turn of every page.Gronski takes a values-based approach to leadership effectiveness and the book is oriented along the lines of his leadership philosophy which includes character, competence, and resilience.
Presents professional information designed to keep Army engineers informed of current and emerging developments within their areas of expertise for the purpose of enhancing their professional development. Articles cover engineer training, doctrine, operations, strategy, equipment, history, and other areas of interest to the engineering community.
Developing leaders through experience, formal training, and education is a long-standing hallmark of the U.S. Army. Maintaining its excellence as a developmental organization requires vigilance, however. Authorized strength and inventory mismatches, an inverse relationship between responsibility and formal developmental time, and sparse nonoperational development opportunities are serious challenges the Army must address. Doing so requires a talent development strategy firmly rooted in human capital theory. Such a strategy will recognize the value of continuing higher education, genuinely useful evaluations, and the signals associated with professional credentials.
The Challenge of Nation-Building examines the conditions that have allowed or prevented the U.S. Army to innovate for nation-building effectively. By doing so, it shows how military leadership and civil-military relations have changed.
• Practical advice on Army leadership and command • Fully updated with the latest information for officers of all ranks, branches, and components • Uniforms and insignia, duties and responsibilities, privileges and restrictions, courtesy and customs, posts and organizations, regulations and references • Color images of medals and badges
Air Force officers of all ranks, from cadets to generals, both active duty and reserves, will find this revised edition essential reading for a successful career. Fully updated with the latest changes to Air Force policy and procedure, this military reference guide includes: • Current guidelines for training, conduct, pay and benefits, decorations and awards, and more • Extensive updates to uniforms and insignia • Information on family services and benefits • Revised charts, illustrations, and sample forms
