Pardon the silence... it'll be over soon
An introduction of sorts while I finish up my main writing project
“May you live in interesting times” is an interesting expression. A brief lookup indicates that while it is commonly viewed as a Chinese curse, it may originate from a Chamberlain. No, not Neville Chamberlain, a name frequently referenced lately. It’s from his father, though Neville may be credited for popularizing the phrase. These are interesting times, indeed. And, unfortunate times, to be sure.
This Substack focuses on some of these interesting times, past and present. This post isn’t about any of that, though. Since there are a lot of new readers, I figure an introduction may be useful.
I never served in the military, though it had been my life’s dream. To make a long story short(-ish), when I was a sophomore in high school, my family hosted two First Class Middies when the first Army-Navy Game was held at the Rose Bowl because I was very interested in attending the Naval Academy. During my spring break, I bunked at the Academy for a week. Though I was the “guest” of those two seniors, I bunked with Plebes. I went to mess, walked the halls while others ran and made their hard turns, ate breakfast while watching the Plebes get questioned on the morning paper, went to classes, and was sold.
One of my best friend’s dad was a Marine Corps General (then in the Reserves), and he offered to help me get into the Academy. Things changed when my family and friends pushed hard for me not to go. I didn’t.
Fast forward to 9/11, and I decided it was now or never. I wanted to be a Marine Infantryman. I met with the recruiters and took the tests. They were eager to sign me up. I was old, but they said securing an age waiver wouldn’t be a problem since I was more fit than their 18-year-olds, so they said. (In the 2 years before, I did 3 Ironman triathlons, a couple of 50k trail races, frequently “fast-packing” in winter with a 45lb pack for running in the mountains to camp far away from trailheads, raced 3-mile ocean swims, was preparing to race—not just finish—the Bataan Memorial Death March in the heavy division1, etc.) But, between those meetings with the recruiters, I met a woman. She was way out of my league, and there was no reason she’d wait for me if I went in. There was only one more meeting with the recruiters to sign the final papers. I drove with her to the recruiters, asked her to stay in the car, and I went in to tell the recruiters my decision.
Whenever I regret not signing up that day or going against my family fifteen years before to fulfill my life’s dream, I think about that extraordinary woman, now my wife, and our two amazing kids.
I also think about the twenty years since then. It’s been my honor and privilege to be asked for my opinions on national security topics. As a result of that work, I have been honored to swear an oath to the Constitution twice in direct service to our nation. Though I was not wearing a military uniform, I took the responsibility seriously as I knew the work meant people lived or died. In 2000, I made friends at the Camp Pendelton Mud Run 10k. When I returned to the race in November 2001, I took 2nd in the Boots & Utes category, mainly because the serious competition (namely the Marine Recon guys) had shipped out. Many would never return.
I was never an important person, but I did get to walk the halls of the House and Senate office buildings to meet with Members and staff and was never denied the use of the Senate or House subway connecting the Capitol. I had meetings at the Pentagon, at State, and an office at State (which I moved from SA-5 to SA-44 to avoid prying eyes from SA-5 and HST). I spoke at the Army War College, FSI, countless DOD meetings and conferences, the NATO school in O-gau, NIU, and plenty of other places that thought I might know something useful. I was even called a “gray beard” for a capabilities-based assessment at DOD long before I had any gray (thankfully, another CBA didn’t refer to me as a gray beard). I had the honor of drinking from the Boot during an induction dinner related to JFKSWCS. I met many good men and women through the years. All the while, I pursued this work to serve my country and help those who serve our country, whether in the military service, foreign service, or other government service.
Everyone has their own story and trajectory. Mine isn’t interesting, but it has put me in interesting places and in interesting conversations. For example, I was in Kyiv at the end of January 2014 during a lull in the Euromaiden protests. Many forget that Russia’s Little Green Men invaded the next month and that the current “three-day war” is Moscow’s second invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has consistently broken agreements with Ukraine and over Ukraine, and every report about Russia should state that.
I was in Tblisi, Georgia, in 2018 to discuss information operations ten years after Moscow invaded that country. That invasion, long forgotten by too many, is another talking point that should be part of any reference to Russia. (I got in a couple of runs while in Tblisi, including one scenic route on which I somehow got a Strava Top 10 time for the Sarajishvili St Climb, .36mi at 18.8%… a time that is now the 45th top time.)
I couldn’t tell you why I felt reflective, and enough so to share this information publicly. It’s just some background describing my trajectory and why I write this Substack (and, honestly, partly to procrastinate).
Long ago, my work stopped being compensation for not wearing a uniform. Now, it’s about getting the real stories of the past out in the world so we can learn from them while doing away with—or at least undermining—the disinformation and misinformation that has recast that history not only inaccurately but in ways that debilitate or blind us to the present and the future.
I’ll close with a quote, or rather two, as I like to do.
In strengthening its control over East Central Europe, the Soviet leadership, like previous conquerors, has made the most of national disputes which divide its peoples, giving and withholding its support of national territorial claims in a manner best suited to enhance it own power. The extension of Soviet control in depth was facilitated by the adoption of extremist nationalist claims by the various local Communist Parties… The advance of Soviet power across most of East Central Europe found many long-standing disputes and a patchwork of conflicting national claims in being; it did not invent them… it has manipulated them ruthlessly to enhance its own monolithic control and to strengthen its chosen instrument of local rule.
Removing the geographic reference and changing “Soviet” to Russia makes this no less evergreen than leaving as is. Enough people should realize that. The statement, by the way, is from 1951, and it was neither new nor novel. Indeed, it was already an accepted fact. Five years earlier, a report for the White House following Kennan’s Long Telegram had this to say:
The Soviet Union was able to flow into the political vacuum of the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Near East, Manchuria and Korea because no other nation was both willing and able to prevent it. Soviet leaders were encouraged by easy success and they are now preparing to take over new areas in the same way.
There’s much to unpack and explain in these two statements (especially regarding Korea in 1946). But that’s for the PhD dissertation today and this Substack (proverbially) tomorrow.
The heavy division did not refer to my weight, it means wearing a 35lb pack (filled with stuff not found on the course, like rocks) for the 26.2 mile course through the White Sands Missile Test Range.
Thanks for sharing your story!