The Battle of Mogadishu, known by many as "Black Hawk Down," lasted roughly 18 hours and cost the lives of 18 Americans and one Malaysian, along with many more allied troops wounded. Somali casualties were far higher, with some estimates nearing 700 dead or injured. Jonathan Carroll, author of Beyond Black Hawk Down, points out that this was just one day in a nearly two-and-a-half-year operation. He joins host and Editor-in-Chief JP Clark to discuss what he has deemed the most ambitious attem...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platform called Vantage to provide leaders with a "single pane of glass" view of friendly forces, includ...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
Every August, a fresh new cohort of students arrives on Carlisle Barracks to attend the resident course at the U.S. Army War College. The goal is to educate and develop these senior military and civilian leaders to serve at the strategic level, enhancing national and global security. Maria Gregory shares her hard-won tips for success with host Liz Woodworth. Maria began the 2024-2025 academic year feeling apprehensive but by the end felt transformed (for the best!) Maria hopes the lessons she...| War Room - U.S. Army War College
Sapriya McLendon, a 2024 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss her command of the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater) (MIB-T). The 513th MIB-T plays a critical role in providing the ground intelligence picture for CENTCOM, a task they've honed over two decades of continuous engagement in the Middle East. Their conversation delves into the unique aspects of the 513th MIB-T, including its data-centric organization and innovative u...| War Room - U.S. Army War College
Frank Sobchak, a retired Special Forces colonel and author of "Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan," joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the complexities of security force assistance (SFA). Their conversation delves into the challenges of measuring success in advisory missions and avoiding deeper U.S. combat commitments. Frank's research, based on five case studies (El Salvador, the Philippines, Colombia, Iraq, and Afghanistan...| War Room - U.S. Army War College
It's the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Christiana Crawford, Jody Daigle, and Amanda Raney as they examine the complex relationship between the United States and China. They joined podcast editor Ron Granieri to share their different yet complementary perspectives. Christiana emphasized the military's goal is to build strength to preserve peace , Jody drew paral...| War Room - U.S. Army War College
It’s the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Erik Sarson and Anna Scott as they examine the strength and importance of allies and partners. Erik is an Army Special Forces officer in the West Virginia National Guard, and he shared insights from his experience with the State Partnership Program. Anna is a British Army officer, and she speaks about the "special relati...| War Room - U.S. Army War College
How do cyber vulnerabilities impact modern warfare and statecraft? Craig Booth argues that the effectiveness of coercion, which relies on both the power to impose costs and the credibility of the threat, is weakened by vulnerabilities in digital and networked weapon systems. He joins host Darrell Driver to discuss how if an adversary believes they can hack, jam, or hijack U.S. capabilities, the ability to project power and influence their behavior diminishes. Booth notes that cyber risk is no...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
In the second half of their two-part episode, host Tom Spahr and Sean Shields discuss the Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. Shields details his experience leading the 20th Engineer Brigade and the critical importance of collaborating with other organizations like FEMA, the National Guard, and local officials. He notes this was a real-world application of his Army War College studies on defense support to civil authorities. The mission also marked the first use of the ...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
In response to the Western Front-like stalemate seen in the Ukraine war, the U.S. Army is getting innovative. Sean Shields, commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade, joins host Tom Spahr to discuss his unit's "Sand Hills Project," an initiative born from observing the mobility challenges faced by Ukrainian forces. The project’s goal is to figure out how to breach modern, complex obstacle belts and restore maneuver to the battlefield, all while keeping soldiers out of harm's way. To achieve th...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
From late 2024 to early 2025, numerous unidentified drones were reported over U.S. cities and military bases. While some of these "mystery craft" were later attributed to FAA-authorized research and other purposes, their presence highlighted the potential threat and vulnerability of defense and infrastructure facilities. Paul Lushenko, chief strategist for the U.S. military's Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), joined host Tom Spahr to discuss these concerns. Lushenko ...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
In May 2025, the U.S. Army War College hosted its fourth annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. The event featured General Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, as the keynote speaker. In a discussion with host Tom Spahr, General Brunson shared insights into his demanding role and the critical strategic importance of the Korean Peninsula. He underscored the necessity of reviving the "emotion" that motivated international su...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
Despite the fact that so many of them make it look easy, the daily lives of senior U.S. military leaders can be incredibly demanding. Laura Weimer examined how senior leaders manage their well-being (or, at times, struggle to do so) amidst these demanding careers, and she’s in the studio with host JP Clark to share her discoveries. Drawing from her research, Weimer highlighted the unique pressures of senior roles, including frequent relocations, intense scrutiny, and the weight of consequen...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
In a previous episode, we highlighted the Annual Army War College Strategy Competition. This week, host Tom Galvin speaks with a team from the Carlisle Scholars Program that used the competition as the opportunity to experiment with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for strategy formulation. Josh Aldred, Claudio Blardone, Robby Haugh, and Adam Schultz share their expectations and what actually happened and take-aways. Ultimately, the results underscored AI's potential to improve strateg...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
One of the interesting things is there's no agreement domestically among civilians and military or internationally about what strategy is. Each year, while the military senior service schools compete upon the fields of friendly strife in the event known as Jim Thorpe Sports Days, the U.S. Army War College hosts a different kind of contest: The Annual Army War College Strategy Competition. This contest pits teams from various U.S. military education institutions, international war colleges, an...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
It's time to talk about the Harding Project once again. The project is the Chief of Staff of the Army's (CSA) effort to renew professional publications, strengthen the profession, and ultimately enhance the warfighting capability of the U.S. Army. Jake Larkowich, Deputy Commandant of the U.S. Army War College and associate editor for War Room, stepped into the studio to share a senior leader perspective. He joins Editor-in-Chief, JP Clark, to discuss the importance of putting words to your th...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
Whether putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard, writing clarifies and improves ideas while also allowing those thoughts to be shared with others. But the idea of publishing one's thoughts can be intimidating. Why does it seem so hard to get thoughts down on paper? And how do you approach an editor? How do you even get started? Zach Griffiths and Theo Lipsky are in the studio to explain why you absolutely should share your ideas more widely. They join our Editor-in-Chief, JP Clark, to...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) recently hosted its 2025 Homeland Defense Symposium, gathering experts to tackle the complex issues of defending the homeland. A key focus was clarifying the difference between Homeland Security (law enforcement and emergency response) and Homeland Defense (military protection against external threats). Bert Tussing, Director of the Homeland Defense and Security Issues Group at the USAWC’s Center for Strategic Leadership, joined host Ron Granieri in the stu...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
Retired U.S. Army General Paul Nakasone recently addressed the resident class at the U.S. Army War College, and he also sat down for an episode of A Better Peace with host Tom Spahr. While reflecting on his time leading the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, Nakasone provides a fascinating peek into the world of cyber intelligence. He emphasizes the critical importance of integrating signals intelligence with cyber operations to maintain speed, agility, and unity of action...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
Ever wonder what goes into the President's Daily Brief (PDB)? It's not your average morning news. Stephanie Sellers, a former PDB briefer, is currently the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Representative to the U.S. Army War College and the General Walter Bedell Smith Chair of National Intelligence Studies. She joins host Ron Granieri to share her experiences, and describes the job as trying to keep up with “17 different soap operas at once.” This crucial intelligence update is delivered...| A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast
