DeM Banter: If all of the sudden we are high-fiving ourselves for this great measure and budget cutting--isn't it interesting that no one is talking about the 900lb gorilla in the room or the very large pink elephant in the corner? None of these distinguished gentlemen are affected by the budget cuts and if we …
Becoming an Officer and a Gentleman By Mark Thompson
DeM Banter: The tone of this article is interesting... is the implication really that we don't need this sort of training--especially in this day and age? I very much recall the similar training we received at The Citadel and found it if the highest value (of course I have let much it it slip every …
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Fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq is in U.S. interests By James M. Dubik
DeM Banter: I know... we keep harping on this...but it is REALLY ALL ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY. Here's the big problem...the enemy has a very well thought out strategy that is fluid and adaptable...and we have none. The plan that Gen Dubik mentions below is something we have talked about for a long time.. AND...when …
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Army Takes On Its Own Toxic Leaders by Daniel Zwerdling
DeM Banter: So... if the Army is doing this...why not the USAF? There are many issues with the article below and I am not sure "toxic leaders" are the cause for all the issues mentioned--we are the military after all : there is discipline, there is rigor, and then there is hazing. THERE is NO …
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Airmen to be evaluated on how they create positive work environment By Tom Roeder
DeM Banter: I have been out of the office for a bit... but I did see the CSAF's email. So we are looking to update our Performance Report system to grade "dignity and respect?" Let me guess... it will be a Pass or Fail... and everyone will pass. If you don't --it will nuke your career …
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Is US losing global influence? By Niall Stanage and Carlo Muñoz
DeM Banter: It's all about strategy...when, where, how to engage. Without a clear strategy...it appears we are swatting a flies. The pivot east is one that still seems so incredibly off base when we look at the issues in the Mid-East. By no means can we ignore the East...but on the same note...one can not …
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An Ecosystem for Innovation and Bold Leadership: DeMarco Banter
I have heard it, I have read it, I have felt it, I have seen it, and I even smelled it…and I still don’t believe it. That is until I heard Gen Mark A. Welsh our USAF Chief of Staff say it… In his piece “The World’s Greatest Air Force, Powered by Airmen and Fueled by …
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2112…Are We There Yet? DeMarco Banter
The magnum opus for the progressive rock band Rush has to be the album and the story in their work 2112. The album is a tale of a dystopian society set in the year 2112. The album is oft times described as a concept album although the songs on the second side are unrelated to the …
Inside the Box: People don’t actually like creativity. By Jessica Olien
DeM Banter...and I get so tired of hearing how we need bold innovative leaders that are willing to make decisions...are they rewarded? Do we have the eco-system in place to even support them? View Original / The Slate In the United States we are raised to appreciate the accomplishments of inventors and thinkers—creative people whose …
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US Foreign Policy: Spin, or Spinning Out of Control? by Harald Malmgren
DeM Banter: Seems like a nice complimentary piece to the Amber Alert on US Foreign Policy from earlier today. I can't help but believe... it is all about Greater Good LEADERSHIP, Strategy, Mission, and Vision. When it becomes personal or about personal power...vice the greater good--it all gets sideways. Can anyone in the US articulate …
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