J.D.
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crackinherk.bsky.social
J.D.
@crackinherk.bsky.social
Amateur civ-mil, Practicing Jedi? Opinions my own.
Had the amazing opportunity to watch the Remembrance Day memorial at Fort Locin, BE. Wonderful ending to a whirlwind trip through Dunkirque, Iepres, Ghent, & Ardennes. Whether it’s Veterans Day or Remembrance Day to you, I’m thankful for the opportunity to take a moment to honor their sacrifices
November 11, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Talk about low-tech!
Article on French military pigeons.
October 5, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Pre-ordered, your turn #civmilsky
August 31, 2025 at 6:54 PM
@michaelkofman.bsky.social does a wonderful job as usual, but (and I’m hoping to hear this in part two) is a better analysis of the “integrated” part of IADS in as much as Ukraine and Iran were/not able to effect a sufficient defense. The (lack of) disaggregation of C2 plays a key role in both
What can Israel’s recent air campaign teach us about Russian airpower? The latest episode of the Russia Contingency breaks it down.

Listen here: warontherocks.com/ep...
June 20, 2025 at 7:29 PM
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
#civmilsky

A great primer for civmil from a mil focus. More importantly, happy to see SAMS, the podcast team, and in particular Dr Gorman (USAF retired) for a great episode
Civ-Mil Relations w/Dr. Scott Gorman (E42)
Podcast Episode · The Operational Arch · 06/01/2025 · 35m
podcasts.apple.com
June 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by J.D.
Marie not getting enough credit for everything Carl did really does prove it’s all just gender lol
May 29, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by J.D.
God does not play dice.

Mars does.
May 22, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Reposted by J.D.
Friends, I am so excited to share that my book is finally available for pre-order, and it’s CHEAP 😁
(They accidentally put up a cover image w an older version of the title - no “allegiance”)

www.bloomsbury.com/us/on-order-...
On Order, Authority, and Modern Civil-Military Relations
Lindsay P. Cohn reads Augustine from the perspective of modern civil-military relations, analyzing how Augustine's views on order, authority, war, peace, violen…
www.bloomsbury.com
April 23, 2025 at 2:28 AM
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/r...

Needed to hear this today. Been struggling with a paper I’ve been writing hung up on “being right” vs presenting a logical argument.

Just write, accept criticism, learn, write again.
A Discussion on Writing with Trent Lythgoe
Podcast Episode · Revolution in Military Affairs · 01/23/2025 · 43m
podcasts.apple.com
January 23, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by J.D.
Sometimes you’re in the Cuban missile crisis, sometimes you’re at Munich. Statesmanship is (to echo Clausewitz) having the coup d'œil to tell what situation you are in and whether your opponent can be managed or must be defeated.

Mere performance of “responsible” behavior is not enough.
January 1, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Cheers/Slainte/Prost to a just and worthwhile 2025
December 31, 2024 at 11:23 PM
In Bastogne visiting the museum, thankful to @doctrinatrix.bsky.social for her teaching about museums/context/messaging.

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Narrative, Operational Art, and Museums, w/ Nikki Dean (E25)
Podcast Episode · The Operational Arch · 05/15/2024 · 34m
podcasts.apple.com
December 30, 2024 at 1:15 PM
I would be terrified at the possibilities
December 25, 2024 at 6:55 AM
Can’t read this w/o hearing Net Assessment commentary @zackcooper.bsky.social
December 23, 2024 at 10:58 PM
Reposted by J.D.
23. the commander of the Special Warfare Command is conducting a YouTube live interview NOW. He has acknowledged Yoon's active role in deploying the military and stated that, even if Yoon attempts to mobilize the military again, the Special Warfare Command will not follow those orders.
December 6, 2024 at 3:01 AM
Fell down a rabbit hole and loved this thought experiment. If I were to add anything it would be understanding the contextual purpose of a strategy.

Is a state strategy to survive? Balance against hegemon? Expand for resources? Prepare for invasion? The answers frames the problem of strat dev
If you were building a three hour lesson on the theory of strategy for practitioners, how would you do it? Major ideas? Readings? Case studies?
December 4, 2024 at 4:30 PM
This is one of 100+ questions and follow-ons I have. Unfortunately, answers may have to wait 10-20 years for candid interviews and FOIA type releases to confirm much of the speculation.
1. Did social media influence decision making?
2. How were orders/responses briefed/justified?
So much more…
Happy speculation game for #CivMilSky: is/was this a way of appearing to comply with controversial orders while making sure to avoid bloodshed?
1/3 Most of the Korean SOF operators I saw at the National Assembly building had no magazines in their pistols, were carrying blue training magazines and had simunition bolt carriers in their rifles.

First here is an empty pistol with no magazine
December 4, 2024 at 4:16 PM
D. All of the above

The past few years I’ve been playing catch up but if I was to put anything down
Kant - Critique of Pure Reason / Metaphysics
Aristotle - Ethics / Politics
Mahan & Corbett
+ hundreds/thousands more
I used to run a study group for the military fellows at Stanford on books they’d pretended they’d read. Mahan always featured.
Books you haven’t read and feel shamed that you haven’t.
November 28, 2024 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by J.D.
AP has done some really good reporting on the issue of extremism in the military. The extent of extremism in the military is likely very low, but an unwillingness to examine the extent of the problem is troubling.

apnews.com/article/pent...
AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data
Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate...
apnews.com
November 27, 2024 at 1:54 PM
Notice no one says potatoes

Because potatoes are king
Ok what’s the most overrated thanksgiving food? I will start. Turkey.
November 23, 2024 at 1:50 PM
Reposted by J.D.
"This is the central paradox among military oath-takers in democracies undergoing a crisis: efforts to save democracy also require eroding it."

...I had some thoughts on civil-military relations and the upcoming democratic transition.

press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters/v...
The Military and Democratic Transition: Paradoxes of the Democratic Ethos
This article argues that existing attempts to define the democratic ethos fall short. The article examines different scholars’ definitions of the democratic ethos vis-a-vis the military, their positio...
press.armywarcollege.edu
November 21, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Read it, all of it, learn from it
I have to teach a class rn but will come back to this to explain
1) National Guard stuff
2) Domestic use of federal forces stuff
1st, this is a good example of "Do not comply in advance".

2nd, I need an explainer of how the whole "the federal govt takes control of the National Guard" thing works, legally and in practice

3rd, I also need explained the current state of the principle "federal armed forces cannot be police"
November 15, 2024 at 5:37 AM
Reposted by J.D.
The Strategy Bridge Archives remain free and open to the public; no paywall, no ads.

The Journal hosts thousands of articles on Civ-Mil Relations, National Security, International Relations, and Book Reviews.

Don’t forget to check out @prbeckman.bsky.social’s Podcast too!

thestrategybridge.org
The Strategy Bridge
The Strategy Bridge: a non-profit organization focused on the development of people in strategy, national security, & military affairs. Also publish a journal discussing strategy, national security, ...
thestrategybridge.org
November 11, 2024 at 1:01 PM
The past 24 hours has seen a massive migration. Welcome. I enjoy it more here, and hope you do too.

I post rarely. Someday I’ll have an article or book to promote (hopefully) but until then, my opinions are my own found here.

Apolitical ≠ nonpartisan, Boyd > Warden, air littoral doesn’t exist
November 10, 2024 at 6:38 PM
Reposted by J.D.
I suspect the issue of civ-mil relations and the military #profession will be topics of discussion in the coming year.

This book offers an evaluation of the major contributors to this body of work, as well as contemporary perspectives from practitioners, academics, and thinkers.
November 9, 2024 at 3:13 PM