From the Colonel
Too many news stories and articles on national security strategy and policy issues seem completely wrong and many fail to offer any supporting evidence or rationale. It seems those of us who have military and defense experience and expertise have a responsibility to engage in public debate on these important defense issues. So instead of continuing to write letters to the editor of this or that newspaper, magazine, journal or news blog, we decided to launch our own forum from which we can debate important issues affecting military effectiveness, national security and policy issues…based on supporting evidence and logic (i.e., no kool aid or blind beliefs). This blog invites thoughtful reasoned debate on important political, defense and strategy issues.
My perspective is based on a rather unique background and experience. I enlisted in the Air Force and served in munitions maintenance and aircraft maintenance career fields, rising through the ranks to master sergeant. Then, selected to attend Officer Training School (OTS), I served as a munitions maintenance officer, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officer and aircraft maintenance officer. I was fortunate to command at the flight, squadron and group levels, and served in all the major commands (including Strategic Air Command), joint defense agencies (Defense Nuclear Agency) and at every organizational level from a small EOD flight command to my last active duty position as the HQ Air Force, (Air Staff) division chief, Munitions, Missiles, Space & Communications division (AF/ILMW). I attended NCO Leadership School, the NCO Academy, Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) and the Senior Leader MIT Seminar XXI, ___________. Civilian academics included a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland University College, a MBA from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a PhD in Business Administration, Management from Northcentral University. I currently work as a senior defense analyst for a defense agency and teach as an adjunct instructor for several local colleges and universities.
We look forward to some lively and thoughtful debates on political, defense, security and strategy issues. Logic, rationale and supporting evidence are welcome but “feelings, random beliefs, bumper sticker or slogan speech” hamper useful dialog and will be critiqued. Welcome to the first post on Colonels’ Column, we look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions on important issues.
Larry Chandler, PhD, Colonel (Ret) USAF