Posted on Jun 5, 2015
Do you have any recommended reading for Junior Enlisted personnel?
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As a NCO or Officer can you recommend anything non-MOS related for lower enlisted soldiers to study or read over? All topics are welcomed.
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Professional Development
Enlisted
Professional Development Enlisted
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 61
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Man, that's a tall order.
If you haven't already done so, start by reading the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That's what you have sworn to defend, so you need to know what's in there.
In general, I recommend reading any military history you can get your hands on. Especially books or articles written by people who were there. Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War is a good start. Maybe Sun Tzu and Clauswitz. Be warned.....Clauswitz is a difficult read because translators are seldom good writers.
There are a lot of good books written by soldiers who are Iraq and Afghanistan vets. Read them.
Read any and every FM you can get your hands on.
If you can stand it, you might read books on psychology, both for its value as a leadership tool and as a weapon against the enemy. War is a thing of the mind. I particularly recommend Grossman's "On Killing" and any of his other works in the relatively new field of "killology."
Science fiction! A lot of the best SciFi writers seem to have a pretty good handle on conflict, and their stuff is interesting.
If you are looking for specific books to read, contact me offline. I will try to put together a list of stuff I have in my library.
If you haven't already done so, start by reading the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. That's what you have sworn to defend, so you need to know what's in there.
In general, I recommend reading any military history you can get your hands on. Especially books or articles written by people who were there. Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War is a good start. Maybe Sun Tzu and Clauswitz. Be warned.....Clauswitz is a difficult read because translators are seldom good writers.
There are a lot of good books written by soldiers who are Iraq and Afghanistan vets. Read them.
Read any and every FM you can get your hands on.
If you can stand it, you might read books on psychology, both for its value as a leadership tool and as a weapon against the enemy. War is a thing of the mind. I particularly recommend Grossman's "On Killing" and any of his other works in the relatively new field of "killology."
Science fiction! A lot of the best SciFi writers seem to have a pretty good handle on conflict, and their stuff is interesting.
If you are looking for specific books to read, contact me offline. I will try to put together a list of stuff I have in my library.
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LTC Jason Mackay
Recommend this book as a companion to the classics. Would also recommend using the translation the War Colleges use (parrett for Art of War as an example). http://www.amazon.com/Masters-War-Classical-Strategic-Thought/dp/ [login to see]
Amazon.com: Masters of War: Classical Strategic Thought (9780714681320): Michael I. Handel: Books...
Amazon.com: Masters of War: Classical Strategic Thought (9780714681320): Michael I. Handel: Books
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LTC (Join to see)
Reading the Constitution and Amendments is one thing, but understanding the contents requires reading the subsequent interpretation. The journey from the Constitution to where we are today follows a long path. You don't have to agree with the results, but not reading the jurisprudence is missing the majority of the information. Start with Marbury v. Madison.
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The Sergeant Major of the Army (previous) developed a recommended reading list by ranks. Lower enlistede E-1 through E-4 are covered here. This is the link: http://www.tradoc.army.mil/INCOPD/readinglist.html . If the SMA recommeds it, it should give you a great start!
Institute of NCO Professional DevelopmentSwitch menu
Medal of Honor : one man's journey from poverty and prejudice, Roy P Benavidez, 1574886924, Washington, D.C. : Potomac Books, 2005. Hispanic, part-Yaqui Indian, and an orphan, Benavidez fought his way out of poverty and bigotry to serve with the U.S. Army’s elite—the Airborne and the Special Forces. Seriously wounded in Vietnam, he was told he would never walk again. Benavidez not only conquered his disability but demanded to return to combat....
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Starship Troopers Robert Heinlein. Also Google before you read it: Goldwater-Nichols Act, USMC 1956 Ribbon Creek Incident, Korean War POW negotiations, post World War II force reductions, tooth to tail, Lewis Millett, Heinlein USN medical discharge, National Security Act of 1947. The book was marketed as adolescent sci fi, but it really is the author's view of what our obligation is to defend our democracy. There are allusions to current events as they were in the late 1950s when he wrote this book.
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SPC (Join to see)
I haven't read Starship Troopers, but I've heard it described as a pretty harsh critique of fascism/nationalism.
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1LT William Clardy
The book "Starship Troopers" does include some very blunt political criticism, but my recollection is that most of its political commentary is very much in line with this quip from "The Notebooks of Lazarus Long":
Any government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and coordinate. This does not insure “good” government; it simply insures that it will work. But such governments are rare--most people want to run things but want no part of the blame. This used to be called the “backseat-driver syndrome.”
Any government will work if authority and responsibility are equal and coordinate. This does not insure “good” government; it simply insures that it will work. But such governments are rare--most people want to run things but want no part of the blame. This used to be called the “backseat-driver syndrome.”
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SSG Lloyd Becker BSBA-HCM, MBA
You are going to need to learn about how to fight "bugs". The are all around us with AK-47s and they call themselves, ISIS, jidhadis and few other names.
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SFC (Join to see)
Ah true. I just figured those are all skills every soldier should know. And they're all perishable, so you gotta keep those skills sharp!
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CWO3 (Join to see)
I have and read that book. The Art of War, Naval Warfare, The National Security Act of 1947. Desert Fox, Patton's Papers, Admiral Bull Halsey and The Commanders. S/F JK
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Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein
How to Make Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
The first one was written by a Navy Officer who served a very long time ago. It really rings true today and you'll see that no matter how things change in the military, they've always been the same.
The second one is incredibly helpful for leadership and cooperation. Especially for understanding how to motivate people so that they will want to follow you. It talks a lot about how certain successful business people were able influence others around them to a common goal, a situation you will face often in the Army.
How to Make Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
The first one was written by a Navy Officer who served a very long time ago. It really rings true today and you'll see that no matter how things change in the military, they've always been the same.
The second one is incredibly helpful for leadership and cooperation. Especially for understanding how to motivate people so that they will want to follow you. It talks a lot about how certain successful business people were able influence others around them to a common goal, a situation you will face often in the Army.
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Every book in here has something to offer. If you can find a book about the unit you're in that will go a long way to realizing what you are a part of. I know that may not be easy sometimes (as a memeber of the 101st I could trip in a bookstore and find at least three or four books about our history) but I'm sure there is something out there.
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