What are everyone's favorite military/leadership reads?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 20:50:02 -0500

Aside from docterine and training publications; What are some of everyone's favorite reads on the military/ leadership?

Response by CPT Gary Jugenheimer made Feb 2 at 2016 8:54 PM

CPT Gary Jugenheimer — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 20:54:40 -0500

Clauswitz on War

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 8:58 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 20:58:14 -0500

The Unforgiving Minute is a stellar read IMHO. Also read Beyond the Band of Brothers by MAJ Richard Winters - both gave very engaging insights into military leadership.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Feb 2 at 2016 9:02 PM

PO1 John Miller — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:02:46 -0500

"Life In Mr. Lincoln's Navy" is a favorite of mine. It talks about the switch from sailing ships to coal-fired engines, among other things.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 9:04 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:04:20 -0500

The Chief of Staff publishes a reading list.
Killer Angels was a good one I recently finished. Common sense leadership.

The SMA published a reading list too and his isn't military oriented. I think Moneyball may be on that list.

Response by MAJ Rene De La Rosa made Feb 2 at 2016 9:04 PM

MAJ Rene De La Rosa — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:04:39 -0500

We were Soldiers Once....and Young by LTG Hal Moore and Joe Galloway. I read this one every year in November to coincide with the anniversary.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 9:08 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:08:42 -0500

General Powells ten leadership something. I need to look up the title but a definite read.

Response by 1stSgt Eugene Harless made Feb 2 at 2016 9:15 PM

1stSgt Eugene Harless — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:15:33 -0500

Though they are Novels "Fields of Fire" (James Webb) "The 13th Valley"( John DelVeccio) and "Sand in the Wind" (Robert Roth) give good insight into small unit leadership.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 9:16 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:16:02 -0500

Anything by John Kotter, Jim Collins, or James Kouzes is good. Hughes, Ginnet, and Curphy also have a good primer, although it is a textbook. Military specific Band of Brothers, Biggest Brother, We Were Soldiers Once... And Young, or In The Hands Of Providence are good.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Feb 2 at 2016 9:38 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:38:58 -0500

1. Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (Fiction, Historical Military, Philosophy)
2. Starship Troopers Robert Heinlein (Fiction, Future Military. Philosophy, Government)
3. The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield (Non-Fiction, Philosophy)
4. The Mission, the Men and Me by Pete Blaber (Nonfiction, Delta Leader, Practical, Philosophy)
5. Ender's Game (Fiction, Future Military, Adaptive Thinking)

You may enjoy this thread.
https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/what-is-the-best-professional-military-fiction

What is the best professional military fiction? | RallyPoint

Of the options offered? Warning: mentioning the movies without having read the books is a down-votable offense. Offering an alternative professional military fiction is acceptable, but six answers to a survey is not supportable.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 9:42 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 21:42:51 -0500

Taking the Guideon is a classic

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 2 at 2016 10:05 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 22:05:25 -0500

I like to read about insurgencies.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 10:17 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 22:17:18 -0500

Escape from Los Banos

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 10:17 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 22:17:19 -0500

Escape from Los Banos

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Feb 2 at 2016 10:23 PM

CPT Mark Gonzalez — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 22:23:35 -0500

I am a fan of "Gates of Fire" and anything by C.S. Lewis.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2016 11:52 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 23:52:19 -0500

Here's my top 5

1. Once an Eagle. (It took me a year to finish, but its well worth the time.)
2. Starship Troopers. (Great military fiction)
3. The Art of War. (A classic)
4. Steel my Soldiers Hearts. (A good book on the power of morale and esprit de corps.)
5. Words for Warriors. ( a book by the legendary COL Ralph Puckett)

Response by SGT Benjamin Lindsey made Feb 2 at 2016 11:56 PM

SGT Benjamin Lindsey — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 23:56:50 -0500

SOCOM/ JSOC biographies.

Response by SFC Joseph Motes made Feb 3 at 2016 12:22 AM

SFC Joseph Motes — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 00:22:05 -0500

Hands down, "The Three Meter Zone" by J.D. Pentry
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Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 3 at 2016 7:11 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 07:11:11 -0500

Anything by Heinlein. I go through his collected works about once a year.
The Watch portion of the Discworld Novels by Terry Pratchett
The Phule novels by Robert Asprin

I have a running list over at RP Book Club: Title - Author, as well. I try to pop them up on a semi-regular basis when I find one that's worth sharing.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 8:20 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 08:20:25 -0500

My favorite read on leadership is "Verbal Judo". I made all my team leaders read it in two of my commands and my center commanders read it when I commanded a recruiting company. Reading this book helps leaders remain calm, resolve/diffuse conflict, and gets them thinking through situations that could potentially become volatile, which has many applications both internal and external to one's organization.

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Feb 3 at 2016 8:47 AM

SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 08:47:55 -0500

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Ma'am, I am fond of Lincoln on leadership.

Response by MSgt James Mullis made Feb 3 at 2016 9:39 AM

MSgt James Mullis — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 09:39:27 -0500

Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Feb 3 at 2016 10:09 AM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 10:09:34 -0500

I like the classics such as "We were soldiers" and the "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R Covey.
Covey is a well known author in leadership books in the business world.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 10:54 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 10:54:50 -0500

"The Book of 5 Rings" is hands down my favorite "military" book. Absolutely motivating.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Feb 3 at 2016 12:02 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 12:02:00 -0500

CPT Private RallyPoint Member The following are my favorite military reads
My favorite leadership book is the Bible
Other books that have helped me become a better leader are:
On Infantry by John English,
Scipio Africanus: Greater Than Napoleon; Great Captains Unveiled; T.E. Lawrence in Arabia and After by CPT H. H. Liddell Hart,
The Theory of war by carl von Clausewitz
Brave Men; Here is Your War by Ernie Pyle
Attacks by Erwin Rommel
Panzer Battles by F.W. von Mellenthin
The Face of Battle by John Keegan
Bible and Sword; A Distant Mirror by Barbara S. Tuchman
Crusades in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 12:48 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 12:48:42 -0500

We Were Soldiers Once...And Young

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 1:05 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 13:05:04 -0500

There are tons. I'd recommend finding the kind of military and leadership reading you like to do. It will evolve over time. The best series of novels I read was by W.E.B. Griffin and it was called the Brotherhood of War series. Starts with "The Lieutenants" moves on to "The Captains", "The Majors," etc. You get the point. Follows a group of young officers through their career from WWI to Vietnam and taught me more about lost Army traditions than any other set of books. Those are light reading, but are fun. My reading tastes have evolved and now I'd say the best book out there for general leadership and philosophy (my preference) is "The Meditations," by Marcus Aurelius. He was Caesar. He knows about leadership.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 3:08 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:08:11 -0500

Message to Garcia!!

Response by Lt Col Stephen Petzold made Feb 3 at 2016 3:15 PM

Lt Col Stephen Petzold — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 15:15:52 -0500

If you like Science Fiction then the Honor Harrington series by David Weber is full of leadership examples. Good leadership vs bad leadership is a major recurring theme in the series.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 9:17 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 21:17:03 -0500

Lions of Kandahar and Gates of Fire. Excellent and engaging stories of present and past leadership!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2016 9:30 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 21:30:08 -0500

Lincoln on Leadership
Grant's Memoir's
Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds
American Patriot: The Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day
Unbroken
Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam
The Face of Battle
Armageddon: The Battle for Germany, 1944-1945
Lemay
Patton: A Genius for War
The Civil War Vol I-III by Shelby Foote

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Feb 4 at 2016 12:32 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 00:32:51 -0500

CPT Private RallyPoint Member, The Punic Wars by Adrian Goldsworthy. I have read this twice. The second time I read it I was deployed to Iraq. Actually, I have read dozens of Roman military type books through out the years.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 2:08 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 14:08:15 -0500

Crucial conversations is one of my favorites

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Feb 5 at 2016 12:51 AM

Capt Mark Strobl — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 00:51:38 -0500

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Give this series a whirl: The books were initially a compilation of sea-stories traded by Maj Gene Duncan and his shipmate Capt Moore. By today's standards, they're not terribly PC. But, the series is a profound reflection on leadership challenges. There all short reads and heavily steeped with humor. You'll find yourself somewhere in the pages. Green Side Out, Brown Side Out, Run In Circles, Scream and Shout... All preempted by "Dunk's Almanac.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Feb 5 at 2016 2:11 PM

SSG Gerhard S. — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 14:11:14 -0500

Great read on leadership by a man who turned the worst rated sub in the navy into the best rated sub in the navy by empowering his people to do their jobs, and encouraging a "buy-in " to innovation and excellence through collaboration at every level. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFPVP0Y/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

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