Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

Measuring Intensity Of Carrier Strike Group Anti-Air Warfare: 1945-2025, Gavin Perry

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The Aircraft carrier and its associated strike group (CSG) have been the preeminent means of both projecting power and securing sea control since the 1940s. Despite this, there exists vulnerabilities associated with operating these groups. Following World War Two, a narrative emerged that in heavily contested (non-permissive) environments, CSGs would be unable to operate effectively. This line of thinking relegates the CSG to a weapon for low intensity conflicts, crisis response, and peacetime power projection. The relevance of this debate has increased in recent years with the bolstering of the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) carrier forces. Misunderstanding the ability …

The Offense-Defense Balance And The Modern System In Ukraine, Daniel Hogestyn

Master in Public Policy Theses

This thesis evaluates whether the Russo Ukrainian war represents a revolution in military affairs (RMA) by testing Stephen Biddle’s "modern system" theory of battlefield outcomes against recent combat operations. Applying Biddle’s formal model to the 2023 Ukrainian offensive in Zaporizhia, the thesis finds that the offensive's failure conforms closely to Biddle’s causal logic, with force employment variables drawn from 20th century combat sufficient to account for the outcome. Biddle's model in military power argues that force employment has explained victory and defeat since World War I, rather than technology or numerical preponderance alone. Many commentators claim that proliferation of small …

Book Review: Nothing But Courage: The 82nd Airborne's Daring D-Day Mission—And Their Heroic Charge Across The La Fière Bridge, Wylie W. Johnson

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Author: James Donovan

Reviewed by: Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010

In this riveting account, James Donovan tells the dramatic story of the 82nd Airborne Division’s mission to seize and hold the La Fière bridge—an unassuming but vital link in the success of the D-Day invasion. Dropped behind enemy lines hours before the beach landings, these paratroopers faced overwhelming odds in a brutal three-day battle that culminated in a near-suicidal charge across a narrow causeway. Blending firsthand accounts, archival research, and battlefield visits, Donovan honors the courage and sacrifice that helped turn the tide …

The Coast Guard’S Budget & Its Impact On Operational Efficiency, Jory R. Cardoza

Honors Projects

The United States Coast Guard is constitutionally charged to carry out eleven core missions. This project examines the impact that the Coast Guard’s budget has on its ability to perform those different missions. This is done by using the statistical software program SPSS to analyze the statistical significance of budget related independent variables on multiple mission performance related dependent variables. Mission performance is based on the metrics that the Coast Guard uses to measure each of their missions. These metrics, along with the budgetary variables are published annually in documents such as Posture Statements, Performance Reports, and Budgetary Requests by …

An Alternative To Armageddon: O.P. Weyland And The Development Of Tactical Air Power, Paul Wells

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Theorists and advocates of air power argued that aircraft, not ground forces, would become the dominant platform for victory in war. They promoted the concept of strategic bombing, using aircraft to bypass ground forces and directly attack a nation's industrial capacity to wage war, hoping to ensure quick victory and avoid a repeat of the prolonged slaughter in the trenches of WWI. In 1947, led by advocates of strategic bombing, the United States Air Force (USAF) became an independent and equal branch of the U.S. military. The USAF developed the Strategic Air Command (SAC) to meet the requirements of the …

The Military Officer's Oath To Disobey Lawful But Unethical Orders, Joshua Braver

Northwestern University Law Review

How should a military officer respond to a lawful yet unethical order, unethical in the sense that it conflicts with their professional responsibilities? Army culture, scholarship, and doctrine regard officers as professionals, akin to doctors and lawyers, with expertise in the management of violence and a shared commitment to an ethical code. This code demands obedience to lawful orders to uphold civilian control of the military. But to protect against civilian misuse of the military, the code requires disobedience to unethical orders. Faced with a lawful but unethical order, the military officer is mired in a contradiction in which their …

Protection Vs. Progression: A Macroeconomic Approach To Military Expenditure Direct Effects On Social Outcomes Using Ihdi Measures, Connor Graham

Global Tides

This study examines whether military expenditure reduces inequality-adjusted human development and how national governance quality moderates these effects. Using panel data covering 121 countries from 2010-2023, two-way fixed effects models are employed to estimate the relationship between military spending and the Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). Three key findings emerge from the analysis based on the resulting data. First, a one percentage point increase in military spending reduces IHDI by 0.0012-0.0015 points. Second, the effects prove seven times larger in developed countries than in developing ones, which runs contrary to expectations and prior literature. Lastly, political stability emerged as a …

Book Review: Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia And A Sleeping Continent, Darrell Driver

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Author: Keir Giles

Reviewed by: Dr. Darrell Driver, director, warfighter studies, Department of Military Strategy, Planning and Operations, US Army War College

As Russia re-arms and the US retreats from its traditional role, Europe faces a chilling question: Can it defend itself against a rising threat? Keir Giles delivers a forceful wake-up call, exposing decades of complacency and the urgent need for renewed leadership and military investment. This gripping analysis warns that without decisive action, the continent risks sleepwalking into disaster.

©2026 Darrell W. Driver

Book Review: Strategy And Grand Strategy, John Erickson

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Author: Joshua Rovner

Reviewed by: John Erickson, senior engineer, Axiom Technologies

Joshua Rovner’s Strategy and Grand Strategy is a compelling and essential exploration of how nations succeed—or fail—when aligning military strategy with broader security goals. Through vivid historical case studies and sharp analysis, Rovner reveals how misunderstanding or ignoring the relationship between strategy (a theory of victory) and grand strategy (a theory of security) can lead to disastrous outcomes. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in national security, defense planning, or the study of statecraft in an era of technological and geopolitical complexity.

©2026 John Erickson

Book Review: War Ethics: Theory, Practice, And Memoir, Geoff Bailey

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Edited by Brian Orend

Reviewed by: Chaplain (Colonel) Geoff Bailey, PhD, US Army War College chaplain and director of ethical development, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College

Blending philosophical insight, real-world application, and personal reflection, this volume offers a comprehensive exploration of the ethics of war. From just war theory to the lived experiences of soldiers and civilians, it bridges the gap between abstract principles and battlefield realities. It is a compelling resource for scholars, practitioners, and anyone grappling with the moral dimensions of armed conflict.

Book Review: The Ageless Call To Serve: Rethinking Military Service For A Changing World, Richard M. Yates

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Author: Lieutenant Colonel Lanny Snodgrass, MD, PhD

Reviewed by: Commander Richard M. Yates, faculty instructor, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College

At age 63, psychiatrist Lanny Snodgrass defied convention by joining the Army, challenging long-held beliefs about age and military readiness. Drawing on decades of clinical experience with veterans and young soldiers, he exposes the psychological toll of sending teenagers to war while advocating for the wisdom and resilience older recruits can bring. This provocative and inspiring book reimagines military service for a modern world, urging a shift from age-based limits to capability-based inclusion.

©2026 Richard …

Book Review: Countdown: The Blinding Future Of Nuclear Weapons, Wylie W. Johnson

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Author: Sarah Scoles

Reviewed by: Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010

Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons discusses the American nuclear weapons enterprise by analyzing arguments from the past and situations in the present. The author explains the field of nuclear anthropology and the effects of having a long-term nuclear stockpile, as well as how research of nuclear weapons has developed over time, computer modeling, and nuclear forensics. The reviewer considers it “a readable, thought-provoking book that makes this dense subject accessible.”

©2026 Wylie W. Johnson

Book Review: Women In Intelligence: The Hidden History Of Two World Wars, Wylie W. Johnson

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Author: Helen Fry

Reviewed by: Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010

Fry’s book, Women in Intelligence, uncovers stories of women working in intelligence and espionage during wartime. Using recently declassified files, she brings to light stories of individuals and the advances in women’s suffrage during the two World Wars. The reviewer sees this as an essential work that makes a significant contribution to the history of intelligence efforts and recommends it to practitioners of the military profession.

©2026 Wylie W. Johnson

Book Review: The Airborne Mafia: The Paratroopers Who Shaped America’S Cold War Army, Jason A. Yanda

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Author: Robert F. Williams

Reviewed by: Jason A. Yanda, assistant professor, US Army Heritage and Education Center, US Army War College

In this gripping organizational history, Robert F. Williams reveals how a tight-knit group of World War II paratroopers rose to dominate the US Army’s leadership and reshape its doctrine during the Cold War. Through bold innovation and a fiercely held airborne culture, figures like Ridgway, Taylor, and Gavin transformed civil-military relations, atomic warfare planning, and airmobile strategy. The Airborne Mafia uncovers how subcultures can wield extraordinary influence, leaving a legacy that still echoes through today’s military institutions.

©2026 Jason …

Simulating Cyber-Resilience: The Strategic Role Of The Locked Shields Exercise In Enhancing International Cyber Preparedness, Christopher A. Ramezan, Ludwig Christian Schaupp, Elizabeth A. Vitullo, William J. Walker

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

As cyberthreats to critical infrastructure remain prevalent, national response mechanisms must evolve beyond the technical domain to incorporate legal, communicative, strategic, and cross-sector coordination. This work explores Locked Shields, an annual exercise conducted by NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, as a pedagogical and conceptual framework for simulating whole-of-government responses to cyber incidents. Unlike traditional cyber exercises, Locked Shields engages legal advisors, media strategists, and civil-military roles in realistic, scenario-driven simulations that portray the political and operational conditions of a real international-scale cyber crisis. We detail the exercise architecture, contrast with other cyber exercises, and assess its pedagogical and …

Book Review: Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views Of The United States, Thomas Bruscino

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Author: Harry Yeide

Reviewed by: Thomas Bruscino, professor, operational art and theater planning, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, US Army War College

What if the Axis powers had seen America clearly before launching into war? Betting Against America dives into the flawed intelligence, cultural biases, and strategic miscalculations that led Germany, Japan, and Italy to underestimate the United States. Through intercepted communications and insider reports, Harry Yeide reveals how these fatal errors shaped the course of World War II.

Book Review: Lessons From The Admiral: Naval Wisdom And Sea Stories For Leaders, Richard M. Yates

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Author: Mark C. Fava

Reviewed by: Commander Richard M. Yates, US Navy, faculty instructor, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, US Army War College

Mentorship, reliability, and adaptability—explore the Admiral’s wisdom for navigating high-stakes environments. From attention to detail to building resilient teams, discover insights that transcend the military and shape modern leadership.

Copyright: ©2026 Richard M. Yates

Book Review: Rhino Tanks And Sticky Bombs: Gi Ingenuity In World War Ii, William Phillips

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Author: Robert P. Wettemann Jr.

Reviewed by: Colonel William Phillips, US Army (retired), assistant professor, Department of Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Operations, US Army Command and General Staff College

Improvised weapons and battlefield creativity take center stage in Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs, Robert P. Wettemann Jr.’s tribute to the ingenuity of American GIs during World War II. From modifying tanks to crafting makeshift explosives, soldiers turned innovation into survival and success. This compelling account reveals how necessity and resourcefulness shaped the outcome of history’s most devastating conflict.

Copyright: ©2026 William Phillips

Book Review: The Russian-Ukrainian War, 2023: A Second Year Of Hell And The Dawn Of Drone Warfare, Paul Andrew Lushenko

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Author: John S. Harrel

Reviewed by: Paul Andrew Lushenko, professorial lecturer, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University

In the brutal second year of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine faced relentless assaults while pioneering the battlefield use of drones in a desperate bid for survival. Retired General John S. Harrel delivers a gripping account of mechanized warfare’s evolution, where unmanned aerial vehicles reshaped tactics from the trenches to the Black Sea. This vivid chronicle captures the chaos, innovation, and global reverberations of a war that redefined modern combat.

©2026 Paul Andrew Lushenko

Book Review: Cassino ’44: The Brutal Battle For Rome, Wylie W. Johnson

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Author: James Holland

Reviewed by: Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010

In this masterful retelling of the Italian Campaign’s final months, James Holland captures the harrowing struggle to break through the German Gustav Line and liberate Rome. Drawing from 20 years of research and firsthand accounts, he brings to life the chaos of Monte Cassino and Anzio through the eyes of soldiers, nurses, and civilians caught in the maelstrom. Cassino ’44 redefines our understanding of World War II’s most grueling campaign, revealing its strategic importance and human cost just days before the D-Day landings.

©2026 …

A Long, Hard Year: Russia-Ukraine War Lessons Learned 2023, John A. Nagl, Michael T. Hackett

Integrated Research Projects

Following the 2024 A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force, which explored military lessons learned from the first year of the Russia-Ukraine War, this book examines the changing character of war as the second year of the war unfolded. This year’s authors explore the conflict from four different angles: information advantage (intelligence, information operations, and cyber); landpower operations (fires, maneuver, force protection, mission command, and mercenaries); multi-domain operations (air and maritime); and crosscutting themes (diplomacy, sustainment, and innovation and adaptation). The second year witnessed the innovative approaches to combat of the first year—drones, unmanned aerial …

A Human-Centric Framework: Employment Principles For Lethal Autonomous Weapons, Brennan Deveraux

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

This monograph challenges the Department of War to reframe the conversation about humans’ involvement in lethal autonomous weapons systems by codifying a human-centric framework built on the employment pillars of certification, authority, restriction, and accountability. Although an ample body of literature discusses lethal autonomous weapon systems, this monograph takes a novel approach by proposing a theoretical framework and applying it to historical and hypothetical practical scenarios involving weapons with autonomous characteristics. In terms of methodology, the monograph relies heavily on primary sources, including UN documents and Department of War publications, which are augmented by secondary sources from experts in the …

Enhancing Military Health System Organizational Efficiency And Quality Of Care Through A Social-Ecological Framework, Eric L. Peipelman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Timely and fair adjudication of incivility-related actions within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Military Health System (MHS) is increasingly crucial for maintaining accountability, mission readiness, and quality of care. Ongoing delays in resolving workplace complaints and inefficiencies in resource-heavy adjudications highlight the need to shift from reactive complaint handling toward proactive civility promotion and transparent decision-making. This Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) introduces the Peipelman Civility Discussion and Assessment Toolkit (PCDAT)—a comprehensive, evidence-based framework designed to improve civility, optimize resources, and enhance communication, even in the MHS. Based on the Social-Ecological Model (SEM) and adapted from the Workplace Power and …

Lessons Unlearned: Cultural Competence And The Limits Of U.S. Army Doctrine In Iraq And Afghanistan, Kylie W. Ha

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines how the absence of comprehensive cultural and linguistic competence within U.S. Army doctrine contributed to operational and ethical failures during the wars in Iraq (2003–2011) and Afghanistan (2001–2021). It focuses on the gap between doctrinal recognition of culture and language and the failure to institutionalize these elements as measurable, force-wide competencies. The thesis analyzes doctrinal publications spanning the period from 2001 to 2014 and finds that, while these publications increasingly acknowledged the importance of cultural awareness, language, and local context—particularly in counterinsurgency operations—these elements were not embedded as standardized requirements across training, planning, or evaluation. Iraq and …

Drone Dichotomy: Investigating The Application Of Unmanned Aerial Systems For Offensive And Defensive Chemical, Biological, Radiological, And Nuclear-Related Tasks, Evan Jacob Martinovitch

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis investigates the application of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for both offensive and defensive chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) tasks to determine if they serve as a force multiplier on the modern battlefield. As CBRN weapons reemerge as realistic threats alongside the rapid proliferation of UAS, the intersection of these fields presents unique challenges and opportunities. Through a methodology that examines the history of the UAS-CBRN intersection, military doctrine, and the status of UAS technology, this research evaluates the capability of current and emerging UAS against specific CBRN delivery, reconnaissance and surveillance, and decontamination tasks. The analysis conducted …

Review Of Sheila A. Smith, Japan Rearmed: The Politics Of Military Power, Timothy C. Hebb

Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy

Sheila Smith, a long-time political scientist focused on Asia-Pacific studies and an expert on Japan specifically, would publish possibly her most influential work in 2019: Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power. In this well-researched work of hers, she gives the reader an in-depth yet concise look at the reasons for Japan’s rearmament, the history of their Self Defense Force, and the challenging political situation that was built in the wake of a world war that still affects them today. This book goes over much of what is needed to understand why Japan’s military is in the shape it is …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Experts’ Validation Of The Fundamental Cybersecurity Competency Index (Fcci) Using A Commercial Cyber Range Through Human-Generative Artificial Intelligence (Genai) Teaming, Dariusz Witko, Yair Levy, Catherine Neubauer, Greg Simco, Laurie P. Dringus, Melissa Carlton

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The increasing volume of cyber threats, combined with a critical shortage of skilled professionals and rising burnout among practitioners, highlights the urgent need for innovative solutions in cybersecurity operations. Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) offers promising potential to augment human analysts in cybersecurity, but its integration requires rigorous validation of the fundamental competencies that enable effective collaboration of human-GenAI teams. This research study employed a mixed-methods research project designed to evaluate human-GenAI teams, emphasizing the role of expert consensus in shaping the experimental assessment of the Fundamental Cybersecurity Competency Index (FCCI) in a commercial cyber range. We engaged 20 Subject Matter …

Rethinking The Narrative Of Turkey’S July 15 Events: An Intelligence Operation Disguised As A Coup Attempt, Mustafa Kirisci, Ibrahim Kocaman, Murat Balci

Publications

Academia, think tanks, and international media have largely adopted the Turkish government’s narrative that the events of July 15, 2016, constituted a failed coup attempt. This dominant framing has shaped policy responses and scholarly interpretations despite the authoritarian context in which it was crafted. Many Turkish and Western scholars accepted the Turkish government’s narrative that the July 15 events were a failed coup attempt. They often rely on surface-level indicators and official statements without critically engaging with available evidence. Also, they disregarded substantial evidence and defendants’ statements in judicial proceedings that directly contradict official statements. One notable exception to this …

For Richer Or For Poorer: The Security Environment Index To Measure Effects Of Security Assistance, Lam Huynh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops and validates the Security Environment Index (SEI), a multidimensional, empirically grounded framework to assess the political and military effects of U.S. security assistance—specifically Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET)—on partner nations. Drawing from the need for more robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in the security assistance space, this study addresses a longstanding gap in how policymakers measure the outcomes of military aid. The SEI consolidates publicly available indicators into a cohesive structure capable of capturing both internal and external changes in the recipient nation’s security environment.

This research employed an explanatory …