This is the podcast of WAR ROOM, the official online journal of the U.S. Army War College. Join us for provocative discussions about U.S. national security and defense, featuring prominent national security and military professionals.
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Host Jadwiga Biskupska sits down with Ukrainian Army COL Oleksandr, an International Fellow in the AY26 class at the U.S. Army War College, for a real-time perspective on modern combat. He reveals how human innovation and older weapons are bypassing advanced electronic warfare on the battlefield.
How does the DIA maintain its competitive edge? Host Tom Spahr asks Major General Robert Kinney, DIA's Chief AI Officer. They explore how AI accelerates human decision-making and manages battlefield data without replacing intelligence analysts. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/dia-ai
Is maneuver warfare truly dead in modern combat? Tom Galvin sits down with Carlisle Scholars Kevin Krupski, Michael Moore, and Erick Buckner to tackle the growing belief that defense and total stalemates now rule the battlefield. Inspired by current events like the conflict in Ukraine, the team explores how armies can overcome tough defenses and get forces moving again. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/restoring-the-offense
As open-source intelligence dominates national security, how do analysts navigate deceptive "AI slop"? Kelly Ihme and Michael Moore join host Tom Spahr to discuss why a focused human mind remains the ultimate tool in the AI era. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/open-source-intelligence
Hiding military tools too well can weaken deterrence. Aaron Brown, Justin Bierens and Gerald Bowman join host Tom Galvin to discuss why the military must adopt a "share unless proven necessary to hide" approach for space operations. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/declassifying-space
Why does WWII still captivate our imagination? Host Darrell Driver and military historian Doug Douds discuss how the conflict shapes modern geopolitics, unpacking pivotal moments, unsung advisors, and intriguing historical counterfactuals. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/wwii-storytelling
On today’s high-tech battlefield, "safe" rear areas no longer exist. Combat units are bogged down dragging broken gear because the military lacks a middle tier for complex repairs. Octavia Davis & Scott Pinkstaff join host Steve Trynosky to map out the fix. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/reshaping-military-maintenance
What happens when you unleash senior military students to fix bureaucracy? Guests Jared Britz and Josh Eggar join host Bob Bradford to discuss how Army War College students used tabletop exercises & AI tools to stress-test Army reforms and spot friction points. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/unleashing-expertise
Can AI pass military exams? Kevin Boyce & John Nagl join host Tom Spahr to discuss testing ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude & Grok on Army War College comps. All passed, but limits caused AI to degrade under pressure, proving human judgment remains indispensable. You can read the article Can AI Pass the U.S. Army War College? by Kevin Boyce, John Nagl and Kris Wheaton here https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/News/Display/Article/4472536/can-ai-pass-the-us-army-war-college/ You can find the manuscript Responsibly Pursuing Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) for the War Fighter by Blair Wilcox
How has China transformed into a dominant naval power, and what strategic choices must the U.S. make to protect its interests in the Pacific? Toshi Yoshihara and James Holmes join Ron Granieri to discuss the third edition of Red Star Over the Pacific, which answers those very questions. The authors explain how Beijing synthesizes Western and Eastern strategic ideas to expand its maritime reach. Crucially, the conversation moves beyond simple threat assessments to explore how the United States should respond. Yoshihara and Holmes emphasize that the U.S. must maintain its unrivaled regional alli
How can the military adopt tech at the speed of relevance? Host Tom Galvin talks with Carlisle Scholars John Williams, Jeremy Jackson & Antonio Ilario on bridging the gap between bureaucratic acquisition timelines and rapid tech evolution.
Is a return to a military draft even viable? William Taylor and Katherine Kuzminski join JP Clark to bridge the gap between myth and reality regarding the all-volunteer force and the political and logistical hurdles of 21st-century mobilization.
To meet the demands of modern, high-intensity warfare, the U.S. Army Reserve must remake itself --"Army Reserve 4.0"-- is the finding of an Army War College integrated research project. Steve Trynosky discussed this study with authors Kiona Pritchard, Brandon Collins, and Colleen Vermeulen. They found the Army Reserve is in a "readiness trap" caused by spreading insufficient infrastructure and budget across too many formations. To address this, the team proposes a tiered readiness model: "Ready Now" for immediate response, "Expand Tomorrow" for operational depth, and "Endure Always" for a long
Curt Brooker and Ron Granieri discuss why sleep is an operational requirement. Using wearables to track biometrics can help the military move past a culture of exhaustion toward data-driven readiness. You can't outwork your body.
Clay Chun & Jackie Whitt present the theories of #JohnBoyd, a contemporary airpower theorist who created the #OODA Loop, a learning approach to reducing uncertainty on the battlefield
Whether leadership views the inter-war period as post-war or pre-war determines where the organization goes.
Successful military organizations are always assessing and adapting; this includes methods of command and control. The joint task forces with constituent air, land, and maritime components currently used by the U.S. military have demonstrated benefits, but are all too often ad hoc structures that take too long to stand up and fight as a cohesive team. Tom Bruscino and Lou Yuengert are in the studio to talk about their recently released manuscript, The Future of the Joint Warfighting Headquarters: An Alternative Approach to the Joint Task Force, which they wrote with fellow authors Eric Bissone
For many, Afghanistan and the lessons that should have been learned have been overshadowed recently by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. And as much as Ukraine deserves the attention of the world, national security professionals have a duty to learn as much as possible from the successes and failures of Afghanistan. To that end, A BETTER PEACE is extremely pleased to welcome Maj Gen Brian Mennes, the Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He joins Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss his experiences in Afghanistan during his multiple tours in the th
When twins Derek and TJ Baird joined the Army in the '90s, neither of them had any idea what lay ahead. But 26 and 30 years later respectively, one is a colonel and the other a command sergeant major, and it's safe to say the Army has been a great place for them. The Baird brothers join podcast editor Ron Granieri in the virtual studio to tell the story of two very different yet very similar careers serving the nation. Derek and TJ share how they have relied on each other throughout the years for advice and support both as professional soldiers and as brothers. It's a great story of their simi
Has the promise of cost savings due to outsourcing been realized? Or, has the dependence on the private sector caused overall costs to increase?
Editor’s Note: This is our 500th episode. Thank you for being part of this journey, we wouldn't be here without you. Your loyalty and engagement have turned a project into a community. Here’s to the next 500 episodes. Modern warfare transcends tactical victories; it targets the adversary's "will." Sean Heidgerken joins host Tom Spahr to discuss the Army’s newest capability: Theater Information Advantage Detachments, or TIADs. These specialized units integrate experts in cyber, intelligence, psychological operations, public affairs, electronic warfare, civil affairs, and information operations
Jeff Rogg joins Tom Spahr to discuss the "intelligence revolution." Beyond new gadgets, cell phones & AI are transforming the state-citizen relationship & modern warfare, turning digital footprints into targeting beacons & tools for cognitive warfare. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-spy-and-the-state-9780197678732?cc=us&lang=en&
CIA officer Sean Wiswesser joins host Tom Spahr to expose the reality of Russian intelligence. Moving past spy myths, they discuss how corruption and "active measures" shape the Kremlin's secret war from Ukraine to Western democracies. Sean's bookhttps://www.usni.org/press/books/tradecraft-tactics-and-dirty-tricks
Blair Wilcox & Chase Metcalf join host Tom Spahr to discuss AI in planning. Wargames show AI excels in data and control but cannot master the art of command. Human intuition remains vital to avoid strategically disastrous decisions.
Non-state actors now execute strategic strikes mirroring elite state operations. Craig Whiteside joins host Darrell Driver to discuss the rise of non-state special operations, from the Tet Offensive to space-based threats, and why identifying motives is critical.
