Army University Press and the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School invite submissions for a special edition of Military Review focused on Irregular Warfare. They’re looking for insights from academia and the field to expand the understanding of IW. Topics include policy, training, future trends, digital age effects, space, cyber, and more.
Deadline: 15 May 2024
Submit to: usasoc.milreview.submissions.shdmbx@socom.mil
A warrior has to be a thinker. Lately, I’ve been sharing these types of things via our weekly newsletter and Instagram, but so much is being published that I think you should be reading that it’s seeping back into the website.
Rand Corporation recently completed a study entitled, “The US-China Rivalry In A New Medieval Age” which takes a look at the US-China rivalry in a whole new light. It’s worth considering, especially since I often bring up in conversations on the topic that I believe China remains a feudal state. I’m going to look at the larger, international situation through this medieval lens proffered by Rand. Deep thinking time.
Here is their synopsis:
We’ve entered an age of “neomedievalism.” This doesn’t mean the world is slipping back into an era of knights, castles, swords, and serfdom. But it does mean that some defining trends of the Middle Ages are reappearing today. Power and wealth are concentrated in the hands of an elite few. Governments are becoming weaker. And pervasive threats, such as pandemics and disasters, are increasing. In other words, the recent era of prosperity and national strength is regressing.
A 2023 RAND study looked at the implications this backslide could have for the U.S.-China rivalry. Our experts examined how the current era of neomedievalism may affect the intensifying competition between China and the United States—and a potential U.S.-China conflict.
The researchers concluded that, in a neomedieval era, neither the United States nor China can afford total war. Thus, both Washington and Beijing will face pressure to avoid escalation, likely leading to a long-running, low-intensity state of conflict with the possibility of intermittent clashes.
Accepting the reality of a neomedieval era is key to developing effective strategies for U.S.-China competition. “Decisionmakers need to adopt a neomedieval mindset,” says Timothy Heath, who led the RAND study. In fact, he says, leaders should be skeptical of any recommendations that refer to the Cold War or the world wars to explain U.S.-China dynamics. The world doesn’t work that way anymore.
read more at www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2024/the-us-china-rivalry-in-a-new-medieval-age.
WASHINGTON — Command Sgt. Maj. JoAnn Naumann, the senior enlisted leader at Army Special Operations Command, says good leadership traits are taught by good mentors, handed down from one generation of NCOs to the next.
Such a philosophy is part of what ultimately led Naumann to stay in the Army for the last 28 years instead of pursuing her initial dream of becoming a Foreign Service officer.
Naumann enlisted in the Army in 1996 after earning a dual-major degree in American Studies and Government from the College of William and Mary. She wanted to go to the Defense Language Institute to learn Arabic.
“I had a plan to learn another language and to get a clearance … and get some experience to increase my likelihood of being hired by the Foreign Service,” she said.
She didn’t seek a commission because she had no intention of staying in the Army.
When she finished language training, however, the Army threw her a curveball, assigning her to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
“I had never in my life considered the fact that when I joined the Army as an Arabic linguist that I might go to a light infantry division. But that’s where I wound up,” she said.
She completed Air Assault School and training as a rappel master. Then she went to the Basic Airborne Course and the Military Freefall School for parachuting.
Naumann discovered that she enjoyed being in an infantry division. She enjoyed the Army.
“I feel really fortunate to have had amazing leaders in my time at the 101st, who made me really understand what I could do in the Army and how to be a good leader, and how the Army just takes care of people and feels like a family,” she said.
“More than anything, it was the leaders that made me want to stay in the Army,” she said.
As a sergeant at age 25, Naumann was NCO of the Year in the 101st Division.
“I was the only woman competing. I saw that I could compete with the men, and I did it the same way that I approached my job,” she said.
She knew there were some events that she couldn’t win.
“I just made sure I won every event I could win, and then I just held my own…”
Naumann can trace that attitude back to her youth, when she ran cross country and track in high school.
“I was never the most talented runner on the team. I was probably always the runner most willing to suffer on the team. The way I would break other runners is by being more willing to be in pain at the end of a race than other people were, and I think it’s that kind of attitude that just has allowed me to succeed,” she said.
Recruited by Special Operations Command in 2001, Naumann faced a dilemma in the aftermath of 9/11 when she was a staff sergeant and squad leader.
“I felt like I couldn’t leave my squad. It would be their first time going into combat, and I didn’t feel like I could let them go without me,” she recalls.
She sought guidance from division Command Sgt. Maj. Clifford West.
“He looked at me and all he said to me was, ‘Sergeant, if you’ve done your job, they don’t need you.’”
After SOC training, Naumann had assignments to special mission units and completed 14 deployments throughout Central Command and Africa Command.
In those years after 9/11, being a female Arabic translator paid off.
“It made me far less of a threat … being underestimated is a superpower,” she said.
Naumann said she never sought a job or promotion to be a trailblazer and doesn’t really think of herself as one.
She thinks she developed her drive, in part, from her mother, who retired as the pilot of a Boeing 747 after years in the cockpit.
“I never realized that it made a difference to me,” Naumann said, but being the daughter of such a professional meant that no one told her women couldn’t succeed.
“It never was in my head that I couldn’t do whatever job I wanted to do, because no one ever told me that there were things girls didn’t do. And so, I just didn’t hesitate to do things that I wanted to do,” she said.
She said people often thank her for advancing career possibilities in the Army, whether it is because she is a woman or because she rose in the ranks from a non-traditional specialty.
“If me being here makes other people see that they have the same possibilities, then I’m glad that it does,” she said.
For anyone, she said, the biggest challenge is convincing yourself to try.
“Everyone has challenges, right? These [Army] programs are not easy for anyone,” she said.
Naumann said there were certainly times when people told her she could not do a job because she was female.
When confronting that attitude, she would respond, “I graduated from the same course you did. So, tell me again, why I can’t do that job?”
She demanded better reasons why a woman could not grow and advance in the Army.
“It turns out there weren’t better reasons. So, I pushed until I got the opportunities I thought I should have. That’s my personality,” she said.
That is also reminiscent of how she ran track and cross country.
“I’m still not going to be the best at everything,” she added.
There are times when she relies on others to help out.
“I focus the majority of my energy on the things that I singularly can do,” she said.
People can often succeed if they make others be the ones to say ‘no,’ she explained.
“Sometimes we talk ourselves out of doing things,” Naumann said. We say “I’m not going to try it because I don’t know if I’m going to make it, I don’t know if I’m good enough. I don’t know if I’m smart enough, or strong enough. I don’t know if I’ll do a good job.”
Her message? Don’t sell yourself short.
Naumann says the best moments of her career are likely when she has held a promotion board and been able to reward someone who worked hard and stayed out of trouble and earned advancement.
“That’s the moment, when you tell them: ‘Congratulations, I’m recommending you for promotion.’”
By Jonathan Austin, Army News Service
“Competing for advantage means accruing power and influence in such a way that the adversary’s plans cannot be realized. This volume focuses primarily on appreciating the Chinese Communist Party’s worldview, interests, and political culture while promoting a strategic vision for the future—a future where SOF will need to reinterpret their value from providing a military effect to providing a political effect through military means.”
The JSOU Press is pleased to announce its latest publication “Competing for Advantage: The Chinese Communist Party, Statecraft, and Special Operations,” edited and with an introduction by Dr. David Ellis. This edited volume highlights key challenges the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) faces in its rise and contextualizes the potential contributions of special operations to compete for advantage based on the CCP’s interests and vulnerabilities.
Learn more about this and other JSOU Press publications by visiting jsou.edu/press
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS) —
Chief Master Sgt. David A. Flosi was formally installed March 8 as the 20th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.
In remarks after the formal “Change of Responsibility” ceremony in which he assumed the job from retiring Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass, Flosi emphasized both the opportunity before him and what it means to the Total Force at a time of dramatic change and challenge across the service.
“As I assume this role, I’m aware of the challenges ahead,” Flosi said. “We live in a rapidly evolving world, where new threats emerge with alarming frequency, and the demands on our Air Force continue to grow.
“While demanding, I am confident in our ability to rise to the occasion. I am confident because over the course of my career, time and time again, I have witnessed the dedication and professionalism of our Airmen,” he said.
Flosi’s installation as the highest-ranking enlisted noncommissioned officer in the Air Force completes a total overhaul of senior military leaders for the service. Gen. David Allvin was installed as Air Force chief of staff on Nov. 2 and Gen. Jim Slife officially became Air Force vice chief of staff on Dec. 29.
All three senior leaders, along with Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, will be instrumental in successfully establishing far-reaching plans to “reoptimize” the Air Force to better confront China and other modern-day adversaries.
Allvin stressed that effort in welcoming Flosi during the dignified ceremony, which also included comments from Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and, prior to that, Air Force chief of staff.
“Dynamic, fast-paced environments require agile, determined leadership – that’s exactly what Chief Flosi brings to the fight,” Allvin said. “We’ve got work to do, and I know Chief Flosi is ready to move out on reoptimization to enhance our readiness and mold our one Air Force.”
In his remarks, Kendall offered a glowing tribute to Bass and provided clear guidance for what he expects from Flosi.
Bass, he said, “has served over 30 years in the Air Force, and we are an infinitely better organization because of your service. She’s been a standout leader at every level.
“Chief Flosi, you’re going to have to fill some pretty big shoes. I look forward to working together and to everything you have to offer. I want to welcome you to an incredible team. … We will need your experience and your perspective to make sure the needs of our Airmen and their families are always at the forefront of all of our efforts,” Kendall said.
Brown echoed Kendall in his praise and admiration for Bass.
“Jo, I’m so glad I hired you. You’ve been an inspiration for me. We were able to break barriers together,” Brown said, referring to their shared histories in which Brown was the first African American to be named Chief of Staff of any branch of the military and Bass’s selection as the first woman to serve as a Service senior enlisted advisor in the history of the United States military.
“You’ve been an inspiration to me. You’ve been an inspiration to our Air Force; you’ve been an inspiration to our nation,” Brown said.
Flosi steps into the job being vacated by the retiring Bass, who senior leaders said set the standard by which all subsequent Chiefs will be judged.
“Chief Bass’s passion for Airmen and their families has defined her time as our 19th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force,” Allvin said. “Her tireless work on their behalf has propelled our force forward. Even after over 30 years of dedicated service, I have no doubts that she will continue to be an advocate for Airmen and airpower moving forward.”
In her remarks at the dignified ceremony, Bass highlighted memories and achievements from across her 31-year career. She thanked a list of people who helped her at every point, including her husband Rahn, her parents, and a large group of Air Force colleagues who served as mentors and role models.
She directed special praise to Brown, who selected her to be chief master sergeant of the Air Force when Brown served as chief of staff.
“General Brown, chairman, thank you for hiring me as your wingman and chief. The best words you shared with me were ‘proceed until apprehended.’ And I did just that,” she said.
“I may have gotten apprehended once or twice, maybe three times. In any case, you let me be me and get after the things that matter to our Airmen and their families. It’s been an honor for Rahn and I to serve alongside you and Sharene,” she said.
Flosi’s new job is similar to his previous post but on a larger, more high-profile stage. He arrived at the Pentagon from Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he served as the command chief master sergeant. That role was similar in many respects to the role he now assuming. At AFMC, he is the senior enlisted leader and the primary advisor to the commander on all matters regarding the readiness, training, professional development, and effective utilization of the command’s 89,000 total force Airmen.
Like his predecessors, Flosi pledged to lock arms with Airmen to help them – and the Air Force – thrive and succeed.
“Today, as we stand on the dawn of a new era, we recognize we are serving at a time of consequence. It is imperative we acknowledge the urgency of the challenges we face,” he said.
Later in his remarks, he added, “Fellow Airmen, my commitment to you and to our Air Force is unwavering. As we navigate the complexities of great power competition and seek to optimize our force, I pledge to be your wingman.”
Prior to his tour at Wright-Patterson AFB, Flosi served as the command chief master sergeant at the Air Force’s Sustainment Center at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.
Flosi began his Air Force career in 1996 as a nuclear weapons specialist. That focus expanded over the years to include various leadership duties in conventional and nuclear munitions, as well as missile operations, program management and test and contingency operations.
Like Bass and previous CMSAFs, Flosi will be the public face for Air Force personnel to those in all levels of government. He will be a personal adviser to Allvin and other senior leaders, both military and civilian, and will be expected to provide insight on issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale and proper utilization and progress of the Air Force’s entire cadre of Airmen.
Flosi emerged as the clear choice from a group of the most highly respected, experienced graduated command chief master sergeants from across the Air Force’s global operations, officials said. These leaders were selected based on breadth of experience, recommendations from senior commanders and performance across each candidate’s Air Force career.
Story by Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —
Military uniforms are designed to accommodate most body types, but many individuals face difficulty finding a good fit based on unique proportions or even medical needs.
The Air Force provides special-order – often used interchangeably with special-measurement which is the most common type of special order – uniforms to service members who fall outside of the standard size range. There are also options for those who need non-permethrin-treated operational camouflage pattern, or OCP, uniforms. Permethrin is an insect repellent. The special-order process allows service members to comply with military standards and maintain a professional appearance without incurring additional costs.
“What the customer pays is the standard price of the item,” said David James, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Customer Cell chief. The DLA Troop Support customer is the Army Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, which operates the Military Clothing Sales Store, or MCSS, on behalf of the Department of the Air Force.
“MCSS locations purchase uniforms from DLATS [commonly used as an abbreviation for DLA Troop Support] at cost and sell at cost,” said Shawn Martinson, AAFES military clothing buyer. “If a service member requires clothing or footwear that is unavailable in the sizes provided in store and they cannot be accommodated by altering an available item, the military clothing associate prepares a special-measurement requisition through DLATS.”
When the Air Force transitioned to OCPs, Lt. Col. Katie Henschel, a program manager with the U.S. Transportation Command, noticed she broke out in hives during duty days.
“I had red, bumpy, itchy skin all along my arms and legs whenever I was in uniform; however, over the weekend, my skin would return to normal,” Henschel said. “My medical provider suspected an allergic reaction to the permethrin-treated OCPs. Their advice was to see if non-permethrin-treated OCPs were an option.”
The special-order process begins and ends at the MCSS.
First, a service member tries on several standard sizes to determine if a common size garment can be used. If not, the store associate indicates the best fitting standard size, describes how the garment fits improperly, and takes the service member’s body measurements.
Forms for special-order uniforms are completed and submitted to either DLA Troop Support or the Air Force Clothing and Textile Liaison Office, or AFCTO. The AFCTO, part of Agile Combat Support’s Human Systems Division, assists those unfamiliar with the special-order process by guiding them and reviewing their requests for completion prior to submission to DLA Troop Support. Upon receipt of the special-order request, DLA Troop Support puts the order on contract with their vendor. Finally, the DLA Troop Support vendor develops the requested item and ships it to MCSS for customer pickup.
The special-order process for footwear is similar but may require a visit to a healthcare provider if a medical condition is confirmed or suspected. A healthcare professional will take foot measurements and tracings and fill out required forms. The paperwork is then given to MCSS for requisition.
“Most special orders can be filled in 60 days, but depending on the item there may be exceptions,” James said.
By Maj Tiffany Low, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Agile Combat Support Directorate
AFI 36-2903 rewrite just dropped which, incorporates policy changes from the 102nd Air Force Uniform Board, incorporates all other guidance memorandums and features updated graphics for visual clarity.
The updated policy outlines:
• Religious Accommodation Process
• No-hat, No-salute areas
• Specialized nametag wear for DAF and Joint Chiefs support staff
• Two-piece flight duty uniform
• Bags, to include gym bag, backpack, handbags
• Flight duty uniform policy
• Female wear of mess dress trousers or slacks
• Wear of caps for baldness or hair loss due to medical conditions
• Permanent wear of EPME badge
• Security Forces shield on the OCP uniform
• Beverage consumption while walking in uniform
• Wear of cold weather headbands
• Authorized wear of commercial maternity cold weather outerwear
• Wing commander delegation to approve religious regalia
• Organizational emblems on the back of morale shirt
• Heritage morale patches on the flight duty uniform
It also highlights authorized and unauthorized examples of grooming standards for:
• Tattoo/brands/body markings
• Mustache wear
• Male and female hair standards
• Female nail polish colors and other cosmetics
It also clarifies duty badge guidance, explaining the wear and placement of up to three duty badges on male and female service, semi-formal, formal and mess dress uniforms. Lastly, it clarifies sister service/joint unit patch wear, and provides graduate patch criteria.
The updated DAFI 36-2903 can be found here.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Adm. Rick Cheeseman, and the Navy’s Personnel Plans and Policy Division (N13) Director, Rear Adm. Jim Waters, pinned Master Chief Christopher Rambert as the Navy’s first Robotics Warfare Specialist during an office call at Naval Support Facility Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 27, 2024.
The rating insignia reveal followed the U.S. Navy’s announcement in NAVADMIN 036/24, establishing the branch’s enlisted career field for operators, maintainers, and managers of robotic and autonomous systems.
The establishment of the RW rating underpins the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s plans for building and developing “a team who has the reps and sets in sensors, platform autonomy, and mission autonomy programs, and can provide input in machine-learning feedback processes,” a priority she discussed in her keynote address at the WEST 2024 naval conference.
Although Rambert is the first Sailor to don the new RW uniform rating badge, the development of the Navy robotics warfare community represents years of effort.
“It’s a proud moment to see all the hard work that’s gone into developing this badge, and just seeing it finally get codified and brought to life – to me, it signifies the hard work of the people around me,” Rambert said.
From research and analysis to organizing working groups and designating individual subject matter experts, Sailors and Navy civilian employees have been working behind the scenes on creating the Robotics Warfare Specialist career field for more than three years.
Its founding has distinguished the Navy as the first Department of Defense branch to establish a dedicated enlisted workforce specialized in unmanned and autonomous technology.
“The RW rating is a major milestone in our Navy’s relentless march to achieve a truly hybrid Fleet,” Cheeseman penned in NAVADMIN 036/24.
According to Rambert, the DoD’s hybrid force framework is a force multiplier, allowing Sailors to develop seasoned experience across the rating’s multiple domains – subsurface, surface, air, and ground platforms.
With a background as an aviation electrician’s mate, Rambert spoke to the tactical advantages that will come with the new rating’s initial cadre – and the growing opportunity for future RW Sailors.
“You get the opportunity to go to so many different places,” Rambert said. “If you look across the spectrum of the entire Navy, you’ve got Sailors that have the potential to really touch every single domain out there and that’s very rare.”
Rambert has served as the Navy’s sole Robotics Enlisted Community Manager at the Bureau of Naval Personnel since October 2023.
“It’s really an awesome feeling to be the first one to represent the rating,” Rambert said. “And to see this rating finally come to fruition, you can see the level of excitement, and passion from the other Sailors that are out there.”
Eligibility and Application
The initial selection of Sailors for RW conversions will consist primarily of active-duty Sailors currently holding robotics-related Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) codes. Sailors currently or previously assigned to billets in unmanned vehicle divisions are primed for selection.
Active-duty E-4 to E-9 Sailors who meet the above criteria can apply by submitting a NAVPERS 1306/7 Electronic Personnel Action Request (EPAR) form to BUPERS-328 or BUPERS-352 (SELRES).
The Navy’s Fact Sheet focused on RW Conversion Opportunity provides further details on the specific NECs, ASVAB scores, and background requirements for applicants: www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55
Rambert described the sought-after characteristics of RW candidates as being driven, adaptable, and motivated to become masters of the craft.
“They have to have [the] drive to want to be a part of something that might not be entirely defined by policy,” Rambert said. “They need to be passionate about what they do because what they’re learning now and the lessons learned that we take to the table later can have huge effects on the success of the rating as we progress into the future.”
Rating Symbol Design
Originally designed by Chief Aviation Electrician’s Mate McLean Monaghan, the RW rating symbol comprises an airplane propeller and lightning bolt crossed over a treaded wheel, all layered over a single wave. Each element represents a domain that U.S. Navy Robotics Warfare Specialists are expected to operate in to support the mission of the DoD:
· Airplane Propeller – Aerial Systems
· Lightning Bolt – The Electromagnetic Spectrum
· Treaded Wheel – Ground Systems
· Wave – Surface and Subsurface Systems
For information regarding the application process, visit the RW enlisted community management page on the MyNavy HR website at: www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Community-Management/Enlisted/Robotics-Warfare
For more news from the Chief of Naval Personnel, follow MyNavy HR on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube, or visit www.navy.mil/cnp
Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Jeanette Mullinax
Chief of Naval Personnel
