In the military, it's often said that "words mean things;" but is the meaning always obvious, or even conscious? In this episode, Dr. Elena Wicker walks us through the difference between the documents and symbols of strategy - such as the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy - and the actual process of strategic thinking that occurs at all levels of the military. Artificial intelligence and pattern analysis can tell us a lot about the first and little about the second. Learn ...
Nov 18, 2022•52 min•Season 5Ep. 28
Note: we experimented with new microphones in this episode and they worked a little too well, picking up unexpected ambient sounds. However the audio for our guest is unimpeded, and we'll have the mics placed better next time! For this episode we were excited to welcome the newest member of #TeamKrulak, Mr. Dan Rice, who has joined the Center and Marine Corps University as our dedicated subject matter expert for China. He comes to us from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, where he re...
Nov 16, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 27
#TeamKrulak community, we have a special Marine Corps birthday gift for you - a new episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" with our Russia SME Dr. Yuval Weber. We take a look at two of the biggest developments from the last couple of weeks - Ukraine's maritime drone attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet anchored in Sevastopol, and the announcement that the Russian military would withdraw from the Kherson region. All opinions expressed here are those of the individual and do n...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 5Ep. 26
#TeamKrulak community, we're pleased to bring this special update on events unfolding in #Iran from our Middle East Studies gurus, Dr. Amin Tarzi and Dr. Christopher Anzalone. We look at the state of the protests which started at the end of August following the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iranian authorities, and the recent Islamic State-claimed terrorist attack on the Shahcheragh Shrine in the city of Shiraz. Enjoyed this episode? Think there's room for improvement? Share your thoughts...
Nov 08, 2022•59 min•Season 5Ep. 26
Dr. Yuval Weber, #TeamKrulak's Russia subject matter expert, caught us up on a few things today: the state of play in Kherson, Russia's declaration of martial law for its non-martial special military operation, and Putin's speech yesterday - with Russian literary interpretation - to the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow and its implications on war termination. Come for the Soviet science fiction movie recommendations, stay for Darth Putin's poop emojis. All opinions expressed here are those of th...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 25
In this episode, we welcomed some of our neighbors from just across the highway on Quantico - Col Greg Jones, Commanding Officer, Weapons Training Battalion – Quantico, and Gunner John Costa, Director, Marksmanship Program Management Section discussed the Marine Corps' new Annual Rifle Qualification course of fires, and the Advanced Marksmanship Training Program and Infantry Marksmanship Assessment for the infantry community that are in the final stages of development. These changes will build o...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 24
It's episode 100 of the #BruteCast! How did we get this far? Listen and find out! We talked with Krulak Center Director Ms. Valerie Jackson on how #TeamKrulak has grown and changed since its chartering in 2018, how its programs (including the #BruteCast) have impacted professional military education at Marine Corps University and across the Fleet Marine Force, our favorite episodes, our "dream guests," and where the Krulak Center goes from here! Enjoy, and we'll see what episode 200 brings in th...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 23
This episode was special because while we’ve previously done historical case studies and book discussions on the #BruteCast, we haven’t done one with a specific naval focus, and so our guest helped us rectify this. We were pleased to welcome author Trent Hone to talk about his newly released book Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific . The book is a detailed examination of Nimitz’s leadership during World War II, describing how he used his talents to hel...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 5Ep. 22
This is the second #BruteCast episode we were fortunate to host as an offshoot of the recent "NATO's Northern Flank" writing workshop coordinated by Dr. Njord Wegge of the Norwegian Defence University College, who is in residence with us here at Marine Corps University as the Chair for Arctic Security. We spoke with Professor Tom Røseth and LTC Palle Ydstebø on Norwegian security considerations and their perspectives on Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Enjoyed this episode? Think there's ro...
Oct 12, 2022•36 min•Season 5Ep. 21
Today we caught up with Dr. Yuval Weber in the latest developments in the #Russia-#Ukraine War. We reviewed the status of the Kharkiv and Kherson counteroffensives, mobilization, internal struggles between the Russian military and Russian security services, and finally focused on the recent strike on the Kerch Bridge connecting Russia to occupied Crimea, and this morning's retaliatory attack on Ukrainian civilian targets. All opinions expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessa...
Oct 10, 2022•45 min•Season 5Ep. 20
Building on our recent #BruteCast about drone swarms, #TeamKrulak is excited to welcome Col Bill Edwards, U.S. Army (retired) to open the aperture on the global security challenges presented by commercial drones. There are millions of commercial drones in private hands, they are a multi-billion dollar global industry, and their proliferation and use on fields of conflict by conventional armies and non-state actors alike are limited only by their imaginations. Col Edwards describes the challenges...
Oct 01, 2022•56 min•Season 5Ep. 19
This week, the Krulak Center was honored to host a writing workshop focusing on NATO’s Northern Flank coordinated by Dr. Njord Wegge of the Norwegian Defence University College, who is in residence with us here at Marine Corps University as the Chair for Arctic Security. He was kind enough to arrange some #BruteCast opportunities with the workshop contributors, including this episode featuring a panel discussion on “Arctic Security and Great Power Competition.” Panelists include: Professor Lisel...
Sep 30, 2022•47 min•Season 5Ep. 18
In this rapid-fire episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War," Dr. Yuval Weber looks at how the first week of mobilization has gone for Russia, the faux referenda in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war captured at the Azovstal iron and steel works in Mariupol, and suspicious explosions that triggered leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. All opinions expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect th...
Sep 27, 2022•24 min•Season 5Ep. 17
Those who’ve watched the headlines this week have seen some remarkable images coming out of Iran. Widespread protests lead by Iranian women have occurred in many cities, and there have even been videos of protestors fighting back against the regime’s notoriously brutal law enforcement entities. To help us understand what’s going on we’re pleased to welcome Ms. Golnaz Esfandiari, who is a senior correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty focusing on Iran. Her previous reporting has covered...
Sep 24, 2022•14 min•Season 5Ep. 16
In this episode we’re excited to welcome the first in a series of guests we hope to have on this year to talk about something we haven’t yet covered in the #BruteCast, and that’s drones. Drones have gotten much attention over the last several months as we have watched both the Russians and Ukrainians use them extensively during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but what we’ve seen in that war still is not the full scope of potential applications of this hardware. The video of the drone swarm navigat...
Sep 23, 2022•58 min•Season 5Ep. 15
It's been a busy 48 hours, and in our latest "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" episode, Dr. Yuval Weber breaks down the events that have transpired to date. The big story of the day was Vladimir Putin's early-morning speech in which he finally took the step of calling for a mobilization of up to 300,000 new soldiers. We look at what else Putin said, the legal framework (and loopholes) of this mobilization, the domestic impact within Russia, and much more. All opinions expressed ...
Sep 22, 2022•45 min•Season 5Ep. 14
#TeamKrulak continues to be fortunate in its #BruteCast guests, as we got to talk with SgtMaj Troy Black, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps! SgtMaj Black discussed the enlisted aspects of Talent Management 2030, the strategic advantage of the individual Marine in Force Design 2030, enlisted professional military education today and tomorrow, and more. Enjoyed this episode? Think there's room for improvement? Share your thoughts in this quick survey - all feedback is welcome! The survey may be f...
Sep 17, 2022•1 hr•Season 5Ep. 13
In this episode, we're excited to build on a theme for this #BruteCast season, which is welcoming senior Marine Corps leaders who are helping drive the Corps forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century. We welcomed LtGen David R. Bellon, USMC, Commander Marine Forces Reserve and Commander Marine Forces South. He shared his perspectives on how Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces South are supporting the changes underway with Force Design 2030, the challenges of the future operating env...
Sep 17, 2022•57 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In our latest "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" episode, Dr. Yuval Weber updates us on the current results of the counteroffensive near Kharkiv, contrasts between Ukrainian and Russian recruitment and political leadership, and the impacts of regional leaders looking at a weakened Russia and seeing new opportunities to settle old scores. All opinions expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of the Krulak Center, Marine Corps University, the ...
Sep 16, 2022•54 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Dr. Yuval Weber returns to "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" to look at the dual Ukrainian counteroffensives unfolding in the Kherson and Kharkiv oblasts. All opinions expressed here are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of the Krulak Center, Marine Corps University, the United States Marine Corps, or any other agency of the U.S. Government. Intro/outro music is "Epic" from BenSound.com ( https://www.bensound.com ) Follow the Krulak Center: Facebook: h...
Sep 10, 2022•46 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Two weeks before Russia began its current invasion of Ukraine, we offered a #BruteCast panel on "Rapid Wargame Prototyping for Crises." When the invasion actually occurred, #TeamKrulak staff started looking in real time at how to apply rapid prototyping concepts to the wargame platforms already offered to the Marine Corps University and wider national security communities. The goal was to provide "living" wargame layers and mechanics to allow these communities to learn and test battlefield devel...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Our latest episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" covers a lot of ground in what's been a busy week: the emerging Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south, Russian force generation challenges, visa bans, the death of Mikhail Gorbachev, oil price caps, the insanity of combat near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the defenestration of Russian oil executive Ravil Maganov, and some comments on the grassroots information warfare phenomenon of the #NAFO #Fellas. All opinions...
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Our latest episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" comes on a day marking two very different milestones: the 31st anniversary of Ukraine's independence from the former Soviet Union, and the sixth month of Russia's ongoing invasion of that country. Dr. Yuval Weber, our Russia subject matter expert, reviews the six months of conflict from the perspective of "three phases and two questions;" discusses contrasts between the Ukrainian and Russian militaries - and national cultur...
Aug 24, 2022•1 hr•Season 5Ep. 7
Hot on the heels of our talent management discussion with Gen Eric Smith, we were excited to welcome guests to the #BruteCast who not only have front row seats to Force Design 2030 but are helping to drive the bus. We talked with Major General Frank Donovan, commanding general of the 2d Marine Division, and Command Master Chief Scottie Cox, who serves as the senior enlisted Navy advisor to the division. For those who’ve been tracking Force Design 2030, you’ll know that the 2d Marine Division rec...
Aug 18, 2022•55 min•Season 5Ep. 6
#TeamKrulak community, we were very excited and honored to welcome General Eric Smith, USMC, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps to the #BruteCast! Those following the Service-wide changes under Force Design 2030 know that talent management is a key focus area, with detailed reforms laid out in the Talent Management 2030 report ( https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Portals/142/Users/183/35/4535/Talent%20Management%202030_November%202021.pdf ). A couple of months ago, we had the chance to talk to t...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 5Ep. 5
For our second episode of season 5, we were pleased to welcome Ms. Ada Sayin from the KızBaşına project in #Turkey. #TeamKrulak first learned about this project from a #wargaming exercise we ran for the #NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in the UK a few months ago (and if you’d like to know more about the ARRC and how they use wargaming to train, check out our past #BruteCast interview with their team members). The KızBaşına project aims to increase the place of women in the defense and security ...
Aug 11, 2022•50 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Dr. Yuval Weber was down our way this afternoon and we took the opportunity to record a detailed "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" on the recent Ukrainian strike on Saki Air Base, a major Russian aviation installation in occupied Crimea. While details remain scarce, initial indications are that the strike caused significant damage to Russian forces based there. We outlined some possible methods of attack Ukraine might have used, and the implications for the Russian position in s...
Aug 11, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Welcome to season 5 of the #BruteCast! It’s a new academic year here at Marine Corps University, and we at the Krulak Center are excited about launching into it with our students. So we’re going to ante up by getting this #BruteCast season off to a strong start. And we couldn’t have asked for a better guest today to help us do that. In this episode we were pleased to welcome Col Brian Greene, USMC, the commanding officer of the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group (MCTOG) in 29 Palms, CA. M...
Aug 07, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Our special miniseries returns! For this new episode of "Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War," resident Russia subject matter expert and #TeamKrulak Distinguished Fellow Dr. Yuval Weber brings us up to date on development since our last episode. We discussed the war entering a new third phase with Ukraine's pending counteroffensive near Kherson; supply chain developments with Ukrainian grain and Russian natural gas; and continuing humanitarian crisis with the forcible relocation of ...
Aug 04, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 5Ep. 1
"Down the Rabbit Hole on the #Russia-#Ukraine War" will be on hiatus for a few weeks, but we've got a double-length episode to hold you over. Dr. Yuval Weber discussed the human factors at play for both #Russian and #Ukrainian soldiers, the divergent targeting choices of both sides for their limited number of precision-guided weapons, and we spent extra time talking about the ongoing "situation map" of the conflict used by our #wargaming director Mr. Tim Barrick. Incoming MCU students and facult...
Jul 08, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 45
