by Michael F. McNamara | Mar 23, 2025 | Japan, North Korea, Pacific Rim Security, Philippines, South China Sea, South Korea, Vietnam
Grant Newsham is a senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, a senior research fellow at the Center for Security Policy, and a retired United States Marine Officer. He was the first US Marine liaison officer to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and was instrumental in promoting the JSDF’s initial moves towards an amphibious capability.
He joined Mac to catch up on:
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- US engagement in the region… how goes it?
- Where each of the following Pacific Rim nations are today relative to defense issues: China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.
- The Marine Corps in the Pacific… how is it doing
- Ukraine
- Israel’s war against Hama, Hezbollah, Houthis and Iran
Always an interesting guest… Grant Newsham is the best I’ve heard when it comes to frank assessments of the Western Pacific.
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by Michael F. McNamara | Mar 21, 2025 | A1, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE), isolation, Leadership, Mental Fitness, Mental Health
NEVER in the history of the Marine Corps has it needed the leadership abilities of its Staff Non-Commissioned Officer corps more than it does today. In today’s “Talking Point,” Mac expands on the theme of “It’s not my job to parent and life coach young Marines” — something he hears wherever he goes to speak to Marines, Sailors, and leaders.
In today’s “Talking Point,” Mac discusses the Post-Traumatic Winning Leader Class he’s given for the past three years to officers and staff non-commissioned officers wherever he speaks. The class attempts to develop a “terrain model” for leaders… explaining to them the world they lead in. Here are the components of the PTW Terrain Model:
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- The prevalence of childhood trauma (adverse childhood experiences – ACEs) in the All-Volunteer Force in general and in the Marine Corps in particular.
- How the environment young Americans grow up in today contributes to their greater fragility, and how digital technology promotes individual isolation.
- How leaders are unsure where the leadership line ends and the mental health line begins, which begets the phrase “it’s not my job” when Marine Staff Non-Commissioned Officers speak to Mac.
- Finally, Mac discusses how the most senior leader who is with junior Marines has grown in importance due to the greater fragility of young Americans.
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by Michael F. McNamara | Mar 16, 2025 | BOOK: From Trauma To Joy, Leadership, Mental Fitness
IT’S OUT! Mac’s first book… click HERE! “From Trauma To Joy” — Mac’s first book has been published and is available on Amazon.com!
ALSO… LtGen Dave Furness, USMC (ret), and MajGen Dale Alford, USMC (ret) join Mac to discuss their reaction to something Mac hears enlisted leaders say wherever he speaks around the world: “I’m their parent, and I’m not their life coach. I’ve been told that’s not my job anymore and to get them to mental health and butt out.” Which is an absolutely stunning thing to hear in an organization that read General John Lejeune’s message every November 10. We’ll talk about that.
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by Michael F. McNamara | Nov 15, 2024 | Iran, Iraq, Israel, Middle East
MajGen Dale Alford, USMC (ret), and LtGen Dave Furness, USMC (ret), join Mike McNamara on ALL MARINE RADIO to give us their updated thoughts on the situation in the Middle East.
MajGen Alford and LtGen Furness are experienced and insightful leaders with close to 80 years of service between them, and this is a great discussion about the nuances that go into Israel’s complex task of dealing with Iran and its proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen). (more…)
by Michael F. McNamara | Oct 5, 2024 | Iran, Israel, Middle East
Two decorated Marine Corps General Officers join Mike McNamara on ALL MARINE RADIO to discuss the events that have the world watching the Middle East. MajGen Dale Alford, USMC (ret) and LtGen Dave Furness, USMC (ret) discuss (1) The geography of the region and the criticality of three chokepoints to world economics — the Straits of Hormuz, the Bab el Mandeb, and the Suez Canal; (2) Israel’s actions against Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen and (3) How will Israel respond to Iran’s attack?
MajGen Alford and LtGen Furness are experienced and insightful leaders with close to 80 years of service between them, and this is a great discussion about the nuances that go into Israel’s complex task of dealing with Iran and its proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen). (more…)
