Boy on the Bridge: Perspectives Lecture Series

USAHEC Perspectives Lectures Series (Audio)

August 19, 2020 – Dr. Andrew Marble

On August 19, 2020 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Dr. Andrew Marble of Brown University based on his new book, Boy on the Bridge: The Story of John Shalikashvili’s American Success. In his lecture, Dr. Marble tells the story of John Shalikashvili, the son of immigrants who fled Europe to the safety of the United States after World War II. Despite his underprivileged upbringing, Shalikashvili clawed his way to a Bachelor’s degree before being drafted into the Army and attending Officer Candidate School. Shalikashvili’s empathetic and collaborative approach to leadership impressed his colleagues, subordinates, and leadership alike. He demonstrated his expertise in military affairs through his ability to handle conflict, his humility, and his ability to work well with others. He rose rapidly in rank, eventually serving as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for NATO and then as the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. In his lecture, Dr. Andrew Marble studies Shalikashvili’s leadership style through the lens of Shalikashvili’s family struggles, his career as a junior officer, and how he broke the chains of poverty to achieve the highest position in the American Armed Forces.

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