Best Modern War Institute At West Point Podcasts (2024)

1
Five Days in Paktia 58:43

14m ago58:43

58:43

In this episode of The Spear, MWI's John Amble is joined by Maj. Jacob Absalon. He shares a story from his first deployment in 2009, as a lieutenant and platoon leader in eastern Afghanistan Paktia province. Toward the end of a five-day operation, after meeting with a local key leader, the platoon and a partnered Afghan National Army force came und…

1
The Harding Project and Army Professional Writing 39:21

2d ago39:21

39:21

Last September, the Harding Project launched with the objective of renewing professional writing in the US Army. A priority of General Randy George, the Army chief of staff, the project is built on the premise that professional discourse will produce a more ready force, one prepared to meet the challenges it will confront as the character of warfar…

1
Paramilitaries Abroad: China’s Use of Nontraditional Security Forces 54:15

6d ago54:15

54:15

Episode 107 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how China uses its paramilitary and internal security forces to project power abroad and build global influence. Our guests begin by dissecting the Chinese security apparatus: contrasting the People’s Liberation Army with the CCP’s internal police forces and paramilitaries. They then explore how…

1
Defending Against Drones 54:44

7d ago54:44

54:44

No unit in the US Army has more experience defending against drone attacks than 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. During a recent deployment to the Middle East, spread out across eight bases in Iraq and Syria, the brigade was targeted more than one hundred times by drones known as one-way attack unmanned aircraft systems. The brigade…

1
Public Opinion and the Use of Force 55:39

14d ago55:39

55:39

Every four years, Americans choose a new commander-in-chief. US presidents have significant authority to use force, manage a global network of alliances and partnerships, as well as direct American grand strategy. How do voters decide who they want to be commander-in-chief? To explore that question, Dr. Alexandra Chinchilla is joined on this episod…

51
Apaches in Action 34:41

15d ago34:41

34:41

This episode features a conversation with Captain Lindsay Heisler. An aviation officer and Apache pilot, in December 2015 she was part of a mission in Afghanistan supporting a ground force. Just as Chinook helicopters arrived to pick up that force, they came under fire from 360 degrees around them. The two Apaches overhead, including Captain Heisle…

1
Drones, Automation, and how ARSOF is Adapting 51:00

20d ago51:00

51:00

Episode 106 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how drones, robotics, and automation are changing the battlefield in Ukraine and how ARSOF has adapted. Our guests begin by outlining the significance of robotics and autonomous systems on the Ukrainian battlefield. From there, they delve into how US Special Operations formations are learning fr…

1
Introducing "Ctrl Alt Army" 29:31

21d ago29:31

29:31

In this special episode of the MWI Podcast, we're taking the opportunity to introduce listeners to a brand new podcast series called Ctrl Alt Army: Stories from Cyberspace. Hosted by Dr. Michael Sulmeyer, principal cyber advisor to the secretary of the Army, this podcast series features informal conversations with senior Army leaders about cyber is…

1
Engineers in Urban Warfare 51:12

27d ago51:12

51:12

What do engineers bring to urban operations? How do the basic capabilities resident in engineer units—like those in the US Army—enable maneuver forces to achieve their objectives when operating in cities? For commanders, what are the most important considerations to account for when employing engineers in combined arms operations, and what effects …

1
Rescue in an Afghan Valley 54:45

28d ago54:45

54:45

In 2009, Sgt. 1st Class Sean Ambriz was on his first deployment in Afghanistan. When a platoon became pinned down by enemy fire, he was among the soldiers sent to help. The highest ranking soldier on site asked for volunteers to work their way up the mountainside to treat and evacutate the platoon's casualties. It turned into an hours-long fight to…

1
Learning from Iraq 46:35

1M ago46:35

46:35

After the US-led coalition's invasion of Iraq and defeat of Iraqi forces in conventional operations, a series of new challenges arose. How can security forces be rebuilt and strengthened, for example, and how can peace and governance be restored? This episode is the second in a two-part discussion with Dr. Isaiah "Ike" Wilson. An Army veteran and s…

1
Lessons from the Eastern Front: Security Force Assistance in Ukraine 53:38

1M ago53:38

53:38

Episode 105 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast contrasts security force assistance (SFA) efforts in Ukraine and Afghanistan. Our guests begin by outlining the significance of security force assistance and its pivotal role in Washington’s wider national security strategy. From there, they delve into a detailed analysis of SFA in both Afghanistan and U…

1
Russia's Pursuit of Military AI 34:42

1M ago34:42

34:42

Russia is actively pursuing military applications of AI technology. But how much progress has been made in that pursuit? How have sanctions put in place in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine influenced the course of Russian AI research and development? Most fundamentally, how do Russian military leaders actually want to employ AI-enabled tool…

1
A Black Hawk in a Firefight 51:45

1M ago51:45

51:45

In this episode, Joe Roland joins to share a story from 2004. A UH-60 Black Hawk pilot, his aircraft and another were supporting an Army Special Forces team in search of a group of enemy combatants in Afghanistan. As soon as his helicopter landed to drop off a US soldier and two Afghans to take up an overwatch position, enemy fighters were identifi…

1
Iraq in Retrospect, Twenty Years Later 51:11

1M ago51:11

51:11

More than twenty-one years ago, when a US-led coalition invaded Iraq, the 101st Airborne Division was a key element of the operation. Dr. Isaiah "Ike" Wilson was an Army officer and the division's chief of plans. He later authored a book, Thinking Beyond War, that chronicled lessons learned from the experience. He joins this episode, the first in a…

1
Insiders, Outsiders and Enablers: Intelligence Support to Irregular Warfare 59:01

2M ago59:01

59:01

Episode 104 examines the role of intelligence professionals and agencies at the tactical and operational levels of irregular warfare while diving deeply into the links between US SOF and the CIA. Our guests begin with an overview of the history of the CIA and the development in intelligence capabilities throughout the Global War on Terror, and then…

1
Landpower in the Pacific 51:28

2M ago51:28

51:28

Many people look at a map of the Indo-Pacific region and assume that—characterized as it is by long distances and vast stretches of ocean—it is principally the air and maritime domains where military capability is most important. But as you'll hear in this episode, landpower services play a vital role in the region. So what is the US Army uniquely …

1
Defeating the Urban Enemy, with General David Petraeus 42:58

2M ago42:58

42:58

John Spencer is joined on this episode by retired General David Petraeus. He served thirty-seven years in the US Army, culminating his career with six consecutive commands as a general officer, including five in combat. He served as the commander of coalition forces in Iraq during the troop surge there, commander of US Central Command, and commande…

1
Kiowas in Action 54:04

2M ago54:04

54:04

Just six weeks out of flight school, Jordan Terry was in Afghanistan. On one of his first days flying, he took off on a flight that was supposed to be straightforward—he and three other pilots left their base in two OH-58D Kiowa helicopters, intending to help get him oriented to the rugged, mountainous area the unit was responsible for. On their wa…

1
Technology and the Future of Land Warfare 1:02:58

2M ago1:02:58

1:02:58

Technology is rapidly changing the modern battlefield, making it crucial for armies to adapt how they think, fight, and train. But what should that adaptation look like? How can the US Army, for example, evolve at the tactical level to both meet the challenges and leverage the opportunities brought about by advancing technology? How should Army lea…

1
Cold War Lessons for a New Era: Connecting IW and Great Power Competition 50:55

2M ago50:55

50:55

Episode 103 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines the role that irregular conflicts played during the Cold War to inform today’s era of strategic competition. Our guests begin by explaining how irregular conflicts and capabilities play a role in strategic competition, despite policy structures in Washington that often silo great power conflict …

1
How Iran's Missile and Drone Attack Was Defeated 41:31

2M ago41:31

41:31

When Iran recently launched more than three hundred drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles in a large-scale attack against Israel, almost every single one was stopped from reaching its target. A combination of ground-based air defenses, ship-launched weapons, and aircraft from multiple nations were involved in the defensive operation. But …

1
Concrete Hell 36:44

2M ago36:44

36:44

In this episode, guest host Jayson Geroux is joined by retired Lieutenant Colonel Louis DiMarco, a professor of military history at the United States Army Command and General Staff College. Dr. DiMarco is the author of the influential 2012 book Concrete Hell: Urban Warfare from Stalingrad to Iraq. In the conversation, he discusses how he became int…

1
Spectre in the Sky 1:04:26

2M ago1:04:26

1:04:26

In August 2007, a US Army Special Forces team came under fire while passing through a valley in Afghanistan. The call for support went to a nearby base, where an AC-130H Spectre gunship crew was standing by. The crew quickly launched, and shortly later, the aircraft was overhead. This is the type of job the AC-130H was designed for. In the hours th…

1
Americans’ Changing Views of Civil-Military Relations 1:02:51

2M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

Are current trends in civil-military relations antithetical to healthy democratic norms? What can be done to ensure the civil-military relationship is a healthy one? And most fundamentally, how are Americans' views of the proper delineation of civilian and military authority changing? Dr. Ron Krebs is a professor of political science at the Univers…

1
Strategic Disruption by Special Operations Forces 51:51

3M ago51:51

51:51

Episode 102 of the Irregular Warfare Podcast examines how special operations forces can disrupt the strategic designs of Washington’s adversaries. Our guests begin with an in-depth discussion on civil-military relations, examining the relationship between SOL/IC and SOCOM. They then discuss the unique capabilities that special operations forces bri…

1
NATO at 75 48:07

3M ago48:07

48:07

Seventy-five years ago, on April 4, 1949, representatives of twelve governments came together to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. Much has changed in the intervening period—the Cold War came and went, NATO invoked the Article 5 collective defense clause after the 9/11 attacks, an era of renewed strategic competition has emerged, and large-scale conf…

1
Ambush in Uruzgan 59:37

3M ago59:37

59:37

In this episode, host Tim Heck is joined by Lt. Col. Blake Schwartz. In 2009, Schwartz was a Special Forces team leader deployed in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province. Enemy fighters in the Langar valley, a restive area astride a vital road network, were a particular target for Schwartz’s soldiers. Schwartz attempted three times to enter the valley wit…

1
Why Defense Reform in Ukraine is Crucial 58:33

3M ago58:33

58:33

Most discussions about Western support to Ukraine and its defense against Russia centers on materiel—artillery shells, F-16s, and a wide range of equipment. While these weapons and systems are crucial for Ukraine to continue its war effort, there is an additional consideration that often gets overlooked: defense reform, particularly how the West ca…

1
Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-Combatants 55:37

3M ago55:37

55:37

In today's episode, we delve into the topic of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants. Our guests explore the theoretical underpinnings of DDR, the motivations behind individuals joining armed groups, and effective strategies for reintegrating former combatants back into society.…

1
Resistance and the National Defense of Small States 57:23

3M ago57:23

57:23

In this episode, John Amble speaks to Sandor Fabian about a very specific approach to national defense: resistance. The war in Ukraine has made clear that comparatively small states can be vulnerable to the threat of aggression from larger neighbors. Resistance, Sandor argues, is the most viable means of defense for these states. But effectively em…

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Modern War Institute At West Point Podcasts

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