Military Review English Edition March-April 2014 | Page 2

Col. Anna R. Friederich-Maggard M Celebrating 92 years MR Spotlight ILITARY REVIEW just celebrated its 92nd birthday, so I would like to start this letter by thanking our many loyal readers, authors, and supporters. Your dedication and contributions to our journal, along with the expertise of the professional staff at Military Review, are the reasons the journal enjoys continued success. I spoke to the newest students of the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course on their second day of class. When I asked them how many read Military Review and who had submitted articles for publication, I was pleased to see many hands raised, but I was not surprised. I emphasized to them the importance of writing about their experiences and sharing their ideas to improve the military and the Army Profession as the Army rebuilds after almost 14 years of persistent conflict. Finding time to provide commentary on experiences and lessons learned is sometimes challenging, but writing is one of the most essential ways humanity records history. Writing is a critical part of how we express our thoughts and share ideas with one another. In addition, writing requires an author to collect and organize data to present a certain topic; authors must have facts to support their argument to earn or maintain credibility. In other words, writing enables us to be better at our profession. With the drawdown of deployed troops and a return to an operational mindset, now is an ideal time for leaders to reflect upon their experiences and revive the enthusiasm for writing for professional publications like Military Review to ensure we maintain a historic perspective and pass along our best practices. There are many incentives to write, whether it be for personal reasons, historical documentation, or fulfilling a tasker or assignment. The important thing to remember is simply to write. Military Review just announced the topic for the General William E. DePuy writing competition. This is a great way to get those creative juices flowing and reawaken that love for writing. This year’s topic is "How can the Army maintain its adaptability and agility and find innovative solutions to face future threats during this time of work force reductions and budget cuts?" Submission information is on page 116 of the January/February issue, or you can find it on our website at http://militaryreview.army.mil. I hope you enjoy this edition of the journal. The Military Review team is proud to bring you the March/April edition focused on leader development. We received so many articles on this topic that we felt it would be a perfect time to begin our transition to themed editions. You will find articles on strengths-based leadership theory, junior officer development, captains’ education, and a General Douglas MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Competition award-winning essay. Don’t forget to check out Military Review Spotlight, our newest addition to the website. It features articles relevant to the Army now from budding writers as well as seasoned authors. “The desire to write grows with writing” Disiderius Erasmus