Passion of Command

by Col B P McCoy USMC

THE PASSION OF COMMANDThe Moral Imperative of LeadershipBy Colonel B.P. McCoy, USMCIf you read one book in your lifetime on the warrior culture, this is that book. Active-duty Marine Colonel B. P. McCoy expertly relates his innermost thoughts and feelings, drawing on his mastery of personal leadership. Colonel McCoy understands the intangibles that make up our modern-day warriors, those young Americans on whom we place so much responsibility when we send them into harm's way.The author begins with the institutional design that leads some to believe that because of a manifestation of the American culture in which we're taught to kill from a young age through the use of video games, the task of a warrior would somehow be easily executed, based solely on these inequities. To the contrary, Colonel McCoy points out that the battlefield commander is hampered by the societal digression and the simple fact that young Americans can point a video weapon and kill, never feeling the true effects or suffering associated with actual combat. He explains that our culture is not that of predator, but more of prey. Through examples, he concludes that the American society places grave consequence on the taking of a human life, while we still require our young to bear arms against our enemies and to extinguish life. Only through superb training, conducted by passionate leaders, do our young Americans become moral warriors.Colonel McCoy describes the total cost of combat and the price paid by all who choose to become warriors. By pointing to positive training examples and keying on the effects of situational training—battle drills—conducted prior to and during combat, he successfully trained his Marines and developed the proper habits that would be the difference between life and death during combat. He directed his Marines to become "experts in the application of violence," without sacrificing their humanity. In the book, it became clear that he found the combination that allowed his men to achieve tactical superiority in every aspect.The essence of war is violence and the act of killing legitimate human targets without hesitation. To accomplish this, he instituted meaningful training and used his refined principles as a human being to guide him in the leadership and administration on the moral code that rules the field of battle. He is the perfect example of all that we hold dear in our warrior culture. He loved his men, showed them the right way through his personal example, guided his actions with passion and relayed his feelings to his men completely. He is quick to note his own shortcomings and how he overcame them and was the inspiration to the team that triumphed when all Marines survived the day.Emotionally riveting, The Passion of Command provides inside information into the warrior culture and allows one to grasp the complexities when hardening the mind, body, and spirit for the rigors of combat. Most find it difficult to communicate the human effects of combat to people who have never experienced the harsh realities associated with actually engaging an enemy. Colonel McCoy doesn't have that problem. He has opened the door and let the reader in

Genres: Military Fiction, Leadership, History, Nonfiction

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2012

Reviews

[Christopher T Galvez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleared Eyed and Compelling

This book is outstanding in its clarity, thinking, and precision. For company grade officers wrestling with how to think about or frame leadership and command, or those seeking to understand military leadership, this book is for you.

[Haden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read, has some useful practices for developing desired habits in an organization.

[Jerome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read primer for any Marine about to take command

[Camron H. Branom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I gave this book five stars because it puts training your Marines in perspective. Not only does the author tell Marine officers to have passion but to train Marines to the brink until they can't get it wrong.

[Okechukwu Ihenacho · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Timeless Read

This was a re-read from about 9 years ago. Something worth going over again. Col McCoy illustrates the foundational characteristics of combat leadership.

[J. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

LtCol McCoy's is a humble yet incredibly accomplished leader, offering a great deal of worthy advice to those who are willing to listen. This book may be most directly applied to those leading soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines into combat but its core principles of leadership transcend the military profession. Do not let its brevity disguise its value--McCoy's refreshing discussion of leadership is a worthy read for anyone who takes seriously the burden of command and the challenge of leadership.

[Bill Loftus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible book, should be on the Commandants List for OCS. Col McCoy's experiences in Fallujah and the basic principles for training shed light on the basic fundamentals for team/squad/platoon tactics and how to prepare yourself for true combat.

[Dean Aszman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

As a new officer in the Marines this book gave me a lot to take into consideration and gave me vital tools for future reference.

[zachery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all leaders of any occupation.

I'm glad to have read this book there should be many more like it. Anyone of anyone could get something out of it