Inside the Five-Sided Box: Lessons from a Lifetime of Leadership in the Pentagon

by Ashton B. Carter

From the former Secretary of Defense, a fascinating, behind-the-scenes memoir that reveals the inner workings of the Pentagon. A straight-talking account that explains not only what happens in the Pentagon but why--and why it matters--written by the man who used to run it.

There is no single institution in America as big as the Department of Defense. It spends more money than any other. It employs millions of Americans. It owns and operates more real estate than any other entity. It manages the world's largest and most complex information network and performs more scientific research by far than any other institution.

For all these reasons, the Pentagon is a vast and powerful presence in our national life. Yet to most Americans, it is mysterious--a largely opaque five-sided box that many regard with a mixture of awe and suspicion. Especially now, as the president levels accusations against the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies, the need for this book, which demystifies the Pentagon and lays bare the inner workings of Department of Defense, is more urgent than ever. And there is no person alive better suited to telling it than the 25th Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter.

This will be the essential book for understanding the Pentagon and America's defense establishment. As secretary, Carter advised President Obama and transformed the department's strategic thinking and operations on critical global politics. Drawing from Carter's thirty-six years of experience at the Defense Department, including the department's #2 and #3 jobs before serving as secretary, this memoir provides clear insight into the most important decisions of the last four decades, to shed light on exactly what is happening inside one of the nation's most iconic buildings and most closely guarded institutions.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History, War, Biography, Audiobook

800 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

Reviews

[Andrew Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash Carter is a representative figure of the Obama Administration. A smart, sensible technocrat who can be both deeply impressive and utterly bewildering at the same time.

Carter was a former scientist, drawn into Defence's world as a young scholar. He worked most of his career inside the Pentagon, held a variety of senior leadership positions and then for the last two years of the Obama Administration (2015-2017) served as Secretary of Defence. As such, this is very much an insiders, policy-oriented tale of his time, largely focusing on his years as Secretary of Defence.

Carter is an impressive man in his achievements, and the seriousness and attempt to lead the Pentagon via 'just the facts ma'am' is commendable. You get the sense he read every briefing book, agonised over the risks he put service men and women in, yet was willing to take change and pursue the national interest as he saw it.

With as many years in Washington as his, you can tell he has thought carefully about how the game should be played, and he usefully takes you inside his thinking and preparation for key moments, from big decisions to managing key relationships and engaging congress and the media. Even if his portrayal of his approach is somewhat boy scout-ish ('honesty is the best political choice' is a refrain you'll often hear - though I actually mock as I tend to think most attempts at political manipulation are both obvious and pointless).

The exasperation however comes from his insistence that the broad framework of threats and concerns facing the US is the only obvious course, and that with more competence and hard work somehow everything can be kept spinning in place. This insiders' unwillingness to re-assess the fundamentals of how the US seeks its security is a frustrating omission that characterised the administration in which he served (As Carter points out, Obama knew the blob was misguided, but did not seek a fundamental intellectual or physical shift in the US approach).

While I enjoyed Bob Gates memoir more, and think it gave a better sense of how Defence is run, this is a useful contribution. The book covers a lot of ground giving plenty of insight into the issues and approaches of the previous administration and in the man himself offers an admirable sense of the honor and duty a civilian can bring to serving the nation's defence.

(P.s If you get the audio book version, don't be put off by the length. It's read by the author, who - speaks - with - plenty - of - pauses. Allowing you to kick it up to at least 1.5 or 1.75 speed to get through it in a more reasonable time.)

[Janet Kerschner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carter takes us on a fascinating walk through the Pentagon based on his long experience working in several positions there. While he gives many examples from his personal history, this is more "user guide" than memoir.

[Brian Thorson · Rating 5 out of 5]

While advertised as a book that describes the inner workings of the Pentagon, it addresses much more. Secretary Carter provides a comprehensive look at how the Department of Defense is organized and operates covering roles and functions, policy, funding, research, and policy.

The approach he takes in writing advances beyond presentation of facts through the use of real world historical examples. While long and academic, I found the book engaging and instructive.

Read this book if you want to understand how the DoD runs, how decisions are made, and the interplay of politics, policy, funding, R&D, and operations.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inside look at the inner workings of the pentagon from a man who spent 36 years of dedication, commitment and service working for the DOD starting in 1981. Ash Carter shares with the reader some of his experiences as he climbed the rungs of the ladder to become the twenty-fifth Secretary of Defense.

[Mallory Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appreciated the very tactical insights and focus on knowledge sharing rather than straight memoir. So sad that he died suddenly a couple years ago - a great leader lost

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

During my time at the Pentagon, the civil servants and military assistants with whom I'd interact regarded Ash Carter with reverence. His name was everywhere in the USD(AT&L) offices where I sat as a skinny 23-year old cycling through the same few suits I had to buy. I'd look at the neat, fat "A" and "C" in his signature that would appear in the "packages" (folders with relevant documents that required signature) that I'd shuttle throughout the halls and rings of the massive building.

The straightforward writing of his memoir, "Inside the Five-Sided Box," is a refreshing read that gives color to the initiatives that were a huge part of my job. More importantly, it avoids the trap of pandering to Beltway/foreign policy establishment/niche of professionals that many former government and political figures are all too eager to mine for prestige, money, and a shout-out in the Politico Playbook. Ash's audience is the American public.

One of USD(AT&L)'s priorities when I worked there was the Better Buying Power (BBP) initiative. Led by the "Acquisition Czar" at the time, a brilliant man named Frank Kendall, I loved how Sec. Carter explains the program that is arguably one of the military's most important jobs, the acquisitions process:

"Under BBP, I stressed to program managers who were writing RFPs and negotiating contracts that they should push all involved to produce defense systems for the lowest possible price. This meant understanding not just what a program will cost based on past practices, but also what it should cost with the affordability goal in mind." Lest one is unfamiliar with should-cost, the next section explains how that formula is calculated: collecting data from contractors, commercial prices on the market, and getting opinions from experts in the field. Carter anticipates valid criticisms of the modern DoD apparatus when he talks about how the, "Pentagon...[needs] to make sure the defense companies' financial interests are aligned with the warfighters' and the taxpayers' interest....by making sure that the contracts we sign contain appropriate incentives for the specific types of projects."

A physician and academic by nature, Carter is not immune from occasional technical passages that are dense, such as descriptions on nuclear technology and trouble with missile capabilities during the Reagan-era Star Wars program. He also occasionally hides descriptions of potential military operations - and the deaths that would occur with them - behind simplistic, sports-like language that should be graduated into more appropriate passages (a description of the fallout from an accidental missile strike on a medical hospital ran by a nonprofit in 2015 comes to mind). These moments are rare, however.

Carter hits more than he misses. Brilliant passages that literally trace an MRAP vehicles from its production plant to Afghanistan, how a wounded veteran reunited with his service dog months after serving, and the deliberations that went into designing a weapons jammer for new jets (tiny drones that overwhelm the sensory parts) are accessible for the common reader.

The other noteworthy portion of Carter's memoir comes via the political interactions he faced during his tenure as SecDef: he paints an honest, if not respectable picture of President Obama, whom he describes as someone who listened to his advice in every situation, but his descriptions thankfully do not border on hagiography.

Carter also paints the purposeful and herculean operations of the DoD he ran in the context of President Trump's administration, where this year has seen 3 separate SecDefs alone, where military generals are routinely caught off guard by foreign policy shifts mandated by tweet, and where chaos and instability blend with nationalism to create spectacles like a politicized Fourth of July celebration that used the independent and loyal military as a chess piece for a cheap political win. These sections do not overwhelm the reader or risk turning the book into a cheerleading partisan object -far from it- but go to show the contrast of how the DoD should be ran to how it is now.

Take Carter's decision to allow female military members to serve in all combat roles for the first time. He describes the laborious review that went into the decision - as he tells it, to get it right and make it "bulletproof" from criticism - and one has to marvel at his leadership style as being factual, detail-oriented, and honest when facing responsibility. Not coincidently, Carter remains one of the most successful and relatively scandal-free officials of this century, in my opinion. His leadership and initiatives, despite the damage done to our institutions currently, are strong enough to outlive this moment.

[Fran Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book by Ash Carter, President Obama's Secretary of Defense. Lessons from a lifetime of leadership in the Pentagon, is the subtitle. Secretary Carter is an intelligent and talented individual who writes in an entertaining narrative. I highly recommend this book to all.

[Jessica V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one I’ll read again. Carter’s explanation of the roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Combatant Commands was masterful. That section should be part of any strategic military education program. I’ve never heard anyone explain it so concisely and yet convey the nuances. I didn’t buy this book for this reason, but it was one of the parts that will cause me to return.

This is one of the few books I’d recommend getting both the audiobook and the hard copy versions. Secretary Carter reads the audiobook. It is great to hear his intonation. Grab a hard copy for your shelves if you work in the DOD or value leadership/management books. This will be a go-to item.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

There perhaps has never been a more prepared and suitable person to be the Secretary of Defense than #25, Ashton Carter. Having been first assigned to the building in 1981 and serving as both the #2 and #3 person in the Defense Department before being appointed to the top job, Carter breaks down decision making in the largest institution and office building, and drawing the largest portion of the federal budget, in the entire United States. Carter approaches various topics, demystifying it for those who both see the building and it’s inner workings with either awe or suspicion. He writes with humility and a servant leader’s heart in describing his interactions, and always gives the reader applicable lessons from his experience. He covers nearly every topic under the sun, with, in my humble opinion, two exceptions. One, when talking about combatant commands and war plans there was a significant policy change under Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, GEN Dempsey regarding re-looks at every plan to ensure available forces were not shared with other plans. Previously, some plans took risk by having the same resources assigned under the premises they would not be simultaneously executed. And second, when discussing opening combat roles in the armed forces he did not address (and should have in my view) opening up the Selective Service registration to women. This is still a 5* book in my view from someone eminently respected and regarded!

[Ryan W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t know what to expect from Secretary Carter’s book, but I give it 5/5 and say it is a must for any military professional who serves today. His unrivaled understanding of the Pentagon from his “Big 3” roles : Acquisition Czar, Dep. SECDEF, and SECDEF. Also, his methodical approach as a physicist almost breaks everything down into a x + y = z formula easy to understand. The aperture of this book is wide, but reasonable: swarms, technology, leadership, accountability, the future, diplomacy, and his most important part of the book, Part V : the people. His irrefutable care for the men and women who serve drives the entirety of this book. His willingness to do the unpopular, to include confront peers at other governmental agencies, was enlightening. A must add to your bookshelf, and you’ll be engaged until the end. I usually gift books when I am finished, I think this will remain in my collection for future reference, it was that good.

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[Myles · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book I can only imagine the horror Ash Carter felt as Turkish battalions marched into northern Syria and began pounding the Kurdish divisions who did the dirty work of the United States Army in its fight against ISIL.

Carter must be appalled.

And appalled by the micro-management of diplomatic affairs by the White House, not to mention the blurring of lines between diplomacy and political muckraking.

In this book ostensibly about the leadership of the US Department of Defence by a civilian, Ash Carter stays away from a lot of the sausage making that goes into approving defence spending.

He does shine the light on spending on speculative weapons and runaway spending on familiar programs.

While he empathizes with people who are somewhat flummoxed the extent of US spending on “defence” he clearly believes that the US simply doesn’t work without these expenditures. US commerce, US standards of democracy, and freedoms guaranteed by the US constitution rely to some extent on US hard power.

Clearly, these expenditures are about more than “defence.” They are about hegemony, a hegemony predicated on what is likely to occur in the world over the next 50 years.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and thought Carter wrote well and had great perspective on the office. I found it very interesting that while Ash Carter is probably best know as Secretary of Defense and a technocrat he thinks of himself as a scientist not a bureaucrat or politician.

He was pretty sunny about his effectiveness as secretary, the effectiveness of the DoD and military generally, and about his actions and motivations as secretary. I do think he was a very good secretary of defense and led the DoD at a difficult period. However, I expected a bit more self-criticism. He does address some frequently complaints abut the department, notably overspending, bureaucratization, autonomous warfare, and civilian casualties. He does better on the first three than the last. It could be difficult to both tell the story of his time DoD and comprehensively address major problems in the same volume.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carter writes a clear, relatively concise account of his time working at the Pentagon over the past 30 years. There are many high points to this book. Carter, a scientist by background, shows the importance of looking at defense-related policy problems from a technical point of view to help decide the best course of action. However, as DEPSECDEF and SECDEF he could no longer apply his technical expertise to every problem, although this background helped, and often had to determine the right thing to do. Another high point of Carter's book is his description of the challenges of working within the political process, a common theme among recent biographies by former SECDEFs. Many Americans would learn from reading this book that the Defense Department is not a mysterious place run by hawks and defense contractors, but my proud Americans trying to protect the country. Carter's book serves as an excellent starting point for raising questions about military-related policies.

Unfortunately, that these questions can be raised demonstrates where Carter's narrative falls short. One theme throughout this narrative is that the Defense Department always needs more money for the F-35, for a new bomber, for new ships, for more soldiers, for nuclear weapons, for ongoing wars, etc. While any good member of the military can always come up with ways to spend money on new equipment, we need policy makers to show that they understand the trade-offs between defense spending and spending on domestic programs. Money spent on the military means that infrastructure is delayed, allies and partners take greater risks with their defense spending, and adversaries counter by expanding their own militaries. As a cabinet official, the Defense Secretary must consider what is best for the country, and not just his department. While Carter seems to have a keen sense of protecting taxpayer spending from waste and abuse, he does not examine the opportunity costs of buying equipment such as the F-35, which does not help the American economy beyond the initial purchase of the plane.

Another weakness is Carter's fixation on threats to the US. Again, as a cabinet-level official he should be able to consider how the Defense Department can help the US engage with potential adversaries, rather than potentially antagonize relationships through using military means to send signals and messages to countries such as Iran, China, and Russia. Carter's trip to the South China Sea may have made for a good photo, but that does not change the fact that the Defense Department failed to counter China's assertiveness in the South China Sea in the first place and that the photo op did not seem to have a place in a broader US strategy for managing disputed territories. Carter also seems to lack any ideas on how to counter Iranian military actions abroad, not considering that it might be time for a new strategy considering the Iranian regime seems to be firmly in place.

It is important for Defense Secretaries to give their troops the best equipment and signal resolve toward potential adversaries. However, these actions could come at the expense of actually solving international problems if buying new equipment fuels an arms race or signals of resolve reinforce an enemy's perceptions of the US as fundamentally hostile to their interests. Carter's memoir should have done a better job showing how the Defense Department works with other organizations to achieve national goals. If he had done so, it would have been clear that this is an area that the US has traditionally been weak at. Carter does acknowledge that the US did not really have a strategy for dealing with Assad, but does not examine that the US also lacks clear goals for dealing with Russian aggression in Ukraine, Chinese assertiveness at disputed territories, or Iranian military action abroad. Perhaps the best course of action is to prolong the stalemates in these potential conflicts for the years and decades to come. If there is another option for dealing with these tough challenges other than military stalemate, you will not find that insight in this book.

Despite these criticisms, this is an excellent book and should be inspiring to Americans of any political inclination interested in Defense-related issues.

[Eric Haas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book version of this that was narrated by Secretary Carter. This is a phenomenal book and a must read for anyone involved with the U.S. military and department of defense. This is the first book that I have experienced that lays out how decision making at this level is actually done. Dr. Carter expertly provides a Master’s Course in what the statutory function of the Department of Defense is and how it does its business from warfighting, defense acquisition, acting as part of the larger U.S. Government interagency, and all of the politics / personalities / frustrations / triumphs / and, issues that go into it. Dr. Carter was one of our most qualified people to assume the role of Secretary of Defense, having working in more positions in the DoD than any other previous secretary. He understood how the place actually worked and was not afraid to dive into the process and decisions taking place within the Pentagon.

The positives:
+ If you want to understand the issues involved in Defense Acquisition, this book lays them out so they are easily understood.
+ Understanding the current threat environment - Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and Violent-Extremist Terrorist
+ Understanding how the DoD interacts with the White House and other Agencies
+ Understanding how SECDEFs make decisions
+ His section talking about the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) versus the actual Appropriations Bill needs to be read by anyone who cares about the Defense budget (I listened to this part right when the 2022 NDAA was passed and it rung true…the Congress / the press celebrates when the bill that imposes more regulation and bureaucracy passes but does not make a peep when the actual appropriations bill passes ((or has not passed as the case my be currently)).

The negatives:
- Epilogue got really preachy at points
- Dr. Carter is a product of the Ivy League system so this book came across as a little town deaf since almost all of his examples of talent in the military involved someone who attended an Ivy League Schools
- He sometimes would jump around with the timeline from his time as the Under Secretary for Acquisitions to his time as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, to his time as the Secretary of Defense, so it could get a little confusing where in time / what part of the Obama Presidency we were in

Again, this book I cannot provide a more emphatic recommendation on. An absolute must read for those involved or want to know more about the Department of Defense.

[Richard Gullickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Carter was the best qualified and most experienced Secretary of Defense when tapped by President Obama to serve. As a Rhodes Scholar with degrees in medieval history and physics and a PhD from Oxford on the properties of quarks, Ash had the scientific credentials to assess President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative. When Ash Carter was Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy he worked with Senators Nunn and Lugar to shape the Cooperative Threat Reduction program which successfully dismantled the nuclear weapons (and other WMD) of the Former Soviet Union. CTR because the largest and most successful program of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and continues to this day helping dozens of nations to be safe from natural and man-made biological threats. When Ash left government (he was in and out many times) he worked at the Harvard Belfour Center (and other academic institutions) where he served on the DTRA Threat Reduction Advisory Committee. Ash then served as the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. President Obama asked Ash to become his second SecDef. Ash offers many excellent lessons on leadership and how to ethically serve our nation. Interestingly, he feels that his greatest accomplishment was selecting highly qualified individuals to serve (e.g. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford, USMC. Ash’s bio is a must read for any public servant. Sadly Ash died this year before his time. His value to the country was exemplified by a blurb from President Biden on the back of this book thanking him for his many contributions to national defense.

[Henry Davis IV · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the most relevant and insightful narrative about how the Pentagon and Department of Defense (DoD) as a whole functions at its most senior levels I have ever read. While Mr. Carter's predecessor Robert Gates also wrote a fascinating, well done memoir of his time as the Secretary of Defense (SecDef); Gates lacked the 30 plus years of Pentagon and DoD experience Carter brought to this position. It is fascinating to hear Ash's views about everything from his personal leadership philosophy to how he became viewed politically based on accepting a higher level Pentagon job (although his career began accepting positions serving under the opposition party). Although Ash really did make a valiant attempt to explain the DoD's unique organizational structure and processes clearly to an average reader lacking in military experience, I'm afraid these explanations probably loose many readers early in this work. Like many other good books, though, Ash saves the best for last as he explains important issues he dealt with as the SecDef and leaves the readers (and history for that matter) with thoughts for future SecDefs and really American leaders writ large. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serving or has served in the military as well as Americans who have any sort of interest in how their national defense is provided and funded.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carter takes us on a fascinating trip through the Pentagon based on his long experience working in several positions there. It confirms my opinion that there are Eastern educated career technocrats who work through various political appointee positions and that they communicate with each other, independent of party. Carter is fairly frank about various issues in his administration as Obama's last SECDEF. He gets a few things wrong, for example, he can't distinguish between a Navy Surface Warfare Officer "black shoe" and a Supply Corps officer, or "porkchop," but he did get the other two Navy tribes correct. He talks about the Combatant Commanders, but not all of them....just the ones that he thinks did a good job or that help to support his position--dang editors must have eschewed the others. This book does an excellent job describing the way that the DOD works and it could be a primer for future joint service officers. He is articulate and describes his points with clarity of purpose. His time as DEPSECDEF and SECDEF is after my 38 years of service. RIP Ash.

[Dennis Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside the Five-Sided Box: Lessons from a Lifetime of Leadership in the Pentagon by Ash Carter is perhaps one of the best, beginner books to defense policy in the form of a memoir that I've come across. Carter's not above his moments of self-aggrandizement and justification, it is his memoir after all, but the vast majority of his presentation is largely unassuming. The angle Carter takes is different from Bob Gates, and very different from Rumsfeld and some others. I would recommend this as something akin to mandatory reading for people just getting into the field of defense policy. Once you're further along, the book will be less and less useful. The anecdotes are largely on point, and there are moments where Carter's character is on full display. Gates' memoir might contain more on point details, but overall I don't think people will regret giving it a read if you're interested in learning through the life of one of America's top defense leaders.

90/100

[Kalli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting tidbits if you’re a fan of bureaucratic maneuvering, but mostly it’s just Mr. Carter patting himself on the back...repeatedly. From drawing the Iraqi campaign map by hand, to turning the accidental bombing of a hospital into a positive political move, the former secretary of defense never hesitates to take credit and apparently never made a wrong move. To listen to him tell it, he’s the only honest, nobly-minded person in Washington and everyone from Presidents to Congressmen learned from his example. And regardless of your politics, the gratuitous critiques of President Trump, not only detract from the narrative, but they also make the author appear childish. I’m sure Mr. Carter really did do some great work over his lengthy career, but this unbalanced narrative leaves the reader questioning the validity of any of his stories.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent book by former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter taught me much about military decisions, foreign affairs and ethical leadership. After working for decades in the Pentagon and reaching the top position, he is uniquely qualified to write this book. He talks about good management practices and the successes and mistakes he made. I found myself wondering if he was revealing secrets when discussing important military situations we’ve all read about in the news. Bottom line: it’s a blueprint for how to lead people using integrity and knowledge with lots of examples.
It’s a long book, but I’m so glad I read it.

[Cornel Bekker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carter provides invaluable insight into the operations of the DOD and the defense challenges facing the world today. The book also clears up numerous myths that seem to clutter the information we get from the news. This is a leadership playbook based on strong morals and ethical principals. I highly recommend the podcast where the book is discussed on "Bloomber, masters in business".

The best feature, I would say, is the war commentary. The less intriguing parts for me were the lengthy personnel management descriptions. Finally, the section on cyberwar was the most fascinating but, very unlike the rest of the book, lacks detail!

[Frankie Gonzales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this because Ash Carter had a long career within the pentagon and I thought there might be some contextual insights to how big picture things in the department work or operate. I think it largely achieves that goal. His perspective is unique having been a civilian leader in defense for decades he provides a lot of historical background to various events, that one would not know without someone explaining as he does. His takeaways and predictions towards the end are helpful and prescient, though the overall book may be a touch dated. For me it was helpful building contextual historical context of the department of defense and is useful in my work.

[Dan Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally avoid autobiographical books, but I was interested in this one because the author was known for promoting the use of new technology at the Pentagon. Unfortunately, only 1 chapter deals with tech, so it wasn't what I had hoped for. On the other hand, there are a number of things that make this better than the average autobiography: it's all about "the good stuff" (his work at the Pentagon), he's (diplomatically) candid about people he didn't always agree with, and there are plenty of anecdotes to spice things up.

[Russ Mathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was great, it covered all Carter's experience in the Pentagon from his acquisition jobs to SecDEF. He narrates the book, and at first it was very dry and monotone. But he grows on you, and I enjoyed listening to him tell his own stories.

I recommend the book for anyone who served during Carter's period of service. He critiques President Trump in places, but for valid, specific reasons, decisions and actions. He also calls out President Obama where Carter disagreed with him, though that wasn't as much as his disagreement with Trump's actions.

[Lilkidneys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward and reserved account by a very serious man who played some key roles at the highest levels of government. His open disdain for certain theatrics by the Press and by Congress is refreshing to hear out in the open. He doesn't come across as a rank partisan, but as a person who seriously thought through the most important strategic matters of our time. Anyone can learn a lot from this book, but anyone who has worked in the federal government will probably appreciate it more, in part for its wonkiness.

[Christopher Reiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A biography worth reading. While I did not agree with some of his positions outlined in the book, such as a increased defense spending implying a return to Cold War level peaks, his arguments were made in a linear fashion and well articulated. Even if you do not have interest it the defense establishment and government functions, I think the book does provide valuable lessons to anyone in a leadership position, particularly the last section which is all about people management and personnel decisions. Overall he came across as a non-partisan and highly principled person.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute must-read. Not only did it educate me on some of the geekier sides of the Department of Defense (Carter started his career as a physicist), but he dedicates chapters to relationships with the media as well as personnel, waking readers through his hires and his feelings on those who disappointed him (Ron Lewis). He was candid and frank on his relationship with John Kerry (then SecState). I am surprised the book hasn't garnered more press attention.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific book that details the decision making and leadership lessons of the former #3, #2, and #1 leader in the Pentagon (Acquisition Czar, Deputy SECDEF, and SECDEF). Ash Carter served in multiple high level positions culminating as the Secretary of Defense in the last two years of the Obama Administration. His insights into how a Defense Secretary take information and process it to inform decisions makes this book worth the time to read.
Carter discusses all aspects from the intricacies of the budget to organizational leadership, to nuclear command and control to how he prepared for congressional testimony. A must read for defense and military professionals who look to serve at the strategic and policy level.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting background on an important member of the national security community. Gets into the weeds of Pentagon process in a way that I didn't care for but a coherent book. Not a book I'd recommend to people that don't have an interest in Washington or Pentagon politics but probably a good fit for people into that.

[Suhaib · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Council of Foreign Relations has a podcast called, "The Presidents Inbox" and it was my first introduction to this book. The podcast itself was about 30 mins but it was packed with information about the military arm of foreign policy. Throughout the interview Ash Carter stood out from other guests that have appeared on the show, he could explain something complex lucidly and dive into the different layers with ease. To me this was an indication of an individual who has a vast understanding of a given topic. I was taken back by that which sparked my interest enough that I decided I would pick up his book. Needless to say I wasn't disappointed.

The book is meant more of a guide on how to navigate the Pentagon but reads like a memoir of his experiences serving in all the different positions he served. He breaks up the book into five parts, each part highlighting the different area of responsibilities the Secretary of Defense needs to cover. Topics range from the military industrial complex to the Pentagon's dynamic with the White House to the global emerging threats. Literally all aspects to the job, with respect with the position of Secretary of Defense is covered. There is even a section in the book on how to handle a congressional hearing, and the ways he prepared for it.

What makes Ash Carter uniquely qualified for the job is not only his previous job experience but his formal education. He began his career in physics graduating from Yale, then moving on to Oxford University after becoming a Rhodes Scholar and subsequently earning his PhD in Theoretical Physics. Throughout his time he was publishing scientific papers and ended up at various research labs such as the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory. He eventually started teaching at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, being a co-director of the Preventive Defense Project for both Harvard and Stanford Universities.

I'm sure I would hit the word limit before if I expanded on all his education, research and contribution to academia and to the United States Department of Defense. This man has an exceptional career in government and with this book we get a front row seat to it.
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Opinion

One thing I appreciated right away is the way the book is set up. Very clear and orderly, just like the military. He laid out what he intends to present you in the prologue so you have this mental framing of what you are about to read beforehand. I found this quite refreshing, everything was compartmentalized in common categories making it easier to digest the amount of information he gives.

Ash Carter was on the forefront of many of the new airframes and technology that we have today. Some of these programs were massive, such as the KC-135 program to the infamous F-35 program, where when he got into a position that he became responsible of them he immediately just reset the board. He fired Generals, redid contracts, and implemented new policies to help with cost overruns. He lays out his method in the book and the different obstacles that got in the way. Most of his polices are still being used today.

When it comes to external adversaries and foul foreign actors, he explains the Pentagon shift away from post 9/11 policy of counter-terrorism to more of a broader defense measures aimed at state actors. He comes up with a catchy acronym, CRKIT: China, Russia, Korea, Iran and Global Terrorism. His argument for this stems from how rapid technology is closing the strategic gap that the United States once took for granted. The prerequisite technology that is needed for advanced weapons are being fulfilled by new state actors which creates new dimensions to our National Defense Strategy.

Ash Carter already has seen the curve at the end of the road. He was one of the first Secretary of Defenses to visit and Silicon Valley in decades. In his tenure there he established bridges between various tech giants and the Pentagon, allowing for 6 month internships from places like Intel to go work for the Defense Agency. These sorts of changes are necessary in order to tap into the vein of the tech world and reestablish that trust between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon. This trust was eroded during the Vietnam War where nation wide campus unrest against the military action was common. With the help of SECDEFs like Ash Carter it is slowly getting repaired.

Overall the book gives you, at times, a detail snapshot of the workings of the Pentagon for the last 30 years. Ash Carter goes over how certain policies effect the agency down the line. One of my favorite examples of this is the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative that came into effect during the early 90s. What happened was the Soviet Union collapsed and left unsecured nuclear weapons across Eastern Europe. Being afraid that these WMDs could fall into the hands of a rogue actor, Ash Carter helped with the process of convincing high ranking members to allocate tax payer money to assist in securing these assets. They were quite successful in doing and Ash Carter talks about how this was one of the first times he met Vladimir Putin.

I could dive in into more topics he opens up but at this point if you spent time reading my full review, you should go ahead and read his book. There is no substitute.