Brian Thorson

“It is never a waste of time for the commander to talk to his people about their problems; more times than not, the problem will seem small to him, but so long as it looms large to the man, it cannot be dismissed with a wave of the hand. He will grow in the esteem of his men as he treats their affairs with respect.”
― S.L. A. Marshall, Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command

“If you haven't read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone aren't broad enough to sustain you.”
― Jim Mattis, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead

“And so the final and greatest reality, that national strength lies only in the hearts and spirits of men. The Army, Navy, and Air Force are not the guardians of the national security. The tremendous problem of the future is beyond their capacity to solve. The search begins at the cradle where the mother makes the decision, either to tie her child to her apron strings or to rear him as a man. It continues through the years of schooling when children are taught either to place personal interests uppermost or to think in terms of their responsibility toward their society, their country, and all of mankind. It carries into the halls of government where our lawmakers may vote either to awaken our youth to a new understanding of duty or to continue the indulgent course which is more likely to find favor with the majority of their constituents.”
― S.L. A. Marshall, Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command

“A good moral character is the first essential in a man…It is therefore highly important that you should endeavor not only to be learned but virtuous.” —George Washington”
― Anonymous, A Warning