A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

Latest Episodes:

FROM APPREHENSIVE TO ACCOMPLISHED: A WAR COLLEGE STORY Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Every August, a fresh new cohort of students arrives on Carlisle Barracks to attend the resident course at the U.S. Army War College. The goal is to educate and develop these senior military and civilian leaders to serve at the strategic level, enhancing national and global security. Maria Gregory shares her hard-won tips for success with host Liz Woodworth. Maria began the 2024-2025 academic year feeling apprehensive but by the end felt transformed (for the best!) Maria hopes the lessons she learned during the "Carlisle Experience" might help others to make the most of the opportunities available during their own studies. And for all those students that have just arrived be sure to check out our special Back to School series for more incredibly useful information like you'll find here.

AI-READY DEFENSE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IN CENTCOM Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Sapriya McLendon, a 2024 graduate of the U.S. Army War College, joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to discuss her command of the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater) (MIB-T). The 513th MIB-T plays a critical role in providing the ground intelligence picture for CENTCOM, a task they've honed over two decades of continuous engagement in the Middle East. Their conversation delves into the unique aspects of the 513th MIB-T, including its data-centric organization and innovative use of data to enhance efficiency in both business operations and warfighting tasks.

TRAINING FOR VICTORY: SPECIAL FORCES AND SECURITY FORCE ASSISTANCE Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

Frank Sobchak, a retired Special Forces colonel and author of "Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan," joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the complexities of security force assistance (SFA). Their conversation delves into the challenges of measuring success in advisory missions and avoiding deeper U.S. combat commitments. Frank's research, based on five case studies (El Salvador, the Philippines, Colombia, Iraq, and Afghanistan), identifies key variables influencing SFA success. He cites advisor language and cultural awareness, advisor-to-host nation ratio, consistency in advisor pairing, combat advising, and the ability to organize host nation units. He emphasized that while not all factors need to be perfectly aligned, a majority must be in place for a mission to succeed.

PARTNER AND COMPETITOR: MANAGING THE U.S.-CHINA RELATIONSHIP Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

It's the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Christiana Crawford, Jody Daigle, and Amanda Raney as they examine the complex relationship between the United States and China. They joined podcast editor Ron Granieri to share their different yet complementary perspectives. Christiana emphasized the military's goal is to build strength to preserve peace, Jody drew parallels to the Peloponnesian War by highlighting fear, honor, and interest as drivers of conflict, and Amanda discussed the inherent tension of competing with China while also collaborating with it in critical fields like medicine. The speakers agreed that this complex relationship, full of both cooperation and competition, must be carefully managed.

ALLIES AND INFLUENCE: CONVERSATIONS FROM THE EISENHOWER SERIES Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

It’s the time of the year when we feature some of the smart conversations that occur around the country through the Eisenhower Series College Program. This episode features Erik Sarson and Anna Scott as they examine the strength and importance of allies and partners. Erik is an Army Special Forces officer in the West Virginia National Guard, and he shared insights from his experience with the State Partnership Program. Anna is a British Army officer, and she speaks about the "special relationship" between the UK and the U.S., highlighting the significance of soft power and shared values. They join host Ron Granieri to highlight the positive reception from their audiences, noting a general understanding and curiosity about the future of alliances, even when addressing potential disagreements.

THE EROSION OF COERCION: HOW CYBER RISKS IMPACT POWER PROJECTION Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

How do cyber vulnerabilities impact modern warfare and statecraft? Craig Booth argues that the effectiveness of coercion, which relies on both the power to impose costs and the credibility of the threat, is weakened by vulnerabilities in digital and networked weapon systems. He joins host Darrell Driver to discuss how if an adversary believes they can hack, jam, or hijack U.S. capabilities, the ability to project power and influence their behavior diminishes. Booth notes that cyber risk is not merely a technical problem but a strategic vulnerability, and cyber resilience must be treated as a fundamental pillar of modern deterrence before it erodes national leverage.

AMERICANS HELPING AMERICANS: THE CASTLE BRIGADE'S BUSY YEAR (PART II) Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

In the second half of their two-part episode, host Tom Spahr and Sean Shields discuss the Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. Shields details his experience leading the 20th Engineer Brigade and the critical importance of collaborating with other organizations like FEMA, the National Guard, and local officials. He notes this was a real-world application of his Army War College studies on defense support to civil authorities. The mission also marked the first use of the Maven system on an unclassified network, which provided a crucial, real-time common operating picture for all involved stakeholders.

INNOVATING FOR THE FUTURE FIGHT: THE CASTLE BRIGADE'S BUSY YEAR (PART I) Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

In response to the Western Front-like stalemate seen in the Ukraine war, the U.S. Army is getting innovative. Sean Shields, commander of the 20th Engineer Brigade, joins host Tom Spahr to discuss his unit's "Sand Hills Project," an initiative born from observing the mobility challenges faced by Ukrainian forces. The project’s goal is to figure out how to breach modern, complex obstacle belts and restore maneuver to the battlefield, all while keeping soldiers out of harm's way. To achieve this, the project utilizes cheap, expendable, and scalable robotic ground and air vehicles to overwhelm and reduce enemy defenses. This is part one of a two-part series about the 20th Engineer Brigade.

VULNERABLE SKIES: DRONES AND NATIONAL SECURITY Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

From late 2024 to early 2025, numerous unidentified drones were reported over U.S. cities and military bases. While some of these "mystery craft" were later attributed to FAA-authorized research and other purposes, their presence highlighted the potential threat and vulnerability of defense and infrastructure facilities. Paul Lushenko, chief strategist for the U.S. military's Joint Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), joined host Tom Spahr to discuss these concerns. Lushenko also underscored the ongoing efforts to refine doctrine, training, and policy to effectively address the evolving challenge posed by unmanned aircraft systems.

BRUNSON ON KOREA: READINESS & ALLIANCES May 27, 2025

Show notes

In May 2025, the U.S. Army War College hosted its fourth annual Strategic Landpower Symposium. The event featured General Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, as the keynote speaker. In a discussion with host Tom Spahr, General Brunson shared insights into his demanding role and the critical strategic importance of the Korean Peninsula. He underscored the necessity of reviving the "emotion" that motivated international support for South Korea during the Korean War. General Brunson also emphasized the delicate balance between maintaining a "fight tonight" readiness and continuously modernizing forces to counter advancements in North Korean and Chinese military technology.