A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

Nuclear ops are back in the wartime vernacular. Jeremiah Aeschleman joins host Tom Spahr to discuss why military ldrs must move past the "ENDEX mindset" & prepare the joint force for the reality of fighting & winning on a nuclear-armed battlefield. https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/nuclear-normalcy

David Zesinger joins Tom Spahr to discuss the "1492 moment" in space. From the moon's helium-3 resources to the contested nature of the domain, learn why space is the deciding factor in modern warfare.

U.S. intelligence needs to adapt to maintain relevance & trust. LTG (Ret.) Bob Ashley joins Tom Spahr to break down how the IC must adapt to closing technological gaps & a changing world order

Army transformation is ON! Director Johnny Ives explains the shift to AI-centric warfighting & next-gen, cloud-centric C2 for lethality & agility.

How do "sunk costs" influence wartime decisions? JP Clark interviews Brian Groves on his book, "When Presidents Fight the Last War."

The conversation on defending against sUAS continues. Lushenko & Spahr discuss the new Joint Interagency Task Force 401 a whole-of-govt approach focusing on warfighter lethality.

Michael Neiberg & Peter Pomerantsev discuss propaganda history at CVHF 2024! Hear the parallels between WWII & Ukraine, focusing on Sefton Delmer's counter-Nazi tactics.

Taiwan's "porcupine defense" aims to stop a #Chinese invasion. Jay Hsieh & Pete Roongsang say new policies need faster innovation & US aid synchronization in order to succeed.

Grant Golub explains how Henry Stimson transformed the WWII War Department into a political force, cementing the military's influence on U.S. foreign policy.

The final TRADOC cdr, GEN Gary Brito, joins JP Clark to discuss the U.S. Army's "continuous transformation" & the new T2COM.

Stephan Kieninger discusses his new book on former Dep Sec of State Strobe Talbott whose belief that both NATO expansion & engagement with Russia were achievable.

The "elastic mindset" & "effectual logic" focus on using available means to adapt, rather than an end-state approach based on specific threats like Russia & China.

The Battle of Mogadishu, known by many as "Black Hawk Down," lasted roughly 18 hours and cost the lives of 18 Americans and one Malaysian, along with many more allied troops wounded. Somali casualties were far higher, with some estimates nearing 700 dead or injured. Jonathan Carroll, author of Beyond Black Hawk Down, points out that this was just one day in a nearly two-and-a-half-year operation....

U.S. First Army partners with the Army Reserve and National Guard to help them prepare for their missions. Melissa Sayers, the director of First Army's operational data team, discusses the mission of an operational research systems analyst (ORSA) and the importance of creating a data-centric military. She joins host Tom Spahr in the virtual studio to explain how her team uses a cloud-based platfor...

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...

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 int...

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 re...

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. C...

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 Stat...

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 ab...

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 Colle...

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 r...

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 U...

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...

Despite the fact that so many of them make it look easy, the daily lives of senior U.S. military leaders can be incredibly demanding. Laura Weimer examined how senior leaders manage their well-being (or, at times, struggle to do so) amidst these demanding careers, and she’s in the studio with host JP Clark to share her discoveries. Drawing from her research, Weimer highlighted the unique pressures...