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On this week’s episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, Ian sits down with Dan Kimball for his NavyCon talk about lessons in leadership, policy, and consequences from the Horizon game series. They talk about some enduring lessons for leaders and great powers while exploring a world of giant robot dinosaurs that eat people for fuel! Come with us and enjoy the ride!   Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.      Ian’s black hole of the week can be found here: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/tiktok-marine-general-tryon-leadership/     Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are Ian Boley (@ibboley). Our guest is Dan Kimball, who can be found on Instagram @therealdankimball

Reagan’s War Stories: Fiction and Policymakers   On this week’s episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, Ian and Claude sit down with West Point professor Ben Griffin to discuss his new book, Reagan’s War Stories: A Cold War Presidency. Together, we discuss how fiction shaped Reagan’s policymaking, the role of science fiction authors in the missile defense debates of the day, and what place fiction can occupy in the midst of global turbulence. Also on this episode, Claude gives some crystal-clear advice to museums everywhere, and Ian sets up the next episode with a chilling preview of the world to come…   Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.    Ben’s book can be found here: https://www.usni.org/press/books/reagans-war-stories or on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Reagans-War-Stories-Cold-Presidency-ebook/dp/B09V33LLN8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

On this week’s episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, hosts Cory Hollon and Thomas Harper welcome special guest Jason Beck. Jason is a DoD civilian working in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. With NAVYCON on hiatus this year for logistical reasons, we’ve decided to record a series of shows featuring the people you would have heard at the convention. Jason leads us off with his presentation, Fragmented Power: Bounty Hunters and State Sovereignty in Star Wars and The Mandalorian. We discuss the role of state legitimacy, the monopoly of violence, and the liminal state of bounty hunters in the galaxy far, far away.  Jason's paper is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S6o9PyueWa4KvtUV0aD7lDL76J7puOmojFy7HLf68T8/edit?usp=sharing  Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.  Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are:  Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon on Twitter) and Thomas Harper (@thomasLharper on Twitter)  

DragonCon 2022 Panel 2: Star Wars: The Law of War   The Joint Geeks are back for Season 3, and this time we’re live! This is our second panel from DragonCon 2022. Tom, Ian, and Cory are moderated by Clara and joined by a wonderful convention audience! We discuss the reasons for the law of war and delve into the case of the Death Star 2 plumbers. Legitimacy, proportionality, deterrence, and Cory’s resemblance to R2D2 are all up for discussion!     Our thanks to the Naval Academy Museum for sponsoring us. Our intro and outro music was composed and performed by Greg Mutersbaugh.    Tom’s contextual clips:   Toast to Operation Cinder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0urU5N5_OE&t=1s Mon Mothma v. Saw Gerrera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYGhVX8VuQM   Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ

The Joint Geeks are back for Season 3, and this time we’re live! This is our first panel from DragonCon 2022. Tom, Ian, and Cory are joined by Will Hudson and Kent Newland and a wonderful convention audience! We discuss how the galaxy far, far away dealt with the challenges of fielding a military. From leadership to recruitment to clones to conscription, we dig into what worked, what didn't, and why things might have changed along the way.   Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Tom Harper (@thomasLharper), Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon), Ian Boley (@ibboley). We’re joined by Kent Newland (Insta: @justkentbob) and William Hudson (Insta: @hotdogAC92).   

In the Season 2 finale, the gang sits down to review a difficult year and share what kept them going without burning out. Part 2 discusses the importance of faith, the need for authentic leadership, and times science fiction has helped the gang recover from burnout.   Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ    The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley), Clara Boley, Eric Muirhead (@Starfleethist), and Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon). 

Burnout Part 1   In the Season 2 finale, the gang sits down to review a difficult year and share what kept them going without burning out. Part 1 discusses the portrayals of burnout in Strange New Worlds and Kenobi, the nature of mentorship, and the too-often toxic seductiveness of service for the national security community.     Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley), Clara Boley, Eric Muirhead (@Starfleethist), and Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon). 

“Into the Garbage Chute, Flyboy!” Why You Don’t See Air Forces in Science Fiction (Part 2)   Ian and Cory sit down with Nick Narbutovskih for a two-parter about air power in science fiction and combined arms. In part 1 they talk about the high-level stuff–why does the Air Force exist? What makes AF special operations forces special? What does an air force do to help out on the ground?   Part 2 gets into topics like operating with coalition partners, managing information flow in the air, and the need to rule the electromagnetic spectrum.     Also in this episode, Nick takes pity on Ian, Cory talks about why the Air Force loves his dissertation, and Ian calls Cory out for leaving his messages on read…   Check out Nick’s work and social media links here! https://narbutov.com/   Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) and Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon). Nick Narbutovskih (@NNarbutovskih) was our guest.  

“Into the Garbage Chute, Flyboy!” Why You Don’t See Air Forces in Science Fiction   Ian and Cory sit down with Nick Narbutovskih for a two-parter about air power in science fiction and combined arms. In part 1 they talk about the high-level stuff–why does the Air Force exist? What makes AF special operations forces special? What does an air force do to help out on the ground?   Part 2 gets into topics like operating with coalition partners, managing information flow in the air, and the need to rule the electromagnetic spectrum.     Also in this episode, Nick takes pity on Ian, Cory talks about why the Air Force loves his dissertation, and Ian calls Cory out for leaving his messages on read…   Check out Nick’s work and social media links here! https://narbutov.com/   Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) and Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon). Nick Narbutovskih (@NNarbutovskih) was our guest.    

Ian, Eric, Annie, and Andy P. of The Great Derelict take a look at proxy wars--why they happen, what types of proxy wars are out there, and how sci-fi tends to portray these conflicts!  Also in this episode, Annie reveals her true purpose, Andy plays his role as the EPH, Eric makes an unsurprising claim about the best sci-fi of all time, and Ian does something truly horrific... Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) and Eric Muirhead (@StarfleetHist). Our guests are Annie Muirhead (@LariaHoD) and Andy Poulastides (@Andy3E) of The Great Derelict podcast (@GreatDerelict).

Clara and Ian broadcast a late 1 April episode after some technical issues that cropped up while they were on vacation. They break down the 13 Dimensions of a Foreign Service Officer using a case study from the Galaxy Far, Far Away! Learn about the rubric by which potential diplomats are judged through some absolutely fantastic examples taken from a unique life. Everything ends with Ian and Clara revealing their true source of marital angst.... NavyCon 2022 has been postponed until this fall, but in the meantime, if you want to send us a proposal, please go ahead and do so! Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) and Clara Engle Boley. No one else wanted anything to do with this episode. Except Tom. But he couldn't make it.  The 13 Dimensions:  https://careers.state.gov/work/foreign-service/officer/13-dimensions/  The State Department's careers website--note that they hire both specialists (people with marketable skills) and generalists (diplomats). https://careers.state.gov/ Clara's Lemon Cardamom Rolls recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019242-lemon-sweet-rolls-with-cream-cheese-icing 

At the end of the episode, the Geeks gave their recommendations on how to help Ukrainian refugees. Here are the suggestions and links: IFRC Contribution page: https://donation.ifrc.org/?campaign=e8952a8a-5096-ec11-a2db-005056010027 (IFRC & ICRC have the lead on Ukraine efforts) ARC Information Page: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2022/ukraine-red-cross-delivers-aid-to-families.html ICRC appeal page: https://www.icrc.org/en/donate/ukraine Humble Bundle https://www.humblebundle.com/stand-with-ukraine-bundle National Bank of Ukraine for Humanitarian Assistance: NBU Opens Fundraising Account for Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainians Affected by Russia’s Aggression (bank.gov.ua) Voices of Children Finances and Donation – Voice of Ukraine (voice-of-ukraine.com) The Network for Animals Ukraine Crisis - Network For Animals

You Can't Take the Sea From Me: The US Coast Guard's Role at Home, Abroad, and in Sci-fi Ian interviews Linden, a Coast Guard officer, and Matt, a diplomat, to talk about the role of the US Coast Guard in science fiction! They talk about law enforcement, customs, lifesaving, and presence operations at home, abroad, and in sci-fi! It’s all capped off by Ian sharing his secret standard for a truly great Joint Geeks episode…. The NavyCon 2022 Call for Presentations is out, and the deadline is 3 April! Send us your proposals–we want to hear from you! Find it here: https://twitter.com/ANavycon/status/1488524790948265984 Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley). Our guests are  Linden Dahlkemper and Matthew Stannard, neither of whom want to be anyone’s friend on social media.

Tom, Clara, Ian, and Eric take a look at The Book of Boba Fett and break down the good, the bad, and the ugly! We talk about the true cultural home for the story, discuss why it’s hard to tell who’s a revisionist power and who’s preserving the status quo, and explore how the Man in Green fails to make the transition from personal to organizational leadership.  Also in this episode, Clara reveals her narco-Communist sympathies, Eric fights against his Trekkie typecasting, Tom talks about the time he underwent torture for trival reasons, and Ian wails about a Star Wars music genre… The NavyCon 2022 Call for Presentations is out, and the deadline is 3 April! Send us your proposals–we want to hear from you! Find it here: https://twitter.com/ANavycon/status/1488524790948265984 Books referenced:  Stranger in the Shogun's City: A Japanese Woman and Her World by Amy Stanley  https://books.google.com/books/about/Stranger_in_the_Shogun_s_City.html?id=GH6UzQEACAAJ Tour of Duty: Samurai Military Service in Edo, and the Culture of Early Modern Japan by Constantine Nomikos Vaporis https://www.google.com/books/edition/Tour_of_Duty/1MhapbtREgoC?hl=en&gbpv=0 Francis Gavin, Nuclear Weapons and American Grand Strategy (Washington, D.C., Brookings Institution Press: 2020) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V2B7NVX/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 Reach out to us via Discord at:discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) Eric Muirhead (@starfleethist), Tom Harper (@thomaslharper), and Clara Boley. 

The Joint Geeks of Staff are back from mid-season hiatus! Claude Berube (@cgberube) returns with historian of colonialism Annie Muirhead (@LariaHoD), cinematographer, sci-fi superfan, and podcaster extraordinaire Andy Poulastides (@Andy3E), and professor, historian, and merchant mariner Sal Mercogliano (@mercoglianos) for a retrospective look at the show “The Expanse.” What can we learn about competing great powers, the lawless seas, and the militarization of space from this great sci-fi franchise? Should merchant vessels be armed? How will non-state actors affect trade security and international cooperation moving forward?   Check out Claude’s new book On Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era now available from the University of Alabama Press: http://www.uapress.ua.edu/product/On-Wide-Seas,7681.aspx   Check out Andy’s amazing podcast “The Great Derelict” for deep-dive discussions of all things science fiction: https://greatderelict.libsyn.com/   Can’t get enough of “The Expanse”? Check out Andy’s amazing in-depth podcast looking at the series “Into the Expanse”: http://roguetwomedia.com/show/into-the-expanse/   Check out Sal’s YouTube channel, “What’s Going on with Shipping?” for more information on global shipping and merchant mariners: https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatisGoingonWithShippingwSalMercogliano   Recommended Reading:   Requiem for Battleship Yamato by Yoshida Mitsuru: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Requiem_for_Battleship_Yamato/T1KQ-Ti99dEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover   Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Claude Berube (@cgberube), Eric Muirhead (@StarfleetHIST), and Ian Boley (@IBBoley)   “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” are solely the property of Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company, all rights reserved. 

Ian and Cory look to Mark Vandroff and Sal Mercogliano to tell them how to save a sinking ship!  The Joint Geeks cover damage control in the air, on land, on orbit, and at sea--what makes it necessary, how to do it, and how to make sure it’s done with as little effort as possible. Buckle up, because this one is all about when things get bumpy! Also in this episode, Cory talks about his life choices, Mark goes into orbit, Sal tells us what happens when smoke gets in your eyes, and Ian celebrates an old friend’s success… We’ll be going on a 6-week hiatus after this, so end us a note in the Discord about what you’d like to see us cover when we get back! It’s here: discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ Eric Muirhead and Andy Poulastides on the Great Derelict podcast: https://greatderelict.libsyn.com/ground-forces-in-sci-fi Sal’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatisGoingonWithShippingwSalMercogliano James Hornfischer, Neptune's Inferno: https://www.amazon.com/Neptunes-Inferno-U-S-Navy-Guadalcanal-ebook/dp/B004C43FXE  Fitzgerald/McCain collision report: https://www.secnav.navy.mil/foia/readingroom/HotTopics/CNO%20USS%20Fitzgerald%20and%20USS%20John%20S%20McCain%20Response/CNO%20USS%20Fitzgerald%20and%20USS%20John%20S%20McCain%20Response.pdf   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) Cory Hollon (@cory_hollon); our guests are Mark Vandroff (@goatmaster89) and Sal Mercogliano (@mercoglianos). 

Hey all! This episode has some audio issues due to recording space and microphone constraints. We’ve tried our best to clean it up, and we’re trying to sack those responsible [Editor’s note: Ian. We mean Ian].  Hope you enjoy! –Ian Clara and Ian explore the challenges and opportunities of first contact with three guests: NavyCon keynote speaker Abby Mullen, Foreign Service Officer and former journalist Matthew Stannard, and anthropologist Cecilee Jones! We talk about the theory of first contact, show the different routes it can take, and lay out the ways it can go wrong–past, present, and future. Also in this episode, Abby reveals why people should @ her, Clara pines for the glory of consular uniforms, Cecilee tells us how to infiltrate a Nepalese village, Matt quotes the teachings of a great sage, and Ian reverts to childhood… Listen to Abby Mullen’s podcast, Consolation Prize, at https://consolationprize.rrchnm.org/!  You can also hear her over on our sister podcast, Preble Hall, where she’s one of the rotating hosts! https://www.usna.edu/Museum/PrebleHall/index.php Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Ian Boley (@IBBoley) and Clara Engle Boley; our guests are Abby Mullen (@abbymullen and @consolprize), Matthew Stannard, and Cecilee Jones. 

Ian and Eric are joined by NavyCon presenters Andy Rucker and Bill Prom for a discussion of combined arms in sci-fi! They explore the challenges of combined arms in reality, the challenges of writing about combined arms in sci-fi, the importance of communications to those issues, and how different platforms contribute to all of the above.  Also in this episode, Andy reveals the most accurate submarine movie ever, Eric talks about his latest Star Trek career field concept, Bill says what we’re all thinking, and Ian sends everyone into orbit… For recommended reading this weeks, we have a ton of--what else?--doctrine! It’s a bit of a slog at times, but critical to understanding how the concepts we discussed are supposed to work. As always, though, your mileage may vary.    First, though, we have the Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual - for those that love the Aliens series, this is a fun one to have (and a free pdf is available!) https://ia801900.us.archive.org/9/items/aliens-colonial-marines-technical-manual/Aliens%20-%20Colonial%20Marines%20Technical%20Manual.pdf JP 1: Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp1_ch1.pdf   JP 3-0: Joint Operations  https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp3_0ch1.pdf   ADP 3-0: Operations (2019) https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN18010-ADP_3-0-000-WEB-2.pdf   FM 3-0: Operations (2021 Edition being reviewed right now at the US Army Doctrine Directorate) https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN6687_FM%203-0%20C1%20Inc%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf   MCTP 3-10F Fire Support Coordination in the Ground Combat Element - The go-to pub for understanding fire support doctrine in the Marine Corps https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Publications/MCTP%203-10F.pdf?ver=2019-03-28-083848-523 Force Design 2030 - This speaks to some of the divestment/investment in Marine Corps Artillery that Bill mentioned: https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Portals/142/Docs/CMC38%20Force%20Design%202030%20Report%20Phase%20I%20and%20II.pdf?ver=2020-03-26-121328-460   Check out the brand-new individual videos for Andy and Bill’s presentations below!  Andy’s NavyCon presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXX7IEMzTjI Bill’s NavyCon presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGSQrpbupb4 Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Eric Muirhead (@StarfleetHIST) and Ian Boley (@IBBoley); our guests are Bill Prom (@wjprom) and Andy Rucker (@rucker_andy) of the Man Battlestations Podcast (https://manbattlestations.libsyn.com/).

On this week’s new episode of the Joint Geeks of Staff, join hosts Eric Muirhead and Ian Boley as we welcome our guest, Dr. Nyri Bakkalian to discuss the role of history and national security in influencing Japanese science fiction and anime.  How did centuries of military dictatorship influence post-World War II movies, manga, and television? How do Kaiju represent Japanese fears of foreign invasion? When did Ronald McDonald first arrive in Japan? The answers might surprise you…   Check out Nyri’s weekly podcast Friday Night History at https://anchor.fm/fridaynighthistory   Also, check out her appearance on Preble Hall with Claude, talking about the Shogunate Navy: https://www.owltail.com/podcast/7s9Ll-Preble-Hall/best-episodes   Works cited:   Learn more about how the “Closed Country” myth isn’t really true with historian Ronald Toby: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=3142   Did Early Modern Japanese always follow the rules and tell the truth to their superiors? Luke Roberts begs to differ: https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/performing-the-great-peace-political-space-and-open-secrets-in-tokugawa-japan/   Recommended reading for those interested in the more serious side of Japanese media and national security:   First, above all else (Ian is embarrassed he didn’t mention this on the show) check out Mobile Suit Gundam: the 08th MS Team on Hulu. Basically, this 12-episode series is a well-done Vietnam War movie with very realistically-portrayed giant robots. Themes explored include the inhumanity of war, the plight of the average soldier, and the challenges of mechanized war in a hostile environment. If you have ever enjoyed any Vietnam War movie and any sci-fi property, this one is easy to sink your teeth into.    After that, Ian suggests exploring one of two options. The first is Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, which is streaming on Netflix. Code Geass is about a high school prodigy who leads a Japanese ethno-nationalist insurgency against a globe-spanning superpower. Themes include political legitimacy, the nature of insurgencies, and the role of the individual actor in international affairs. Want to watch a rebellion in the 1984 world with giant robots? This might be your jam.   Alternatively, you can check out Aldnoah.Zero on HBOMax. This show is about a war between a technologically superior Martian civilization and a more-or-less present-day Earth. This story follows a group of Terran high school students as they get swept up by the conflict and are forced to fight as part of a local militia force. Themes include Clausewitzian theories of war, political legitimacy, and the relative advantages of discipline vs firepower. Come for the incredible soundtrack, stay for the hard-sf battles in the Terran orbital debris belt.    These are some of the more accessible military sci-fi anime out there, but there are also other media to check out, like the light novels All You Need is Kill (the basis for Edge of Tomorrow) and Yukikaze (an aerial combat piece that has been compared to Starship Troopers in terms of its impact on Japanese sci-fi). Feel free to ask around in the Discord for more recommendations!     Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ   The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Eric Muirhead (@StarfleetHIST) and Ian Boley (@IBBoley); our guest is Dr. Nyri Bakkalian (@riversidewings)  

Andy Poulastides returns, and Annie Muirhead joins us for the first time! We tackle the recent Dune movie with our unique Joint Geeks flair, examining the lessons the movie gives about human terrain, leadership, collective memory, and more. Also in this episode, Eric shows off his singing chops, Andy rhapsodizes about the Great Beard of the Galaxy, Annie gives us an Expansive black hole of the week, and Ian tells us why the Atreides really do count… We hinted at this concept in the episode, but if you’ve ever wanted a rigorous examination of why a stand-up fight between great powers is so different from an asymmetric conflict ala Dune, check out this fantastic book by Stephen Biddle on what he calls the modern system of warfare and how it works. Stephen Biddle, Military Power: Explaining Victory and Defeat in Modern Battle (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010). https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YGDW6S/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1   Check out our Discord at discord.gg/6xg2sApfGJ The Joint Geeks on this episode are: Eric Muirhead (@StarfleetHIST) and Ian Boley (@IBBoley); our guests are Annie Muirhead (@Laria HoD) and Andy Poulastides (@Andy3E) of the Great Derelict podcast (@GreatDerelict).