Publication

The Journey of a Warrior: The Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps (1987-1991): General Alfred Mason Gray

The Potomac Institute Press is pleased to announce that The Journey of a Warrior: The Twenty-Ninth Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps (1987-1991): General Alfred Mason Gray, Second Edition by Gerald H. Turley is now available. Click here to purchase the paperback and Kindle versions.

"The Journey of a Warrior" tells the inspiring story of a truly unique Marine who became a brilliant combat leader and achieved international prominence. General Alfred Mason Gray, US Marine Corps, was a loner by nature, and many of his peers considered him to be a maverick. At the same time, having established himself as a military intellectual of remarkable insight, he became an icon to service personnel of all ranks, as well as many prominent defense officials, politicians, and scholars. General Gray was a critical force behind the changes needed to prepare Marines for the new millennium. He is now recognized as one of the finest Commandants in fifty years. The Journey of a Warrior brings to the fore the journey of a most unusual individual: a warrior, a leader, a thinker, and a patriot. lt is not written as a biography but rather as a retrospective of a unique marine whose impact on his institution was both untraditional and perhaps under appreciated. The Marine Corps is better for his unselfish and dedicated journey to faithfully serve his country.

Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons, USMC Retired, Marine Corps Historian Emeritus, appears to have best captured General Gray’s character when he wrote, “General Al Gray is imaginative, iconoclastic, articulate, charismatic, and compassionate. His Marines love him.”

About The Author

Now retired, Colonel Gerald H. Turley, US Marine Corps, enlisted during the Korean War, served two tours in the Vietnam War, was wounded in action, and received thirteen personal combat decorations. He served as a special consultant to two Secretaries of the Navy and six Marine Corps Commandants from 1987 to 2010. He and his wife, Bunny, reside near Hilton Head, South Carolina. He is also the author of "The Easter Offensive: Vietnam, 1972."

About The Potomac Institute

The Potomac Institute for Policy Studies is an independent, 501(c)(3), not-for-profit public policy research institute. The Institute identifies and aggressively shepherds discussion on key science, technology, and national security issues facing our society, providing in particular, an academic forum for the study of related policy issues. From these discussions and forums, we develop meaningful policy options and ensure their implementation at the intersection of business and government. For further information see www.potomacinstitute.org.

It's the Ideology: How to Defeat Islamist Terrorism Once and for All

The Potomac Institute is Pleased to Announce the Release of:

It's the Ideology: How to Defeat Islamist Terrorism Once and for All
by David M. Eneboe

The terrorism embraced by the likes of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda emanates from their common Islamist ideology of hate and intolerance. Kill that ideology and we kill the terrorism that it breeds. But, we cannot kill ideas with bombs and bullets – we can only kill them with better ideas. And since the handful of Al-Qaeda extremists who first attempted to target US interests in 1992 has now grown to over 30,000 in Islamic State alone, what Washington has been doing clearly has not been working. Our strategic victory against Islamist terrorism is all but certain; the only variable in the equation is the human and material cost from our policy missteps and mistakes. Yet even after a quarter century of conflict, Washington still does not have a solid strategy for winning the war against Islamist terrorism. It’s the Ideology offers what our leaders have not – a fresh, bold, and clear six-step plan to muzzle our enemies; win the information war; turn failing states around; be smarter in our use of military force; substitute failed conventionalism with bold, twenty-first century approaches; strip Islamism of any religious legitimacy; and, ultimately, prevent future generations of terrorists. This book delivers a specific, real-world strategy to permanently defeat Islamist terrorism once and for all. This is a book about victory. It is a roadmap for restoring America’s global statesmanship and leadership written by a fresh voice with an experienced perspective.

Paperback and Kindle now available on Amazon.

About the Author

David M. Eneboe graduated from the 47-week Arabic language course at the prestigious Defense Language Institute as a young Marine in December 1975. He graduated at the top of his class, with honors, and in the four decades since that achievement, he has had ample opportunities to apply his education. Following language training, Mr. Eneboe received technical training in the signals intelligence (SIGINT) field as a Voice Intercept Operator (the Marine Corps now calls its language graduates Cryptologic Linguists). He was subsequently assigned to 2nd Marine Division, Force Troops, 2nd Radio Battalion at Camp Lejeune, NC. Consistent with the expeditionary nature of the Marines, Mr. Eneboe was continuously deployed domestically, abroad, and aboard ship for nearly the entire period of his assignment to the battalion. After his honorable discharge from the Marines, Mr. Eneboe’s position required him to routinely brief Senior US Officials, such as Ambassadors and cleared members of visiting Congressional Delegations. Mr. Eneboe was certified in Arabic as a Language Analyst in 1990 and he was awarded numerous honors and citations, including an NSA Letter of Appreciation for his contributions during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and a Most Valuable Player award from his component. In the early nineties, the author returned to the United States after an unexpected tragedy made family considerations a higher priority. He founded Sahara Consulting Services and began working as a contract Arabic linguist for the intelligence community and that relationship grew to include various special projects and collection/reporting responsibilities focused on counterterrorism and counterproliferation. He was instrumental in pioneering early Internet research tradecraft and received a personal commendation from the Director of the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (now the Open Source Center) for his work on Mideast counterproliferation. In addition to his work for the intelligence community, Mr. Eneboe also provides translation and other services to commercial clients. In his leisure time, he is an active pilot and aircraft owner who enjoys flying for charitable and humanitarian causes. He and his wife live and work in Arizona.

About the Potomac Institute

AL GRAY, MARINE The Early Years, 1968-1975, Volume 2

The Potomac Institute is Pleased to Announce the Release of:

AL GRAY, MARINE

The Early Years, 1968-1975, Volume 2

by Scott Laidig

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The Potomac Institute Press is pleased to announce that AL GRAY, MARINE: The Early Years, 1968-1975; Volume 2 by Scott Laidig is now available in paperback and Kindle versions from Amazon.com.

Most people know General Al Gray as the 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. His achievements as a transformational Commandant are legendary within the Marine Corps and the military services. The "Al Gray, Marine" series tells the story of this unique and charismatic leader.

Al Gray, Marine: The Early Years 1950-1967, Vol.1 tells the story of General Gray's time as an enlisted Marine and junior officer. Volume 2 tells the story of his time as a field grade officer, including his important role in the Vietnam War.

From establishing innovative intelligence operations in Vietnam, through his leadership during the evacuation of Saigon in 1975, Al Gray's story is exceptional. A unique, charismatic leader, he built a reputation as a tough but fair commander of infantry units, and through the challenges of drug use and racism in the Marine Corps in the 1970s.

This authorized biography is a fascinating personal account of a Marine Corps legend. Scott Laidig was awarded the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation's esteemed Colonel Joseph Alexander Prize for Best Biography of the Year for 2014 for Al Gray, Marine: The Early Years 1950-1967, Vol.1.

Paperback, Harback, and ebook now available on Amazon
All net proceeds will be donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (www.semperfifund.org)

About the Author: Scott Laidig

Scott Laidig is a decorated Marine combat veteran of Vietnam. Also a Russian linguist, he served on US Pacific Fleet submarines, earning his 15 seconds of fame in the book "Blind Man's Bluff." Scott worked as a defense contractor until his retirement in 1998. He is currently working on a co-authored Volume 3 of the Al Gray, Marine series.

About the Potomac Institute

The Conflicted Leader and Vantage Leadership

In this breakthrough book, General Al Gray and Dr. Paul Otte provide a new model for achieving a higher level of leadership. This book validates the struggles of the Conflicted Leader – one who must lead individuals and organizations as our world moves through ever-evolving waves of change. But, the authors do more than address what many leaders today are experiencing. They propose a new way of making a difference though Vantage Leadership, defined as the ability to embrace uncertainty, see the possible over the probable, remain conceptual through conflict, and more.

“If you only look for leadership in the usual places, you will only find the usual leadership.”

PRAISE FOR

The Conflicted Leader and Vantage Leadership

“In 1989, the U.S. Marine Corps promulgated a small book entitled Warfighting for all Marines. The intent was to describe General Al Gray’s philosophy on warfighting and to encourage leaders at all levels to use the Maneuver Warfare concepts and values as a way of thinking to meet the challenges of both combat and life. Now General Gray and Dr. Paul Otte have taken these principles and applied them to the everyday challenges of leadership in a complex and uncertain world. Understanding and using the concepts in this book will serve well all who aspire to lead and succeed at any level”

– Brent Scowcroft
Air Force Lt. General (Ret) and former National Security Advisor to President Gerald Ford and President George H.W. Bush

“General Al Gray’s leadership profoundly changed the US Marine Corps, US policy, and the way the US Military fights today in hundreds of ways. His unique form of leadership inspires all who come in contact with him. General Gray and Dr. Paul Otte have successfully outlined these principles of leadership in a fashion that will continue to inspire and guide people for generations to come.”

– Michael S. Swetnam
CEO and Chairman
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies

“The Conflicted Leader and Vantage Leadership provides a fresh perspective to the study of leadership, providing a basis for developing leadership concepts, ideas, and ideals that apply to you. This book is a “must read” for the serious student of leadership.

– Robert L. Bailey
Retired CEO, Chairman and President – State Auto Insurance Companies
Author of “Plain Talk About Leadership”

“The Marine Warfighting philosophy published by General Gray in 1989 contains concepts, values, and wisdom that helped transform the Marine Corps. Now, General Gray and his writing partner Dr. Paul Otte have captured these thoughts in a superb book. If you want to know why the Marines win – read this. You can us the same principles in your in your business or professional life.”

– David C. Miller, Jr.
Ambassador of the United Sates (Retired)
and former Special Assistant to President George H. W. Bush

“General Gray and Dr. Otte have advanced significantly the discourse on leadership for our modern age. Happily, one will not find in this work any endorsement of manipulative leadership so in evidence today, with its reliance on testing issues and words through focus groups before positions are articulated and ‘leadership’ is sounded through a false trumpet.”

– Norman G. Mosher, Capt, USN (Retired)
and former Professional Staff Member,
United States Senate Committee on Armed Services

“We owe General Gray and Dr. Otte great thanks for bringing us a very clear and convincing description of the U.S. Marine Corps’ extraordinary success in creating leaders and a culture of leadership throughout the organization. The military genuinely believes there is potential in most people. It is that profound belief that allows them to fully develop everyone’s potential.”

– Judith M. Bardwick
Author of “Danger in the Comfort Zone” and “In Praise of Good Business”