Acknowledgments

This book is the result of a convergence of circumstances and the contributions and support of a great many people from many walks of life. Thanking and saluting them may take some time, so please bear with me.

This book applies to civilian leadership the strategy and leadership principles of the United States Marine Corps. And there are many to thank both in civilian life and in uniform.

Logos Institute for Crisis Management & Executive Leadership

The book reflects the client practice and intellectual work product of the Logos Institute for Crisis Management & Executive Leadership, and I am both proud of and grateful to the entire Logos team.

The actual book would not have been possible without the dedicated and persistent hard work of two brilliant and tireless Logos Institute analysts, Adam Tiouririne and Katie Garcia. They did the bulk of detailed research on case studies, fact checked, proofread, and otherwise created an infrastructure that made it possible for me to lay out the principles with meaningful and coordinated factual support. Any errors—of fact, interpretation, or judgment—are solely my own.

I also benefited greatly from contributions from Logos Institute senior fellow Oxana Trush and Logos partner Laurel Hart. I also repurposed some prior research from Logos colleagues Elizabeth Jacques and Raleigh Mayer. And I am extremely grateful for the ongoing support and help from my Logos partners Barbara Greene and Anthony Ewing.

Marines

The idea for the book was sparked in conversations I began with Rob Riggle in 2007. We were both teaching in a Marine Corps public affairs symposium in Los Angeles, and during a break I filled him in on what I was up to. Rob at the time was straddling Marine and civilian life: simultaneously a Marine public affairs officer and a cast member on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. As I recount in the Introduction, I had just started teaching Warfighting in my NYU classroom, and I showed Rob how I was applying Marine Corps doctrine to civilian leadership communication. Rob was my first champion for making the work available to a wider audience, and we met several times in New York and Los Angeles to imagine how the project might come to pass. I am extremely grateful to Rob for being an early catalyst and supporter of the project, and for his generous remarks in the Foreword.

In 2009 I was again in Los Angeles to work with Marines, and I met with Col. David Lapan, then head of Marine Corps public affairs, who was about to start a new job as head of public affairs for the Secretary of Defense. I shared with him the idea for this book and he asked me to send him a formal proposal. Before he switched jobs, he got the wheels in motion. Maj. Eric Dent managed the approval process for the adaptation rights to Warfighting. And the Marine Corps Trademarks Licensing Office gave the green light to use the Marine Corps logo. (Note: Their approval is not an endorsement of this book or of any product or project.) I am grateful for Col. Lapan’s and Maj. Dent’s support for the project.

There are dozens of Marines whose support over the years made this work possible. I am certain I have inadvertently left some names out, so apologies in advance.

I was first introduced to the Marines in 1991 by an NYU student, Lt. Col. Walter Bryzynski. For more than 20 years since, I have taught in the annual East Coast Commanders Public Affairs Symposium in New York. The successive leaders of the New York Mobilization Training Unit-17 have been my primary point of contact. I am particularly grateful to Lt. Col. Steven Brozak, who was a strong supporter and who introduced me to Marine Corps leadership beyond the New York City unit, including the Director of Public Affairs. Other MTU-17 Marines who have been supportive over the years include Maj. David C. Andersen, Capt. Brian Lippo, Maj. Jennifer Jackson, Lt. Col. Frank Gasper, Lt. Col. David Rosner, Lt. Col. Greg Kelly, Lt. Col. Dan Fernandes, Lt. Col. Joseph J. Wiffler, and Gy. Sgt. Joseph Minucci.

For several years beginning in 2004, I taught in the Brigadier General Select Orientation program in Washington. I am grateful for the help and support of Maj. Francis Piccoli, Capt. Alexandra Davis, and Maj. Steven M. O’Connor.

For several years beginning in 2005, I taught guest lectures at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. I am grateful for the help and support of Lt. Col. Paul Pond and U.S. Airforce Lt. Col. Justo Herrera.

Since 2005, I have taught in the West Coast Commanders Public Affairs Symposium, managed by the Marines’ Motion Picture and Television Liaison Office in Los Angeles. I am particularly grateful for the help and support of Lt. Col. Doug Griffith, Gy. Sgt. Santiago Zapata, Maj. Joseph Marron, Lt. Col. Jason A. Johnston, Capt. Barry Edwards, S.Sgt. Ethan E. Rocke, Maj. Dan Huvane, and Col. Ray Johnson.

In 2010 I spoke in the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School. I am grateful to Lt. Col. Carlton W. Hasle for making it possible and to Capt. Andrew Sylling for coordinating it.

Since 2002, I have benefited mightily from the support of successive directors of Marine Corps Public Affairs. I am grateful to Maj. Gen. (ret.) Andrew B. Davis, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Mary Ann Krusa-Dossin, Lt. Gen. R.E. Milstead, Jr., Col. David Lapan, and Col. Bryan Salas.

New York University

I first assigned Warfighting in 2006, the first time the required Communication Strategy course was held in the then-newly-launched MS in Public Relations and Corporate Communication program. I am grateful to the program’s Academic Director Professor John Doorley for his encouragement and support of what at the time seemed to be a risky and unorthodox approach. John is also my co-author on the first and second editions of Reputation Management: The Key to Successful Public Relations and Corporate Communication, Routledge, 2007 and 2011, respectively. I thank John for all of his support for my teaching and writing over the years.

The strategy course has been taught by other professors, who themselves kept the Warfighting content and have encouraged me in my teaching and writing of this book. Particular thanks to professors Claude Singer and Dr. Paul Oestreicher. I am also grateful for the encouragement and support of Professor Bob Noltenmeier and academic advisor Guilaine Blaise.

I joined the NYU faculty in 1998, and for most of that time I have benefited mightily from the friendship, encouragement, and support of Renee Harris, presently the Interim Assistant Dean of the Division of Programs in Business and Chair and Academic Director, of Continuing Education Programs in Marketing, Public Relations, Leadership, and Human Capital Management.

For the past 10 years I have also had the good fortune to teach a crisis management course once per year in NYU’s Stern School of Business, where I have also tested and validated many of the concepts in this book. I am particularly grateful to MaryJane Boland, Director, Executive MBA Student Services, for all of her support through the years. And to Janet Vitebsky, Senior Associate Director, and Laura Deffley, Program Coordinator, for all of their help.

The best part of teaching is seeing the change in students as they expand their horizons, enhance their skills, and grow in confidence and capacity. It’s why we teach. I want to offer a special thanks to all my NYU students, especially those who found themselves unexpectedly required to read a military doctrinal publication in a civilian strategy course. Their affirmation of the value of the book to their strategic thinking was a big part of my own confidence that the concepts in Warfighting deserve a bigger audience.

Wharton/University of Pennsylvania

Many of the concepts of the book have been validated in guest lectures and workshops I have delivered several times a year for the past 10 years in the Wharton Communication Program, University of Pennsylvania.

I am grateful to Lisa Warshaw, Director of the Wharton Communication Program, both for her support over the years and for allowing me to quote her and to profile the Wharton Communication Program in Chapter 7. Most of my work at Wharton has been in collaboration with Senior Associate Directors Carl Maugeri and Margaret Lambires. And recently some of that work has been in collaboration with Operations Director Dr. Lawrence Quartana. Logistics for all the above have been supported by Administrative Coordinator Jarmila Force and Audio Technical Coordinator Victoria Leonard. I am grateful to the entire Wharton Communication Program.

Professional Colleagues

I am grateful to Dr. Amy Zalman of the Strategic Narrative blog for permission to cite her work on the importance of effective public diplomacy. I am grateful to Barry Mike for permission to repurpose his blog posts about his formative experience as a young speechwriter from his Strategic Leadership Communication blog.

For more than 20 years James E. Lukaszewski has been a mentor, colleague, friend, and inspiration. And I have just learned that Jim, who had taught in the Marine Corps East Coast Commanders Public Affairs Symposium since 1986, had initially recommended me to the Symposium the year I started. For many years thereafter we were both involved. I am particularly grateful to Jim for his support and confidence over the years.

My friend and colleague Peter Firestein, president of Global Strategic Communications, invited me to speak at a conference in late 2010. That resulted in my meeting his book publicist Barbara Monteiro, who in turn introduced me to my agent, Leah Nathan Spiro of Riverside Creative Management. I am grateful to Peter, both for his friendship and support and for his catalytic role in making the book possible. And to Barbara Monteiro for connecting me to Leah. And particularly to Leah, who helped me flesh out the idea for the book and who secured my publisher’s support.

Corporate Clients

The concepts and case studies in the book have been validated in dozens of professional development and executive education sessions at various corporate clients. Because of nondisclosure agreements, I am not able to name them, even in thanks.

One, a leading financial services firm, initially had me teach a strategy boot camp for its communication strategists in 2007, the first time I applied Warfighting to a non-university civilian audience. It worked, and the client has since had me teach the module to more than 400 of its staff. For a global pharmaceutical company I have provided dozens of individual, department-wide, and large group sessions over several years. And I delivered a session for all 500 U.S. employees of a European bank.

I am grateful to all my clients (and you know who you are) for their support and confidence over the years, particularly in their adventurous acceptance of somewhat unorthodox content for a corporate setting.

Family

Finally, I thank the three women in my life: my spouse, Laurel Garcia Colvin, and our two daughters, Katie and Juliana. They endured too-frequent absences and always welcomed me home.

Helio Fred Garcia
New York City
January 2012