The Friday Formation
27 February 2026
🪖 The Friday Formation
This week’s dispatch on Army writing, leadership, and learning
Friday, 27 February 2026
🗓️ Editor’s Note
February closes with no shortage of friction — technological, institutional, and strategic.
This week’s readings ask hard questions:
Are we modernizing fast enough?
Are we reforming the right processes?
Are we thinking clearly about machines, mobility, and the cognitive fight?
Momentum is not accidental. It is engineered through disciplined change, intellectual rigor, and leaders willing to challenge comfortable systems.
Read deliberately. Think critically. Close February strong.
Chris
🏛️ Featured Leadership Essays
In his last few months as our 39th VCSA, GEN(R) Jim Mingus wrote a series of articles on eight topics in which he was personally invested regarding Army transformation and modernization. These run the gamut from the Army’s network, to how to think about autonomy on the battlefield, to how the Army runs, and of course Holistic Health and Fitness. Over the next four weeks, MWI will publish two articles a week on these topics.
⚔️ War Without Soldiers: The Evolution of Warfare in the Age of Machines
GEN (Ret.) James Mingus & Maggie Harris — Modern War Institute
Explores how automation and autonomy are reshaping combat power and redefining the human role in warfare.
🚛 Mobility: The Combat Power Multiplier
GEN (Ret.) James Mingus, Sam Kriegler, R.J. Burton — MWI
Argues that mobility — operational, digital, and logistical — remains the decisive enabler of tempo and lethality.
🔄 How the Army Should Run: Reforming Army Processes for Continuous Transformation
GEN (Ret.) James Mingus & COL Christina Bembenek — MWI
Calls for structural reform and streamlined processes to sustain transformation beyond rhetoric.
⚔️ Warfighting
The Battle of Kyiv and Russia’s Dashed Hopes for a Short War
Liam Collins & John Spencer — MWI
Lessons in resistance, urban defense, and strategic miscalculation.When the Fiction Ends: Lessons from Maneuver Under a Lying Sky
James Torrence — MWI
Reflects on deception, tempo, and modern maneuver warfare realities.Shattering the Software Stovepipes
Ryan McLean — MWI
Examines integration gaps in defense software modernization.C-UAS Operations: A Single Pane of Glass
Bill Edwards — SWJ
Advocates unified command visibility for counter-UAS operations.Perspectives: 21st Century Hedgerow Problems
CW2 Jonathan Scharnhorst — Special Warfare
Examines small-unit tactical challenges in dense terrain.
🔧 Delivering Ready Combat Power
The Battle of Kyiv and Russia’s Dashed Hopes for a Short War
Liam Collins & John Spencer — MWI
Lessons in resistance, urban defense, and strategic miscalculation.When the Fiction Ends: Lessons from Maneuver Under a Lying Sky
James Torrence — MWI
Reflects on deception, tempo, and modern maneuver warfare realities.Shattering the Software Stovepipes
Ryan McLean — MWI
Examines integration gaps in defense software modernization.C-UAS Operations: A Single Pane of Glass
Bill Edwards — SWJ
Advocates unified command visibility for counter-UAS operations.Perspectives: 21st Century Hedgerow Problems
CW2 Jonathan Scharnhorst — Special Warfare
Examines small-unit tactical challenges in dense terrain.
🔄 Continuous Transformation
Cognitive Warfare Costs and Economic Asymmetry
Sara Russo — IWI
Assesses cognitive warfare as a low-cost, high-impact domain.America Needs Cognitive Civil Defense
David Maxwell — SWJ
Calls for societal resilience against influence operations.Creating Conspiracy Theories
Douglas Wilbur — SWJ
Explores narrative manipulation and information warfare dynamics.The Transatlantic Defense Business Politics Can’t Break
Wendy R. Anderson & Julianne Smith — War on the Rocks
Examines industrial interdependence across NATO.The Danger in the Middle
Joel Wuthnow — WOTR
Analyzes strategic instability in China’s military leadership.
📜 Strengthening the Profession of Arms
This Is an Every-Service Problem: Space Power and the Risk of Fundamental Surprise
Catherine R. Cline — FTGN
Highlights cross-service blind spots in space readiness.Five Questions for a General: LTG (Ret.) James Dubik
Host: Cadet Nicholas Finke | Guest: LTG (Ret.) James Dubik
Strategic leadership reflections on reform and adaptation.Making the Right Decision
Chaplain (LTC) Jared L. Vineyard — Military Review
Examines moral decision-making in complex environments.Objective Apollo
SSG Morgan G. Moscoso — NCO Journal
Reflections on mission clarity and execution.
📖 Resources & Calls
CSA Recommended Articles – Army University Press – The Chief’s reading list.
Call for Papers – Army Civilian Journal - Invitation to contribute.
Professional Writing Playlist (YouTube) – Talks and discussions on military writing.
Professional Military Writing – Military Review – Why writing matters.
🧰 TL;DR
· Quick Read: The Guidon We Only Respect When It Is Ours
· Deep Dive: War Without Soldiers: The Evolution of Warfare in the Age of Machines
· Listen: Five Questions for a General: LTG (Ret.) James Dubik
🧭 About the Harding Project
The Harding Project is Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy George’s initiative to strengthen the profession through professional writing and public discourse.
The one-stop shop for all branch journal articles is the Line of Departure website – check it out to get your daily dose of Army professional development! If you have good ideas or lessons to share with the rest of the force, please pen them and send them our way at submissions@hardingproject.com.
We’re renewing professional writing across the force—one Friday at a time. Read. Reflect. Act. The profession doesn’t stand still, and neither should we.