The Friday Formation
07 November 2025
🪖 The Friday Formation
This week’s dispatch on Army writing & leadership
07 November 2025
🍂 Editor’s Note
The ghosts of October have faded, but their lessons linger. This week’s lineup is all about seeing clearly—past imposter syndrome, information fog, and outdated doctrine. From reflections on power and purpose to warnings about the limits of drones and the ghosts of doctrine past, these readings ask us to think deeply about how we lead, fight, and adapt. If I missed something worth sharing, let me know—and remember: professional dialogue is how the Army keeps its edge sharp, long after the shadows recede.
⚔️ Warfighting
The Battle of the Three Selves – Joe Byerly (From the Green Notebook)
Explores the internal struggle leaders face between ambition, humility, and service—and the balance required to lead with authenticity.
You Belong at the Table (But Bring Your Own Chair) – Lindsey Umlauf (FTGN)
A powerful reflection on imposter syndrome, belonging, and owning your place in the profession.
Two Salaries – Joe Byerly (FTGN)
A reminder that leadership comes with both privilege and cost—and that self-awareness must accompany success.
Ep. 163 – The 7 Rules of Power – Host: Joe Byerly; Guest: Dr. Jeffrey Pfeffer (FTGN Podcast)
A conversation on the realities of influence, authority, and how to wield power responsibly in organizations.
The Ghosts of Doctrine Past – Zachary Griffiths (Modern War Institute)
A timely reflection on how historical doctrine still haunts the Army’s collective mindset.
Drones Won’t Save Us – Matthew Revels & Eric Uribe (MWI)
Warns against overreliance on drone warfare, arguing that the fundamentals of maneuver and mission command remain vital.
One One Zero: The Challenge of Battle Networks and Parallel Command Structures – Blyleven, Van Horrick, Adams, Dugan & Bitanga (MWI)
Examines the complexity of command and control in future multinational and networked battles.
From Front Lines to Factories: Embedding Industry in Army Units – Kai L. Youngren (MWI)
Advocates for integrating industry directly into combat formations to speed innovation and sustain readiness.
🔧 Delivering Ready Combat Power
LOGSTAT: Beans, Bullets, Batteries – Host: CPT Garett Pyle; Guest: COL Kevin Agness (DVIDS Podcast)
Explores the realities of sustainment and the lessons learned from powering the fight across domains.
LOGSTAT: Leveraging the Power of the Organic Industrial Complex – Host: CPT Garett Pyle; Guest: COL Denis Fajardo (DVIDS Podcast)
Discusses how the Army’s organic industrial base can drive modernization and logistical agility.
Five Questions for a General: GEN (Ret.) Paul LaCamera – Host: Cadet Zach Olson (MWI Podcast)
GEN (Ret.) LaCamera reflects on command, coalition leadership, and lessons from decades of service.
The Free World Is Losing the Information War—Here’s How It Can Win – Artur Kalandarov (MWI)
Analyzes the West’s struggle against authoritarian information warfare and offers a roadmap for regaining the initiative.
The False Choice at the Heart of Netflix’s A House of Dynamite – Joshua A. Schwartz (MWI)
Dissects a pop-culture portrayal of nuclear deterrence to reveal deeper truths about strategic ethics and communication.
🔄 Continuous Transformation
Kings, Usurpers, and Shadow Wars: Lessons on Irregular Warfare from Shakespeare – Dr. John Hatzadony (IWI)
Explores leadership, legitimacy, and intrigue through Shakespearean parallels to modern irregular conflict.
Proxy Armies and Principal–Agent Problems – Maya Camargo-Vemuri (IWI)
Analyzes the enduring challenges of control, loyalty, and trust in proxy warfare.
Review: The Mad and the Brave – Ukraine’s Foreign Legion – Christopher Booth (IWI)
A review of courage, chaos, and camaraderie among Ukraine’s foreign fighters.
Media, Martyrdom, Manipulation – Jacob S. Feinstein (IWI)
Examines how extremist groups weaponize media narratives for influence and recruitment.
Unrestricted Innovation: The Supply Chain Battlefield – Guests: Dr. Fiona Murray & Dr. John Griffin (IWI Podcast)
Discusses how innovation and supply-chain disruption are shaping the future of irregular warfare.
Lithuania’s Total Defense Model – Kevin D. String & Alexander Noyes (SWJ)
Explores whole-of-society defense and resilience in the face of hybrid threats.
Taiwan: To Stop the Gray Zone, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is – Jonathan Walberg (SWJ)
Calls for concrete investment in deterrence, not just rhetoric.
China’s Rising Influence in the Western Balkans – Dr. Chris J. Dolan (SWJ)
Investigates Beijing’s expanding reach into Europe’s geopolitical underbelly.
Welcome to the Western Hemisphere – Michael L. Burgoyne (SWJ)
A case for renewed focus on Latin America as great-power competition intensifies.
📜 Strengthening the Profession of Arms
Motivation as a Choice – Melissa Czarnogursky (Harding Project Substack)
A reminder that motivation isn’t given—it’s cultivated daily through action and accountability.
Perspectives: Realigning Joint Combined Exchange Training – CW2 Edward Tripp (Special Warfare Journal)
Outlines how the Army can recalibrate its exchange training to better meet irregular challenges.
Beyond the Count – MAJ Jeffrey D. Wegmeyer (MIPB)
Explores intelligence metrics that go deeper than numbers to measure true situational understanding.
Know Thy Enemy – CDR (Ret.) Stephen P. Ferris & CPT Raymond Ferris (MIPB)
An intergenerational dialogue on enduring intelligence principles and cognitive biases.
Friday: Unlocking the Power – COL Christopher Tomlinson, CW3 Felix Rodriguez Faica, Angela White & Kathryn Ruhl (MIPB)
A timely exploration of information integration and human–machine collaboration in analysis.
Christina Deehl on Identity and Strength – Hosts: Alex Morrow & Drew Hammond (Mops & Moes Podcast)
A candid discussion about leadership identity, wellness, and mentorship.
📖 Resources & Calls
MWI 2025–26 Research Fellows Program – Preventing War in the Indo-Pacific
Call for Submissions: Innovation and Autonomy in the Future Fight
🧰 TL;DR
Quick Read: You Belong at the Table – confidence and contribution in a meritocratic culture.
Deep Dive: The Free World Is Losing the Information War – how to fight and win in the information domain.
Must-Listen: The 7 Rules of Power – leading with influence, not illusion.
🧭 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. Share this roll-up with your formation, and consider adding your own voice to the conversation.