VETERAN VIEW ON TRIP TO GETTYSBURG
Submitted by Grant McGarry, Army Veteran and WEMBA ’17
(This post relates to the MBA trip to Gettysburg and the Army War College, an optional leadership experience coordinated by LTG (Ret) Ken Keen, Associate Dean of Leadership Programs).
As a Veteran the Gettysburg experience with the Army War College Foundation was simply awe inspiring and very meaningful. Not knowing what to expect of the actual Strategic Leader Staff Ride upon arrival, I can look back and say that it was way more than what I expected. Standing on the hollowed grounds of a battlefield that shaped who we are today was not only moving but motivating too. It was time to reflect on what our past countrymen and soldiers sacrificed so that we may have the opportunity to enjoy the freedoms we have today. The tour of the battlefield was so detailed and descriptive that I could literally see the soldiers charging into gun fire, fighting with swords and loading canons.
Besides being the most amazing history class I have ever taken, the Army War College covered many great topics around modern diplomacy, information, military and economics. Some of the topics of discussion we covered were understanding the importance of implementing speed of trust into business, knowing who is in the zoo, vision checks, not being a victim of cognitive bias and understanding the importance of controlling the narrative of your organization. The manner in which the Staff Ride tied battlefield strategy and tactics with business was fascinating. From covering President Lincoln and General Lee’s strategy and going as deep into the tactics of each battle fought at Gettysburg, I left with many nuggets to better equip myself for my business career.