Posted on Dec 19, 2013
Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
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Yes, the professional reading list, it seems as if everyone has one these days; so have you considered developing your own? In the late 1980s the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program officially got its start as the "Commandant's Reading List," each CMC since has placed his personal "stamp" on the program, though many of the books have remained consistent; apparently, in some form or another "recommended reading" lists have been generated for marines since the 19th century; today we see that each service, organization, etc. have a recommended reading lists of one sort or another... so, have you considered... what would be your "leaders reading list?"  It could be career-field specific, cover leadership and/or management, training, human psychology/achievement, life planning/financial, or any other subject(s) that you find complementary for a fitting and thorough list. So, the challenge here is to determine... what titles would you put on your own personal version of a "professional reading list?"
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SSG(P) Infantry Squad Leader
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"Gates of fire" or any book regarding the Spartan Mentality, Alexander the Great, and a book of Gen. Patten's Quotes
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Thomas Rancourt
Thomas Rancourt
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I have heard of "Gates of Fire"- how is it?
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CW2 Special Agent
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The Outpost by Jake Tapper
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SSgt Forensic Meteorological Consultant
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I am reading a book about Vietnam called 'The Cat From Hue.  I love cats so this goes well and in my era which is even better.  word!!!
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SSG General Services Technician And State Vehicle Inspector
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There
are a lot of great books out there to add to one’s professional reading list.
Besides many of the books already mentioned, these are some of what I have on
my bookshelves.



 



“Crazy
Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors” -  Stephen E. Ambrose



“Manhunt:
The Ten Year Search for Bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad” – Peter L. Bergen



“Red
Blood, Black Sand: Fighting Alongside John Basilone” – Chuck Tatum



“Incredible
Victory: The Battle of Midway” – Walter Lord



“Democracy
in America” – Alexis de Tocqueville



“The
First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt” – T.J. Stiles



“At
Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor” – Gordon W. Prange



“Makers
of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age” – Peter Paret



“Leadership:
The Warrior’s Art” – Christopher D. Kolenda



“Sherman:
Great Generals Series” – Steven E. Woodworth



“American
Creation: Triumph and Tragedies in the Founding of the Republic” - Joseph J.
Ellis



“Inferno:
The World at War 1939-1945” – Max Hastings



“Midnight
Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War” - Tony Horwitz



“Undaunted
Courage” - Stephen Ambrose



“The
H.L. Hunley” - Tom Chaffin



“Catch-22”
– Joseph Heller



“Watership
Down” - Richard Adams



“American
Sniper” - Chris Kyle



“The
Portable Conservative Reader” – Russell T. Kirk



“War
& Friendship” - Colonel Pill-ki Chung



“Flags
of Our Fathers” – James Bradley



“Fighting
For America: Black Soldiers – The Unsung Heroes of WW2” – Christopher P. Moore



“The
Fourth Star” – David Cloud & Greg Jaffe



“American
Soldier” – GEN Tommy R. Franks



“The
Rape of Nanking” – Iris Chang



“The
Founding Fathers Guide to the Constitution” – Brion McClanahan



“Stars
in Their Courses: The Gettysburg Campaign” – Shelby Foote



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SSG Cannon Crew Member
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"One Second After" by William R. Forstchen. A story about a few EMP's going off over the U.S. and the aftermath. Great book, pretty damn realistic. You would be surprised to see what big wigs in Washington help promote it.
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SSG Cannon Crew Member
SSG (Join to see)
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sorry about the google thing.. oops
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
>1 y

SSG Broadbent, excellent recommendation much appreciated, this sounds like a great read, thanks for sharing!

 

 

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CSM Michael Poll
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The Noncommissioned Officer and Petty Officer:
Backbone of the Armed Forces
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
>1 y

CSM Poll, Outstanding selection... thanks for sharing!!  http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=121357

 

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SSG General Services Technician And State Vehicle Inspector
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Sir, I have so many books on my reading list, it's not even funny. I would recommend just about anything historical with an occasional dab of fiction (i.e. Vince Flynn, Brad Thor).
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Col Regional Director, Whem/Ssa And Congressional Liaison
Col (Join to see)
11 y
SSG Redondo, thanks for sharing and very good point, this would definitely help to create a more well-rounded list, do you have any titles (by Flynn, Thor, et al) that you'd like to share?
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SSG General Services Technician And State Vehicle Inspector
SSG (Join to see)
11 y
Sir, I definitely recommend all of Flynn's and Thor's books. Both are phenomenal writers. My two favorite Flynn books are "Term Limits" and "Extreme Measures". I also read Steve Berry, David Baldacci, John Lescorat (sp?), Alex Kava, Alex Berenson, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, B. Kent Anderson (for the history buffs), Stephen Hunter, Orson Scott Card, Clive Cussler. I have many others too.
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CW3 Standardization Officer
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E6ef9309
Fantastic read Col (Join to see)
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SSgt Alex Robinson
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Read biographies. I personally enjoy them yet use them as a learning tool.
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SSG Fire Support Specialist
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Message to Garcia and the things they carried both great books well actually the first is a short story and the second is a collection of short stories
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