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Responses: 11
MAJ Ken Landgren
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19
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Edited >1 y ago
I don't have much brain power so I will use a military analogy. When your unit is on the defense you use a sector sketch to paint the picture of the engagement area. You list the Avenues of Approach, Obstacles, Cover and Concealment, Target Reference Points, and Final Protective Fire. This is called painting the picture.

Perhaps we will say negative emotions are in the engagement area and they are the threat. One often uses different weapons systems against different threats. We don't use sabot rounds from a tank to engage enemy infantry. What we need to use is appropriate to the threat.

If you progress that far then you will implement a fire plan. Use specific weapons against specific threats and understand the distribution of your weapons in a rational and efficient manner. So there. You want to paint the picture. Use specific weapons against specific emotions, and develop a comprehensive fire plan. Priority of fires goes to the most dangerous emotions. This is how you fight.
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SSG Ted Seal
SSG Ted Seal
>1 y
Major, I read with interest, the illustration that you painted utilizing military specific vernacular, and it truly resonated with me. I salute you sir, as you had an objective, and it was clearly delineated. Mission accomplished.
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MAJ Ken Landgren
MAJ Ken Landgren
>1 y
I humbly say thank you. It is easier to use military concepts sometimes because they are already defined and there is often mutual understanding. I think some of us for better or worse are stuck with military thinking.

Your response has me thinking about military thinking that I have never really delved into. I am kind of lost at thought but give me some time.

So much of what I learned in the army has improved my life skills like fighting personal battles. Some of the battles are close fights, some are deep fights that require more planning and a deep reach.

Army values have definitely helped define me and keeps me grounded. The army taught me to treat others with dignity and respect. I also learned that having compassion and fun were imperatives. I am very comfortable with my value set. My apex mantra is to give the world my best. I don’t think I can go wrong with that.

OPORDs and TLPs can help me plan although my life won’t be as complex as like maneuvering tanks in a movement to contact and possibly a hasty defense, but they can guide me in more complex situations in my life.

There are concepts that I appreciate like Center of Gravity (COG) is the true strength of the military like in Desert Storm our COGs were air power and our tanks. Perhaps people have COGs as well. I think mine is my set of values, otherwise I don’t view myself as fundamentally strong in anything else.

I typed this because I wanted to explore this topic and it was done on my phone so there might be some errors. I want to close this by saying I got something else from the army: PTSD. However, I honestly think it was a gift from my maker. I have greater understanding, empathy, and compassion now. There is another military concept called Quartering Party. It will recon ahead of a unit to assess the route to the next assembly area to determine the disposition and location for the tanks. I am the Quartering Party for some people with PTSD. I may not succeed in my mission, but I will try my hardest. I can’t expect anymore from myself than that. Thank you for being my captive audience. SSG Ted Seal
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SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
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Excellent share COL Mikel J. Burroughs , passing on to Facebook now sir.
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SPC Douglas Bolton
14
14
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Good stuff.
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