4. Written Requirements.
a. General. Successful strategic leaders are effective communicators. You will have
the opportunity to develop your writing skills this academic year and will receive
feedback from your FI and your peers. The writing assignments for the Strategic
Leadership Course allow you to pursue relevant, significant areas of interest, while at
the same time providing a mechanism to integrate or accentuate knowledge gained
from the course. You should refer to the AY21 Communicative Arts Directive for details
concerning evaluation standards and writing with academic integrity.
b. Specific. Each student will write an academic paper and a journal for the
Strategic Leadership Course:
(1) Paper. Submit a 750 to 1000-word (not including footnotes), double-spaced
paper answering the writing prompt below. This paper represents 30% of the course
grade. Your paper is due on 4 September 2020.
(a) Background. LTG (Retired) David Barno and Dr. Nora Bensahel recently
published “Five Ways the U.S. Military Will Change after the Pandemic” on War on the
Rocks.0F
1 This brief, argumentative, and provocative column sparks debate concerning
how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact the U.S. military.
The authors assert: “The ultimate damage [from COVID-19] will be so great that after
the pandemic, the urgent need to defend the American people from devastating threats
inside the homeland will quickly displace foreign threats atop the hierarchy of national
security concerns.” Moreover, they claim the U.S. military will need to make at least five
key changes that will shape the strategic choices and decisions senior DoD leaders will
be forced to make. First, “cyber and space will be higher priorities than land, sea, and
air.” Second, “reliance on forward presence will diminish.” Third, “the reserve
component will become much more important [than in the past].” Fourth, “legacy
programs and end strength will be cut — by a lot.” And, fifth, “the prestige of the U.S.
military will be dimmed.”1F
2
(b) Writing prompt. Select one of the five key changes Barno and Bensahel claim
will shape the choices and decisions awaiting Pentagon leaders. Write a 750-1000-word
essay with a clear and concise thesis statement arguing the OPPOSITE position.
Support the argument with evidence and cite references appropriately. To begin, review
1David Barno and Nora Bensahel, “Five Ways the U.S. Military Will Change after the Pandemic,” War on
the Rocks, April 28, 2020,
2 Barno and Bensahel, “Five Ways.”
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Table of Contents
the topics covered in SL Lessons 1-5 (self-awareness, critical thinking, analysis,
systems thinking, and ethical reasoning). Next, apply thinking skills to develop a sound
thesis and structure a well-organized essay persuading the reader to consider the
argument.
