Marcus Garvey put it best when he said “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots” (https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/history). Like Garvey states, a knowledge of history gives us strength in the future, and a study of the civilizations throughout this semester have given me strength for my future as an officer in the Fleet. A few of these examples come from Athens and her Democracy, the inspirational teachings of Sun Tzu’s Art of War, and the conflict between the Christians and Muslims during the Crusades.
During the study of the Athenian Democracy and its comparison the modern American government, I recognized the pros and cons of each and how they applied to leading in the Fleet. One of the biggest benefits of the Athenian-run model was that everyone had a voice. Similarly as an officer I can foster a kind of environment where those I lead will feel welcome to voice their opinions. However an advantage that the current American model contains is the filter it provides by excluding non-relevant or radical ideas. This filter is necessary to the efficiency of the whole system and in the Fleet would be the officer.
While many of Sun Tzu’s teachings are applicable to leading in the Fleet, his emphasis on preparation before battle stands above the rest. In his book The Art of War he says “Victory belongs to the side that scores the most in the temple calculations before the battle” (The Art of War 3-8). While not everyone from the Academy will be directly involved in combat, there is a “battle” that each must face in order to achieve victory. For example a navigation team’s “temple calculations before the battle” could be anticipating weather conditions as they plot a ship’s route to ensure the safety of everyone on board. While seemingly insignificant, such decisions could be the difference between life and death.
Perhaps the most impactful takeaway comes from the study and role play of the crusade. A general misunderstanding of religion has led to some of the bloodiest battles in history, all in the name of God. The same issues that were fought over then are prevalent today, as the fight over the Holy Land continues. As a future officer in the Fleet, I need to recognize that people will be coming from different backgrounds and will have general stereotypes for or against their fellow sailors or marines. This allows me to prepare to be a mediator and educator in order to resolve conflicts and keep us working as a cohesive unit.
Overall this class has revealed examples from history to be learned from, and not repeated. Through an application of these lessons, I will grow the roots of my tree, strengthening me to handle the future. This provides me to not only become a better leader in the Fleet, but even after my time in the Fleet has ended.
WC: 489
The West in the Pre-Modern World 
Pepe, I agree with your post. I also drew from the model of the Athenian democracy to bring to the fleet. I believe it is super important to make sure that every voice is heard. Not only in the fleet, but also in any kind of organization where teamwork is key. It allows people to feel as though they are important to the cause, and that their say in matters is heard. I also drew on The Art of War. I agree that an important aspect in The Art of War is that being well prepared for war is critical. I missed this in my post, but I think that proper preparation is more important in our future than others. Also, you made a really good point when you say that not everyone will be in combat, but proper preparation is important regardless of what your job is. The analysis of the Crusades and what you learned from the mistakes they made is also something I missed when writing my post. I think that you made a great point that you have to take in to account all backgrounds that you will experience in your time as a leader.
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