Commentary
Sometimes conservative thinking, conformity, and following an established protocol are not always the best approach.After commanding a special forces company at Fort Bragg and transitioning to foreign area officer, I had the privilege of serving overseas in a diplomatic assignment, supporting defense cooperation initiatives in Croatia, in 2000. It was a fantastic opportunity, one that afforded me the opportunity to help shape U.S. defense policy in that war-torn country. Croatia had suffered immensely over the previous decade in what the Croatians called “The Homeland War” and it was my hope that I could contribute to helping bring about positive changes in the country. I embraced the job, pouring myself into my new mission with enthusiasm, seriousness, and “singularity of purpose.”
