S.L. Nelson
Marine officer Stuart Scheller became infamous for his criticism of military leadership during the botched Afghanistan withdrawal. He now occupies a new role under Defense Secretary Hegseth and has recently asked: How can the United States military build a screening system (competition) to assess the performance of key leaders?
Two follow-on articles will address how leaders should be assessed as they vie for promotion: specifically, in intellectual and emotional intelligence domains. However, the Department of Defense must begin by promoting and evaluating leaders who possess—or are willing to develop—personal courage.
What Is Courage?
Fortuitously, history’s most famous military thinker, Clausewitz, offers a theory of courage:
“Courage is of two kinds: first, physical courage, or courage in the presence of danger to the person; and next, moral courage, or courage before responsibility—whether it be before the judgment seat of external authority or of the inner power, the conscience.”
Incidentally, Scheller provides an example of both kinds of courage. He is a proven combat leader. But more importantly, he exhibited moral courage—courage stemming from his conscience—which he then wielded to hold those in positions of power accountable. For this so-called public insubordination, he was court-martialed, culminating in his resignation.
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