Books Call Sign Chaos

reviewed by Col. Eric L. Chase, USMCR (Ret)

or the years spanning the late 20th and early 21st centuries, former Secretary of Defense >Col Chase, an attorney in private practice in New Jersey, served as and retired Marine an infantry commander in FJames N. Mattis stands as a preemi- Vietnam, and retired from the Ma- nent exemplar of the Corps’ warfight- rine Corps Reserve in 1998 after ing ethos: “He has commanded Ma- more than 30 years of active and rines at all levels, from a rifle platoon Reserve service. 1 to a [Marine Expeditionary Force].” CALL SIGN CHAOS: Learning to Capping a 40-year military career, he Lead. By and Bing retired with four stars, notwithstand- West. New York, NY: Random ing his willingness to speak his mind, would have otherwise disqualified him House, 2019. frequently challenging conventional from that post for seven years after his ISBN: 978-0812996838, 320 pp. wisdom and spurning political cor- military retirement. The only other rectness. Marines loved his plain-spo- such congressional waiver enabled ken manner, his affection for them, five-star General of the Army George and his noteworthy combat leadership C. Marshall to become Defense Secre- above all. The general public admired tary in 1950. The Senate quickly con- the authenticity of this no-nonsense, firmed Mattis by a vote of 98-1 (with tagonist, Mattis links his professional American warrior and treasured the only Sen. voting autobiography to his own growth in quotable quips that made occasional no, and Sen. not voting leadership as his rank and responsibil- headlines. while his appointment as Attorney ity rose. Both in battle and the highest com- General was pending). He delivers “lessons” far beyond mand and joint duty assignments, he Mattis served just two years as Sec- the prologue’s modest promise and honed natural leadership traits. He en- retary. On 20 December 2018, he sub- outside the parameters of his legend- riched his tactical and strategic insight mitted his resignation, which he at- ary career and reputation as a Marine. and skills with intellectual curiosity taches verbatim at the end of Call Sign He translates his military acumen and about everything military: a passion Chaos. Mattis offers not a word to as- record into a myriad of memorable, reflected in his personal library of over sess President Trump’s policies, char- fact-rich, and teachable paragraphs 6,000 volumes and his claim, “[T] acter, or leadership. Instead, he prom- that can resonate with current and here’s no substitute for constant study ises that he is “old fashioned [and does aspiring military and civilian lead- to master one’s craft.” Upon retire- not] write about sitting Presidents.” ers. His exceptional combat instincts ment from the Corps in 2013, he be- Almost exclusively, he draws upon his materialize in the direst of combat came a fellow at Stanford University’s four decades as a Marine. circumstances, portrayed in gripping . He achieved a re- In this immediate runaway best- accounts, capturing the urgency of markable scholar-warrior reputation, seller (briefly number one on theNew those moments, and translating them neither exceeded nor even matched by York Times non-fiction list), Mattis into practical ways to think, lead, and anyone else of any rank or Service. In promises “to convey the lessons [he] prevail. Call Sign Chaos, Mattis amplifies that learned for those who might benefit, Although he shares jacket cover stature. whether in the military or in civilian credit for authorship with , When President Donald J. Trump life.” The book’s three sections, “Di- a formidable military author in his selected Mattis as his first Secretary of rect Leadership,” “Executive Lead- own right with a stellar background Defense in January 2017, it came as ership,” and “Strategic Leadership,” as a combat Marine and Assistant no surprise that Congress overwhelm- connect his military career to the Secretary of Defense, this is Mattis’ ingly voted to waive a Federal law that leadership theme. The story’s sole pro- first-person story from beginning to

Marine Corps Gazette • November 2019 www.mca-marines.org/gazette WE21 Books

end. His voice carries the narrative, at how the plain prose of Grant and Marines in Afghanistan because “[w] and his life history in the Corps and Sherman revealed the value of steely e don’t have access from the sea.” For beyond personifies the “lessons … determination. E.B. Sledge, in With Mattis, “[t]his was a classic example of learned.” No doubt, West influences the Old Breed, wrote for generations being trapped by an outdated way of the riveting flow and readability of of grunts when he described the fierce thinking. The Marines don’t need to the narrative, but he remains behind fighting on Okinawa and the bonds be anywhere near a beach to land from the curtain; the only visible narrator is that bind men together in battle. Biog- ships.” According to Mattis, Franks Mattis. raphies of Roman generals and Native inexplicably deprived the Marines of American leaders, of wartime political Call Sign Chaos will become a stan- leaders and sergeants, and of strategic a clear opportunity to take out Osama dard volume in curricula of Ameri- thinkers from Sun Tzu to Colin Gray bin Laden in the Tora Bora Moun- ca’s war colleges and career military have guided me through tough chal- tains in December 2001, nearly ten schools at all levels. Despite the nec- lenges. Eventually I collected several years before Navy SEALs killed him essary military terminology and acro- thousand books for my personal li- in May 2011. nyms, his book will also strike chords brary. I read broadly and selected a few Mattis entertains as he teaches, for civilian university programs in battles and areas where I was weak to demonstrates, and instructs. Inten- politics, business, and leadership. For study deeply.2 sity and pace leap from page to page at least the present and near future, and assignment to assignment. In his Call Sign Chaos should be America’s Mattis describes his early life only telling, large and small controversies most authoritative and accessible cursorily. His was a hardscrabble among military and civilian leaders primer on leadership in both military youth, marked by boredom in class- abound, and he was a principal actor and civilian spheres. rooms, reading at home, and regular in most of his examples. He weaves During the three leadership phases hitchhiking starting at age thirteen. his mastery of warfare’s history, from described in Call Sign Chaos, Mattis In college he “was a mediocre student antiquity to the present, into decision usually sees clearly through the fog of with a partying attitude.” After under- making at all ranks, from squad and war, both in small, close engagements age drinking, a judge sentenced him platoon leaders, to combatant com- and in theater-wide strategic decisions to spend some weekends in jail. This manders, and the Commander-in- and planning. However, he pleads to setback awakened him to healthier Chief. his share of mistakes and forgives er- pursuits. Following college, he earned Some critics contend that Mattis rors of others when done in a good his commission in 1972 as a second could be ruthless in the conduct of his faith effort to aggressively show initia- lieutenant. Mattis proves that a rise leadership or complain that he is out- tive and accomplish the mission. He to the Marine Corps’ top echelon and of-step with modern sensibilities, but was ever ready to spar about decision beyond requires no privileged up- history justifies his difficult personnel making with superiors and subordi- bringing or unearned advantage. and operational decisions. He con- nate commanders, yet always open to Leadership is Mattis’ constant fo- fronts head-on criticism for his color- ideas from good thinkers of all ranks. cus and touchstone. He eschews gen- ful language and, far from apologetic, As a Commanding General during eralities, platitudes, or banalities—the tackles critics with the same rhetorical the crucible of combat, he lauds rec- banes of many textbooks. Instead, he gusto that he embraces with his ac- ommendations to him by corporals or demonstrates mastery of the art of war tions on the ground. lieutenants that made decisive differ- with dozens of riveting vignettes that As CG, 1st MarDiv, his relief of ences. include: planning for combat, argu- Col Joe Dowdy as commander of Reg- In crisis after crisis, he draws from ing for or against specific tactics, and imental Combat Team 1 in 2003 was a vast, self-made intellect—nurtured leading in combat. As a commander, an unusual step. It was an abrupt re- constantly by an insatiable desire to his greatest affection is for his troops. moval of a distinguished and respected read and learn from others. With per- Achingly, he laments the regular pro- senior officerduring combat operations haps some unnecessary repetition, he motions that further removed him in Iraq. Mattis’ explanation, however, admonishes his audience to do the from direct supervision of, and cama- makes sense. Without ever identify- same. His advice to read arises from raderie with, Marines engaged with ing Dowdy by name (even though the experience, practice, and application: the enemy: “I stayed in the Corps event and Dowdy’s name were publi- 3 Reading sheds light on the dark path to be with the troops.” He lavishes cized at the time), he depicts the colo- ahead. By traveling into the past, I praise, often by name, on fellow warf- nel as overly fatigued and reluctant to enhance my grasp of the present. I’m ighters of all ranks who excelled on his carry out Mattis’ aggressive intent in partial to studying Roman leaders and watch. the attack. During a face-to-face ses- historians, from Marcus Aurelius and He can be critical of commanders sion with Mattis, Dowdy “expressed Scipio Africanus to Tacitus, whose who, for him, did not measure up. his heartfelt reluctance to lose any of grace under pressure and reflections He issues harsh, yet valid, assessments his men by pushing at what might on life can guide leaders today. I fol- of U.S. Army GEN seem to be a reckless pace.” Because lowed Caesar across Gaul. I marveled who initially rejected deployment of Dowdy’s honest admission contradict-

WE22 www.mca-marines.org/gazette Marine Corps Gazette • November 2019 Books ed the aggressive combat plan, Mattis was perplexed at the level of igno- that America’s reputation had been se- fired him “on the spot,” even while ac- rance about the likely consequences of riously weakened as a credible security knowledging Dowdy as “a noble and a pullout—as foreseen by Mattis and partner.” capable officer who in past posts had many others in uniform. At the same time, Mattis tempers performed superbly.” His active duty career abruptly a warrior’s credo with compassion for In another example, he was NA- ended when he was fired as CG, U.S. innocent victims of war, especially TO’s Supreme Allied Commander Central Command. He recalls the cir- women and children caught up in for Transformation in Norfolk and cumstances and sets forth dissatisfac- or near the maelstrom of the battle- oversaw a staff of officers from many tion with the poor quality of civilian field. He rails, for instance, at “the nations. He fired an unnamed foreign military oversight at the end of 2012: egregious behavior of rogue guards at working with him because In December 2012, I received an un- Abu Ghraib [which] had cost us the the admiral’s mistreatment of staff authorized phone call telling me that moral high ground.” Mattis’ leader- continued, even after Mattis’ counsel- in an hour, would be ship package emphasizes adherence to ing. announcing my relief. I was leaving the law of war as a basic tenet. Even as His frank assessment of political a region aflame and in disarray. The he speaks often and straightforwardly interference with military missions is lack of an integrated regional strategy about his quest to lawfully kill those persuasive. Mattis praises the positive had left us adrift, and our friends con- enemy combatants who stand in the and successful leadership of President fused. We were offering no leadership way of his Marines’ mission and fail George H. W. Bush, acknowledging or direction. I left my post deeply dis- to surrender, he never permits crossing how “he avoided sophomoric decisions turbed that we had shaken our friends’ professional or ethical lines. He cites like imposing a ceiling on the number confidence and created vacuums that two core principles that may appear of troops or setting a date when we our adversaries would exploit. to be paradoxical or contradictory to would have to stop fighting and leave.” I was disappointed and frustrated that some. For Mattis, they are the essence Moreover: policymakers all too often failed to of leadership in projecting deadly He approved of deploying overwhelm- deliver clear direction. And lacking a force in areas where civilians reside: ing forces to compel the enemy’s with- defined mission statement, I frequently First, don’t stop. Don’t slow down, don’t drawal or swiftly end the war ... He didn’t know what I was expected to ac- create a traffic jam. Jab, feint, hit, and systematically gathered public support, complish. As American naval strategist move, move, move. Alfred Mahan wrote, ‘If the strategy congressional approval and UN agree- Second, keep your honor clean. Thou- ment. He set a clear, limited end state be wrong, the skill of the general on the battlefield, the valor of the soldier, sands of homes, stores, stalls, and mud and used diplomacy to pull together and concrete houses lined the roads. a military coalition that included al- the brilliancy of victory, however oth- erwise decisive, fail of their effect.’ Terrified civilians would be in the line lies we’d never fought alongside. He of fire. I made it clear that our division listened to opposing points of view and Unfortunately, the predicted unravel- would do more than any unit in history guided the preparations, without of- ing of Iraq occurred quickly as ISIS to avoid civilian casualties. fending or excluding any stakeholder, gained strength and geography, and while also holding firm to his strategic U.S. troops had to return to the fight. The phrase, “no better friend, no worse goal. Under his wise leadership, there Mattis makes a cogent case that self- enemy,” attributed to Roman General was no mission creep. inflicted strategic errors cost American Lucius Cornelius Sulla over 2,000 He is critical of some aspects of lives and treasure and did grave injury years ago, embraces a fundamental President George W. Bush’s leadership to U.S. standing with other countries. truth for the ethical combatant, and it in Iraq, which held back the Marines In addition, Obama’s failure to live became Mattis’ calling card. in , despite Mattis contend- up to his “red line” warning to the Mattis challenges innumerable ed that they held an advantage that Assad regime in August 2012, where- conventional wisdoms. He displays in- needed to be timely exploited. Bush in the former president stated that “a genuity and creativity in combat and overruled him, and Mattis “believed red line for us we start seeing a whole invites those qualities in his subordi- the President’s goal [to share combat bunch of chemical weapons moving nates; dispels rigid adherence to “doc- responsibility with other nations] was around or being utilized,” profound- trine” which he conceives as a startup idealistic and tragically misplaced.” ly diminished American credibility. point; and sees “commander’s intent” But he saves his harshest critiques A year later, when the Assad regime as a conceptual primer, not a con- for unwise military decisions by Presi- in repeated its use of chemi- straint, for commanders who should dent , especially in the cal weapons in defiance of Obama’s understand what that intent is and be unwarranted and vacuum-creating warning, the President authorized no able to “seize fleeting opportunities withdrawal of all American troops retaliatory action. “This was a shot not under stress.” from Iraq in 2011. He recites frustrat- heard around the world,” says Mattis, Mattis often injects his famous ing meetings with officials, including “Old friends in NATO and in the Pa- wry sense of humor into a substantive then-Vice President , and cific registered dismay and incredulity message. He takes apart a mainstay of

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modern military (and civilian) class- character, integrity, perseverance, and 2. See Call Sign Chaos, Appendix B, which is rooms and briefings—the PowerPoint: hard work. A leader of troops in com- Gen Mattis’ letter during the elaborat- PowerPoint is the scourge of critical bat must also demonstrate personal ing on the importance of professional reading. thinking. It encourages fragmented courage and presence of mind in the He also lists 58 of his “favorite books.” logic by the briefer and passivity in the most daunting circumstances. In Call 3. In a post-publication interview, Gen Mattis listener. Only a verbal narrative that Sign Chaos, Mattis powerfully dem- said, “Well there’s no doubt in my mind the logically connects a succinct problem onstrates the qualities and actions that most enjoyable job is to be an Infantry Platoon statement using rational thinking can define leadership, but, perhaps most Commander where the physical toughness and develop sound solutions. PowerPoint important for a work like his and the mental abilities are on full display to your is excellent when displaying data; but West’s, he shows others what they, too, troops. See “Authentic Leadership.” it makes us stupid when applied to need to be leaders themselves. critical thinking. Effective leadership must combine discerning, sometimes elusive, quali- Notes ties for anyone in a position of high 1. Col Chris Woodbridge, “Authentic Lead- authority and responsibility. The abil- ership: An Interview with General James N. ity to inspire others and to cause them Mattis, USMC (Ret) and Francis J. (Bing) to follow with trust and confidence West,” Marine Corps Gazette, (Quantico, VA: requires a combination of talent, high October 2019).

WE24 www.mca-marines.org/gazette Marine Corps Gazette • November 2019