Rick Herrera

Walking, Talking, Teaching, and Learning: The Staff Ride — Teaching Military History Field trips meet military history in this rich discussion of the staff ride. Explore how it blends scholarship, storytelling, and terrain to elevate learning.

Digging through older stuff. Reflections from some time ago, living la vida staff ride.
teachingmilitaryhistory.com/pedagogicale...

The Warmonger Rebrand Rebranding the Department of Defense as the "Department of War" is one more proof of Trump II's bellicose intentions.

“After World War II, we never fought to win. The lawyers and bureaucrats put an end to that. Stabbed us in the back basically.”

Stuff I heard from every adult man I knew growing up in the 80s. Never true, newly relevant. I didn’t know about the Dolchstosslegende when I was fifteen.

Like? I had to suffer through listening to his bullshit and lies at USAWC. He’s a huckster and worse.

Pride of Princeton…

Now on my list. Thanks!

The sources of his nomination to the academy were a who’s who of South Carolina’s political lunatic fringe, Democrats who advocated for the nullification of federal law or secession. They included Sen. John C. Calhoun, Rep. Francis Wilkinson Pickens, and fire-eater Rep. Robert Barnwell Rhett.

Having fun with the sketches

James Stuart (1825-1851)
James Stuart of South Carolina was appointed a brevet second lieutenant in the Mounted Riflemen following his graduation from the Military Academy in 1846.

Flight oversold. Airline offers Uber to Atlanta (one hour away) & $1500.00 voucher. Yes, I was second in line (didn’t want to trample anyone). Waiting now for my voucher & ride.

Documents Reveal a Web of Financial Ties Between Trump Officials and the Industries They Help Regulate ProPublica is releasing a trove of disclosure records that detail the finances of more than 1,500 Trump appointees, including former lobbyists, industry executives and at least a dozen officials who d...

NEW: ProPublica is releasing a trove of disclosure records that detail the finances of more than 1,500 Trump appointees, including former lobbyists, industry executives and at least a dozen officials who declined to identify former clients.

I know that the people who need to read this aren’t here, but here goes:

Rules of engagement aren’t for the enemy. They’re for you. They’re for your soldiers when they’re captured or wounded. They’re for your civilians when they’re in range of the enemy. They’re for your allies, to reassure.

Awww… and I hate that photo! 🤣

Keeping busy. Gawd, but I hate that photo 😂
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Brothel chic

Heartbreak on the Colonial Front: Women’s Writing, the Seven Years War, and Humanity in the Archive By Thomas Lecaque This article is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Patrick Lecaque, 1/15/1949-10/11/2025, who taught his son the joy of history, of research, of discovery, and to find the individuals…

A powerful look at how women’s writing during the Seven Years’ War reveals the raw emotion, loss, and humanity often hidden in colonial archives. A moving reminder that behind every global conflict are intimate stories worth remembering. @tlecaque.bsky.social ageofrevolutions.com/2026/03/02/h...

Strategy by executive whimsy.

Working with and for His Excellency at Mount Vernon. George Washington Leadership Institute.

Flyer for event on Defending Democracy in the Stacks, free virtual event on 3/4

📚 🗃️ Super excited for this FREE Wed. 3/4 virtual event, when I’ll be in conversation with Tamela Chambers, Colleen Shogan, and Laura McEnaney on #libraries, #archives, & freedoms. Join us for “Defending Democracy in the Stacks” Register here: umass-amherst.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Macron says France will allow temporary deployment of nuclear-armed jets to European allies French President Emmanuel Macron says France will allow the temporary deployment of its nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries as part of its new nuclear strategy

Macron says France will expand its nuclear arsenal and send its nuclear-armed aircraft to other European nations. A sign that Europe is losing confidence in the American nuclear umbrella—and understandably so. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/0...

Alexandria Festival of the Book: Portraying America 1776-2026 Portraying America 1776 - 2026, a one-day book festival celebrating our nation’s rich history and literary achievements.

www.eventbrite.com/e/alexandria...

Less than two weeks before the Alexandria Festival of the Book, 14 March 2026. The festival is free. See below for registration.
@sonyabonczek.bsky.social @uncpress.bsky.social
www.alexvabookfest.org

Shrub, too.

Finding funding to add faculty lines for military historians or war and society scholars in universities doesn't seem unreasonable, although it's altogether unlikely to happen.

Formulating strategy is difficult, it should be, but it seems to have been ignored. War by executive whimsy.

Trump’s Iran Gamble How the latest strikes risk opening a Pandora’s box in the Gulf.

"if the U.S. bet is that airstrikes will finish the job from above while Iranians complete it from below, that bet rests on no clear historical model and ignores the resilience of entrenched authoritarian systems under external pressure" - @alivaez.bsky.social www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/trump-i...

Congratulations!

Bombing Iran Is Easy. What Comes Next Is Not. It comes down to a straightforward question: What’s the plan to translate military force into political change?

open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...

REVOLUTIONARY WAR 250: 2026 SYMPOSIUM, 7-9 May 2026

@smh-historians.bsky.social

www.thenmusa.org/symposium2026/

Sated I am. Plus, it's nice be back in a town where I spent much of my childhood with cousins, aunts, & uncles. Great memories of Phoenix & Tempe.

First dinner with an old friend and colleague from SAMS, Jeff Kubiak. Now, a chorizo burrito for breakfast. I couldn't get to La Azteca in L.A. or Carolina's by Skyharbor, but Mesquite on Mill in Tempe does a nice job. The salsa is spicy and smoky.

"American Independence and the World: The United States at 250" is off to a most excellent start for me.

asuevents.asu.edu/event/americ...