WAR ROOM to BOARDROOM: Leadership Lessons from West Point's Warrior Class

By Patrick O'Farrell

War room to Board room is a well-organized collection containing over 50 leadership techniques used by West Pointers who developed their leadership skills as top officers in the military and now apply these same techniques in business.

Now as Chairman’s and CEOs, Medical Executive Doctors, Business Executives, Inventors and Founders of Companies built on Innovation, Combat Aviators, and current senior public executives offer their leadership lessons that helped them along the way.

Each lesson told as a story when they learned it, then captured again at the end of the chapter with all lessons summarized at the end of the book for easy reference. A useful leader handbook to keep nearby on every business leader’s desk.

“Very useful for leaders in any environment: business, military, church group efforts, sports, volunteer projects… Any place there is a group to be led, universal lessons that apply from war room to boardroom.” (Alex Gorsky, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson, West Point–Warrior Class)

“Several war room to boardroom leadership examples included—a great read.” (Mike Durant, President and Founder, Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Author of In the Company of Heroes, Combat Aviator—Black Hawk Down)

“Excellent Leadership Lessons inside. War Room to Boardroom gets my vote!” (Delvin Sullivan, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, Author, of The Wealthy Child, Iraqi Freedom Veteran [2X])

“O’Farrell and Hegarty offer many hands-on tips to use when leading organizations to victory. Well done!” (Nick Logan, Founder and Chairman of Cornerstone Payment Systems, Author and Screenwriter, Owner, College Hula Bowl)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646544455

Book preview

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WAR ROOM to BOARDROOM

Leadership Lessons from West Point's Warrior Class

Patrick O'Farrell

Copyright © 2020 Patrick O’Farrell

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books, Inc.

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2020

ISBN 978-1-64654-444-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64952-030-2 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64654-445-5 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Introduction: Warrior Class

One West Point Story

Paul Wood

Brian Allgood

Bill Hedges

John Hornick

James Lee

Kevin Griffith

Mark Averill

Jim Flynn

Dan Mulligan

Mick Nicholson

Nadja Grammer-West

Alex Gorsky

Abe Abrams

Leadership Lessons

Dedication

War Room to Boardroom: Leadership Lessons from West Point’s Warrior Class could not have been accomplished without the support of my family and my West Point classmates, whom I have known since I was eighteen years old.

I dedicate this effort to a special Warrior Class from West Point: The Class of 1982. This group of Warriors never forgot the West Point ethos of Duty, Honor, and Country.

Special thanks to my family: my wife, Laurie; our children, Kyle, Kristen, and Bradley; our grandchildren, Rashawn Curtis, Kierra Elizabeth, and Owen Patrick. I would also like to thank my Mom and Dad who, as an English Teacher and Journalist, often shared with me the joys of writing. Also, many thanks to my brother, Bill, combat veteran of Desert Storm, a great family man, and successful CEO, as his recommendations as always were spot-on.

I must also thank Patrick Hegarty, acclaimed professional writer, former Denver Bronco Quarterback, and longtime family friend.

Chapter 1

Introduction: Warrior Class

In the history of the world, only a few generations will be granted the

role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger…The energy,

the faith, the devotion we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it, and the glow from that fire will certainly light the world.

—Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy

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Screaming tank rounds, rocket-propelled grenades, and flames crossed the evening sky, creating a spectacular flurry of explosions and gunfire. US Army night vision technology from their Abrams tanks gave the advantage to the American Forces engaged in the night battle, but even with their advanced view, it was difficult to synthesize exactly what was happening.

It was a battle that had so much firepower concentrated in one place—with friendly and enemy fire being exchanged in rapid fashion—it was difficult for even those involved in the attack to describe the true chaos of a tank battle at night.

Flaming steel and smoke filled the night air. The nearby explosion from a rocket-propelled grenade that careened across the hood of their tank caused a ringing in their ears that further created the fog of war. We’ve all sung the words, but these American soldiers were seeing the rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air right in front of their position.

The tankers could see both friendly tank units and enemy tanks maneuvering in the night as flashes from the tank rounds lit up the tight battle space. They knew their unit needed to form a tight perimeter and get in position to face out while expecting the counterattack. But how? All friendly units on the command radio listened for the instructions from their West Point Commander…

How would he make sense of this chaos? How could he bring order to such madness?

While checking company positions, the Commander’s tank came under fire by Iraqi Forces. Shrapnel ripped through his leg. In his condition among such chaos, did he have the presence of mind to reestablish command and control, clear and secure the immediate area, and evacuate wounded personnel?

Had his West Point training been enough to sustain him during this night of high-intensity combat?

Every cadet wonders how they will respond in combat, in that exact moment; and more often than not, the cadets of West Point prove that the leadership lessons they learned at the United States Military Academy will sustain them through the most difficult situations on earth. From the battlefield to the boardroom, like the commander above, the men and women of West Point have been served well by their training at the Academy ever since Thomas Jefferson established our Military Academy in 1802.

Marching off the West Point parade field through stone sally port archways as a member of the long gray line, seeing statues of MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower, and reminders of fierce battles and hard-fought victories from the US Army’s illustrious past, each and every cadet can’t help but wonder, How will I do? Will I serve my country with honor? Will I take care of my soldiers? Will I be brave in the face of the enemy?

Etched in granite above West Point’s stone archways are the names of legendary battles: ANZIO, LUZON, NORMANDY, to name a few. Thousands of past and future combat officers have walked beneath these sally ports, the ghosts of these legendary encounters hovering above them.

Unanswered questions carried with each cadet: What crises and wars will our class face in the years after graduation? Will our class become another shining class of soldiers upon whom the celestial general officer stars fell? Will the years for the graduating class of new lieutenants be a period in our Nation’s history spent in a world filled with peace, prosperity, and high technology? Will there be global conflict? Or something even more unfathomable? What would be the destiny of the West Point class of 1982?

Each cadet marching on the graduation parade grounds has probably thought of the quote from their philosophy class at the Academy: Only the dead have seen the end of war. Would we soon know and share grave danger in a history yet to come? Many such thoughts have filtered through the minds of the Corps marching on that parade field.

What would be our new roles in our nation’s future? Would there be another Operation Overlord in similar size and scope as Normandy? A victory so vital to our country and to the entire world that we would be long remembered for our contributions? What would be the eventual fate of this class of eager young cadets for whom honor and glory on the battlefield meant everything?

Would we lead our fighting troops to certain victory? Or to bitter, humiliating defeat? Is our destiny foretold or of our own making? Our hopes and dreams were all the same: that our destiny would make complete these past four years of unbelievable dedication, commitment, work, education and pride.

Looking back four decades later, those questions have been answered for the West Point class of 1982. I submit the Select Few of the Class of 1982 that has earned its nickname Warrior Class and has done its duty proudly and with honor.

The Class of 1982 served during a period in our nation’s history that included the tragedy of September 11th, 2001, when many of our classmates would forgo the retirement option and venture into battle in very senior positions; our class had battled on at the Colonel and General officer level, commanding Battalions and Divisions at NATO-level Corps operations and higher. With our nation suddenly engaged in two nearly simultaneous wars, constituting the longest wartime footing this country has ever seen, it is my position that the West Point Class of 1982 is a very special group.

The West Point Class of 1982 has been a Warrior Class from start to finish. Starting with Urgent Fury, followed by Just Cause, Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Bosnia, then Afghanistan and Iraq, this Class of Warriors has prevailed, leading our soldiers with distinction over several decades.

An interviewer once asked a West Pointer if they needed more language training for the country they were deploying to, and the West Point graduate responded, When they send us in, it’s usually not to talk. But this class has had the unique role of talking as diplomats during the day then having to kick Taliban butt at night, many times encountering the same individuals across the battlefield by cover of night that they faced across the negotiating table in the light of day.

My West Point Class, The Select Few of ’82, is very much akin to the class the stars fell on, where historic events align with a West Point class in their military careers. The events of World War I and World War II caused West Point classes of 1886 and 1915 to produce leaders such as Pershing, Eisenhower, and Omar Bradley. With 9/11, an ongoing seventeen-year war in Afghanistan, a war in Iraq, Desert Shield, Kosovo, Desert Storm, Panama, and Grenada all occurring on our watch, there are several unique stories from the West Point class of 1982.

The stories of leadership that follow come from a very small group of men and women I have known since entering the gates of West Point at age eighteen. Bonds of camaraderie, sacrifice, and loss still connect us; and the lessons we’ve learned from a lifetime of leadership have been forged into our minds and hearts. The lessons of leadership that we’ve gleaned are personal in their creation but universal in their application.

One of the biggest blessings in my life has been the acquaintance and association with the best America has to offer.

Where It All Starts

Gen. Douglas MacArthur defined it well in his speech to the graduating West Point cadets of 1933 when he proclaimed, Today you bring to the Army its annual increment of youth, vigor, and fortitude…things that make West Point the soul of the Army.

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Aerial view of West Point (photo credit: West Point)

The United States Military Academy at West Point was originally established as a military fort guarding strategic high ground overlooking the Hudson River with its scenic view, just fifty miles north of New York City.

This historic location was originally identified by George Washington as the perfect location for the country’s future military academy of his newly formed United States. The Academy became a reality in 1801, when President Thomas Jefferson directed, shortly after his inauguration, that plans be set in motion to establish the United States Military Academy at West Point. The Academy was established in 1802.

West Point Selection Process

Candidates for admission must apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination from a member of Congress or delegate in the case of Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. Other nomination sources include the President and Vice President of the United States. Students are officers in training and are referred to as cadets or collectively as the United States Corps of Cadets (USCC).

During our time at the Academy, the attrition model was in full force where over 3,000 candidates were nominated, and of those, over 2,000 reported in for their first day of cadet training on July 6, 1978. By May 26, 1982, only 816 graduated.

The academic program grants a bachelor of science degree with a curriculum that grades cadets’ performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics.

Cadets are required to adhere to the Cadet Honor Code, which states that a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do. The Academy bases a cadet’s leadership experience as a development on three pillars of performance: academics, physical, and military.

The academy’s traditions have influenced other institutions because of its age and unique mission. It was the first American college to have an accredited civil engineering program and the first to have class rings, and its technical curriculum was a model for future engineering schools.

During our time from 1978 to 1982, West Point’s student body had a similar rank structure and lexicon as other classes. All cadets reside on campus and dine together en masse on weekdays for all three meals. The Academy fields fifteen Division 1 men’s and nine women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports teams. Cadets compete in one sport every fall, winter, and spring season at the intramural, club, or intercollegiate level. Army’s football team was a national power in the early and mid-twentieth century, winning three national championships. Company I-1 was home to Heisman trophy winner Glenn Davis, and my interest in attending the Academy had much to do with the exciting Army-Navy games featuring Clennie Brundidge and Leamon Hall.

West Point alumni and students are collectively referred to as The Long Gray Line, and its ranks include two Presidents of the United States; Presidents of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and the Philippines; numerous generals, including five-star Generals of the Army, and seventy-six Medal of Honor recipients.

In heading off to my last West Point reunion, I was just leaving a senior service college tour of Gettysburg where a war college professor took us on a staff ride through the hills of the Gettysburg battle. From Little Round Top he described the courageous effort by Colonel Chamberlain and his men to hold the Union flank. Just as heroic was West Pointer Colonel Paddy O’Rorke who fought with what some would call even greater distinction at Gettysburg.

The difference, the war college instructor explained, was Colonel Chamberlain captured the actions of his men in his after-action report, which later spurred a novel by Michael Schaara. Movies were made of Colonel Chamberlain’s efforts, but only an occasional bar in New York City still holds the name Paddy O’Rorke’s. The war college professor proceeded to ask his students gathered on Little Round Top, Who is going to tell your story?

Now although a bar named after the Class of ’82 would be awesome, it hit me after meeting up with all my classmates at our reunion what a unique and compelling story each had experienced. We weren’t just toy soldiers who marched the same and experienced the same careers just because all our uniforms were the same. Each had a singularly unique and compelling story that I felt must be told.

So here it is in as best of prose as I can muster. It is certainly not the complete story of our Warrior Class of 1982, but it is highlights from a class that definitely has earned a spot alongside other famous classes from the Academy. Such a kind and affable group with such deep convictions toward duty and serving their country, the Warrior Class of 1982 has a very strong tale of courage, duty, honor, and country.

What follows is a very personal story about close friends and classmates for nearly four decades. The incredible successes and heartbreaking losses of our classmates have cemented our bonds over the years. More than that, hard lessons about leadership, sacrifice, family, and country have been learned.

Chapter 2

One West Point Story

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Dr. Patrick O’Farrell

Afghanistan Combat Veteran ’02–’03

Deployments: AFG, Haiti, Japan (2X), Kuwait, Korea (4X)

Bronze Star Medal Recipient

Operation Enduring Freedom

Operation Uphold Democracy

Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army (ret.)

Professor and Author

Distinguished Military Ambassador, Hula Bowl, 2020

Military Advisor, College All-Star Football Hula Bowl Board of Directors

Consultant to Synexis for White House’s Ambassador Birx and COVID response team

West Point Sprint Football, West Point Handball Club (Team Captain),

West Point Rugby Club, and proud member of the Class of 1982

If you ever fly into the John Wayne International Airport in Orange County, you will notice the terminal dedicated to Brig. General Thomas F. Riley, who, as Orange County Commissioner, oversaw a billion-dollar budget in the rapidly growing Orange County of the 1970s.

One late summer night, my uncle came out of the Balboa Bay Club and offered a fellow member a ride home after a fun night at the club. At the end of the drive, the man said, Thank you so much, Dan. My name is Tom Riley, and if there is ever anything I can do for you, let me know.

My uncle later followed up on that offer and asked to set up a meeting where his twin brother, my dad, and I could meet with the retired Brigadier General concerning a letter of recommendation to attend West Point.

What kind of person goes to West Point?

I get asked that question all the time and will try to outline some of the admission process in case there may be young relatives or friends you know of who might have the makings of a future leader.

The selection process starts early with Academy nominations by members of Congress starting at age sixteen for many potential applicants in each district. It is also kind of tricky in looking at a young man or woman at fifteen and thinking this person would really enjoy a career in the military. It seems like such a daunting decision at such a young age. As a result, I have found many of the families who are involved in the process have some awareness of the early process through a family tradition of military service or know of friends who went to the Academy and were alerted to the early start. Many young kids in high school start thinking about college in their junior and senior years and, even if interested, may have missed the boat for Academy entrance.

My Path to West Point

I grew up in Southern California, three thousand miles from West Point, but my father came from a military family, where he and all his five brothers served in the military, including three in World War II. Not to mention his sister who served as a nurse in a VA hospital.

On my mother’s side of the family, my grandfather served in the Pacific during World War II as a medical doctor, leaving his thriving practice to serve three years until the war was won.

My grandfather’s circle of friends during his tour included Admiral McCain (neighbor in San Diego), Admiral Chester Nimitz (the Admiral visited my Grandfather at his home in Fort Dodge, Iowa, after the war), and Iwo Jima photographer Joe Rosenthal. After the war, Joe Rosenthal kept in touch and visited my grandfather, even giving him one of the original copies of the most widely produced photograph of all time, the flag raising at Iwo Jima. So there was a strong emphasis on military service in my family, and my brother and I took it to heart, both serving in combat operations as officers in the Army.

Growing up, we were a happy family enjoying the many gifts California has to offer, including great weather and the interesting people who—like us—came to Southern California from somewhere