Lethal Minds Volume 26
Lethal Minds Volume 26
Volume 26, 01 September, 2024
Letter from the Editor
A friend recently asked me what I thought the biggest threat to the military veteran community is. My reply?
“Veterans.”
Far too many of us are like crabs in a bucket, seeking to pull down any of our number who appear to be rising too high for our liking. Why? Because as we get older and slower and more mentally calcified, farther from places where survival was hardly assured, we forget the lessons we learned there. I hated the separation from my family and the privation and waste of war. But I loved the spirit that combat engendered in me and my comrades. I am still in awe of the relentless dedication to one another I saw among service members under fire. That spirit is the basis for strong fighting units and nations alike. I think we give it away in civilian life at our national peril.
I think of how often, for good reason, I’ve heard my fellow veterans lionize “The Greatest Generation.” They saved the world, came home, hung up their uniforms, and set to solving significant problems and righting historical wrongs. Twenty-five years after the flag went up at Suribachi and American tanks ground Hitler’s Thousand Year Reich to dust, 73% of Congress were veterans. Given the issues they dealt with in that period, such as Civil Rights, the Red Scare, and Vietnam, they disagreed vociferously. But they also did an amazing job of remembering what I call the dichotomy of the barracks, that unifying sense I’ve seen in action, that allows servicemembers to argue till they are blue in the face (about pretty much everything and anything), call one another every name in the book, and then run heedlessly through a danger zone to support one another.
After years of decrying the absence of veterans in national leadership, we have vets as candidates for Vice President from both major parties. Say what you will about either party or either candidate (or both), it’s a step. Of course, plenty of my fellow veterans will say, “If you make your service a campaign issue, it’s fair game.” That’s true. And fair. But it’s only a few steps further that sees us become akin to Jesse Plemons character in “Civil War” asking, “What kind of [veteran] are you?”
We must jealously guard the spirit that made us who we are, especially when we are the threat to it.
One way you can keep the spirit alive is by sharing your thoughts here. We want your opinions, professional lessons learned, thoughts, and art. All you have to be is a veteran or a service member. We don’t ask what kind.
Fire for Effect,
Russell Worth Parker
Editor in Chief - Lethal Minds Journal
Submissions are open at lethalmindsjournal.submissions@gmail.com.
Dedicated to those who serve, those who have served,
and those who paid the final price for their country.
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In This Issue
Written Word
The Quiet of the Country
The World Today
The Rise of AI Commanders
Poetry and Art
Sand-Crawlers
Third Time
Long Before the War
Young Gunner
Written Word
Fiction and Nonfiction written by servicemen and veterans.
The Quiet of the Country
Benjamin Van Horrick
In the mid-1930s Frank Lloyd Wright and America’s best days appeared to have passed. Wright struggled to find work as America was suffering through the Depression. The Great Depression seemed to lower the country’s aims; citizens - even artists - had to focus on maintaining a basic income, rather than cultivating the arts. Nevertheless, some families flourished during the Depression; one such family, Pittsburgh's Kaufmanns, owned a successful department store. Connected to Wright through their son, one of Wright’s interns, the family commissioned Wright to build a retreat for the family outside of Pittsburgh. The collaboration conceived and birthed Fallingwater. During national economic and social hardship, Wright and the Kaufmanns converged to build a house that now is a possession for the world, not just the family. As the military and veterans face their own significant headwinds, with many falling prey to the allure of cynicism, Fallingwater can serve as an example of how from adversity one can build something great and beautiful - for themselves and for others.
When you visit the site, you find it’s a little bit out of the way. A full thirty minutes elapses between making the final turn off of the country road until you see Fallingwater. The tour begins with immersion in nature. Divorced from the familiar cacophony of sounds of modern life, the walk to Fallingwater resets, heightens, and attunes your senses – twitterpation of birds, swaying of tree limbs, rushing water. The distance between the visitor’s center and the house gives you an appreciation for Wright’s taming of nature, turning it from foe to friend, adversary to ally. For veterans, the taming of nature will strike a chord. In our profession, a terrain feature offers us a position of advantage. A bit like a squad leader, Wright absorbed the terrain into his thinking and then imposed his will and vision upon the natural surroundings. Where a squad leader has a range card, Wright had blueprints. Each manipulates nature to their needs.
Pictures do not capture the feeling of escape, the intricacy of construction, or the careful details of Fallingwater, just as pictures from a deployment fail to fully capture its emotional impact. On a visit to Fallingwater, those who wear or have worn the uniform will recognize the contours of an immersion experience. Through its lack of signs or interactive exhibits, Fallingwater envelops the visitor. A docent, much like a squad leader, leads you around the house and the grounds. Visitors receive insightful, concise commentary and the space to explore Fallingwater’s rooms. The line between the home and natural dissolves as horizontal lines in the house draw the eye out toward the natural surroundings. Interior spaces are small and propel you outside to terraces – overlooking the roaring stream and adjacent to massive trees providing a leafy canopy. A faint sense of floating creeps upon you as the manmade and the natural environment achieve harmony.
Wright played with the concepts of constriction and expansion through the home. You move through cave-like entrances. You turn, and the space explodes open. Wright designed the well-appointed interior rooms to incorporate nature. Not only did Wright design the physical structure, but the exacting control extended to the furniture and furnishings. The structure and interior compliment one another. Square footage becomes a distant thought as the blending of the manmade and natural canvases occurs.
Service members and veterans will recognize constriction and expansion. Military discipline deprives you of choices such as choosing the length of your hair, when you eat, and the clothes you wear. But it also expands what is possible in your life. Imposed discipline and then self-discipline developed by habit narrows choice but emboldens meaningful action.
Unlike war memorials that inspire reverence for honor and sacrifice, Fallingwater is a study of hope and ambition: not a monument to itself, but an invitation to an audacious vision. The design of Fallingwater propelled Wright into his third act of life, where his career reached a zenith that had once appeared unattainable.
We of the military and veteran community could use an audacious vision. Cynicism in our ranks remains an easy and seductive option. Our profession and those we lead deserve better. Fallingwater is no military monument. We too often seek to connect with what we know, retreating, in our cultural visits, to places like the familiar Civil War battlefield with its well-defined battle lines, coherent narrative, and settled outcomes. We deserve more than the mere retelling and reliving of history. In art and architecture, we can find an immersive, generative experience inspiring awe. Fallingwater’s grounds, its architecture, and the ambition that guided its construction and preservation can offer us an antidote and an alternative to creeping cynicism.
Beauty is innate to a fully realized human life. For military members and veterans, an appreciation of beauty gives lightness and depth. These experiences of beauty transport the viewer to a different plane of being. The beauty we experience stands in contrast to the often harsh, vicious, petty, and capricious nature of our chosen profession. These unsavory parts of our profession make the need for beauty in our lives all the more urgent.
Wright wrote about his masterpiece:
I think nothing yet ever equaled the coordination, sympathetic expression of the great principle of repose where forest and stream and rock and all the elements of structure are combined so quietly that really you listen not to any noise whatsoever although the music of the stream is there. But you listen to Fallingwater the way you listen to the quiet of the country…
Frank Lloyd Wright, Talk to the Taliesin Fellowship, May 1, 1955
Our gaze can benefit from elevation. Fallingwater and other works of art expand our aperture and lift our gaze upward. Ambition is not, or it need not be, simply the next rank or billet; rather, it can also include a desire for greater beauty in one’s life and the lives of those around you. Those defending our nation deserve a space to enjoy and appreciate the quiet of our country.
The World Today
In depth analysis and journalism to educate the warfighter on the most important issues around the world today.
The Rise of AI Commanders
Jonas Frey
"Minotaurs, Not Centaurs: The Future of Manned-Unmanned Teaming" by Robert J. Sparrow and Adam Henschke, published in The US Army War College Quarterly Parameters 53 No. 1 2023, presents a thought-provoking perspective on the future of human-machine collaboration in warfare. This essay will explore the authors' main arguments, analyse their implications, and discuss the potential consequences for military operations and ethics.
The Minotaur Metaphor
Sparrow and Henschke challenge the prevailing notion of "centaur warfighting," which envisions human-machine teams where humans direct multiple robots. Instead, they propose a "minotaur" model, where artificial intelligence (AI) systems direct the activities of multiple human beings. This metaphor is central to their argument, suggesting that future warfare will involve human bodies controlled by machine intelligence, rather than human minds controlling robotic bodies. The authors argue that this shift is driven by two key factors: AI's superior cognitive capabilities in warfighting tasks and the rapid advancement of AI compared to robotics.
AI's Cognitive Superiority
One of the core premises of the article is that AI systems are already more capable than humans in performing many cognitive tasks relevant to warfare. This includes rapid data integration and analysis, quick decision-making, precision targeting, and the execution of strikes. While humans still excel in areas such as complex decision-making and moral judgement, the authors suggest that the gap is narrowing rapidly. As AI continues to advance, it may surpass human capabilities in these domains as well.
The Pace of Technological Advancement
Sparrow and Henschke highlight the disparity in the rate of progress between AI and robotics. While AI has seen exponential growth and improvement, robotics faces significant challenges, particularly in the complex environments typical of land warfare. Urban settings, forests, and varied terrain pose substantial obstacles for robotic locomotion and manipulation. This disparity suggests that it will be easier to replace humans in executive and decision-making roles than in physical, operational roles on the battlefield. Consequently, the authors argue that the future of warfare is more likely to involve AI systems directing human operators rather than humans controlling robotic systems.
Ethical Implications
Prevention of Friendly Fire: As the tempo of military operations increases due to new technologies, shifting some command functions to AI could help prevent friendly fire incidents and enhance troop survivability.
Human Dignity and Autonomy: The minotaur model raises questions about the dignity and autonomy of human soldiers. If humans are reduced to mere executors of AI-generated commands, it could fundamentally alter the nature of military service and the moral status of combatants.
Responsibility and Accountability: In a minotaur warfare scenario, determining responsibility for actions and decisions becomes more complex. Who is accountable when an AI system directs a human to take a specific action that results in unintended consequences or violations of the laws of war?
Civilian Parallels
The authors draw parallels between their minotaur concept and existing civilian applications of human-machine teaming. They cite examples such as Amazon fulfillment centers, where workers are directed and supervised by complex algorithms that determine what goods to ship, where, and how. Humans act as the "hands" of the machine, collecting and packing items as instructed by handheld devices. Additionally, truck drivers increasingly follow routes and schedules determined by algorithmic logistics systems. Their performance is monitored by sensors, and they may face automatic penalties for infractions. These examples illustrate how the minotaur model is already emerging in civilian contexts, suggesting its potential applicability in military scenarios.
Challenges to Implementation
While the authors make a case for the minotaur model, several challenges to its implementation in military contexts should be considered:
1. Technical Reliability: AI systems must be extremely reliable to be trusted with command functions in high-stakes military operations.
2. Cybersecurity: AI-driven command systems would be prime targets for cyber attacks, potentially compromising entire operations if breached.
3. Training and Adaptation: Military personnel would need extensive training to operate effectively under AI direction, potentially requiring a significant shift in military culture and doctrine.
4. Legal and Ethical Frameworks: Existing laws of war and military ethics may need to be revised to account for AI-directed operations.
Potential Consequences
The widespread adoption of minotaur warfare could have far-reaching consequences. Military operations could be conducted at unprecedented speeds, potentially outpacing human decision-making capabilities at strategic and political levels. The composition of military forces might change dramatically, with a potential reduction in high-level human officers and an increase in AI specialists and technicians. The balance of power could shift towards nations with superior AI capabilities, potentially destabilising existing geopolitical dynamics. The psychological effects on soldiers operating under AI direction could be significant, potentially affecting morale, unit cohesion, and individual well-being.
Conclusion
"Minotaurs, Not Centaurs" presents a provocative vision of the future of warfare that challenges conventional thinking about human-machine teaming. Their minotaur model, where AI directs human operators, offers a plausible alternative to the more commonly discussed centaur approach.
The article raises critical questions about the nature of future conflicts, the role of human judgment in warfare, and the ethical implications of AI-directed combat operations. As AI continues to advance rapidly, military planners, ethicists, and policymakers must grapple with these issues to ensure that the development and deployment of such technologies align with legal, ethical, and strategic objectives.
While the minotaur model presents potential advantages in terms of operational efficiency and effectiveness, it also poses significant challenges to traditional notions of military command, human dignity, and moral responsibility in warfare. As we move forward, it is crucial to engage in ongoing dialogue and critical analysis of these concepts to shape the future of warfare in a way that balances technological capabilities with ethical considerations and human values.
Ultimately, the future of manned-unmanned teaming in military operations may not conform strictly to either the centaur or minotaur model but may evolve into a more complex hybrid approach. Regardless of the specific form it takes, it is clear that the integration of AI and human capabilities will profoundly reshape the landscape of warfare in the coming decades.
Poetry and Art
Poetry and art from the warfighting community.
Sand-Crawlers
Jonah Svendsen
The persistent smell of ammonia mixes with the acrid fumes of fuel leaking onto the coarse metal floor. Suddenly, a forward lurch, in unison. Fully entangled in canvas, and cotton, and the restlessly throbbing limbs of young men. The overhead hatch gets cracked and a blade of light cuts through the heavy air on which the finest granules of sand rest, suspended. The triple blurred visage of the sun sears the skin on necks, and hands, and crumbling lips. The groaning metal centipede rolls the fractured earth beneath its small steel legs. Pulling, pulling, ash and dust. Breathing, breathing, ash and dust and black smoke. Tearing through the delicate crust below. Like the scarred and multi-colored torsos rubbed raw with sandpaper sweat stains from the week before. A chorus of weakened coughing rises despite the general lack of consciousness among the bodies and equipment - packed so tightly only shallow breath is possible. Cotton tongues seek the nozzle that has just one more droplet of bleach water clinging defeatedly to the tip. Nicotine salts lose potence on their chalky white gums. Roaring eardrums no longer register the slurring of the spoken word. The men simply close their eyes or gesture weakly with shaking hands to the others who hold stockpiles of assorted stimulants. Eyeballs sting at their roots from sweat and propellant, as the dreams that should have been dreamt the past few nights slowly seep into their wakeful gaze... ...until the crawling ceases in just a moment, and they all pour out of the rearward ramp, just as the dark pools of fuel on the floor will too. Just as we did. We, the tearful dreamers. The pitiful sand-crawlers.
Third Time
Evan Young Weaver
The second time it is fought in the memory is what was said, by Nguyen about Vietnam and the war there. It is about all wars, of course. The first time it is fought on the battlefield. The second time it is fought in the memory. When it is fought the first time, it is with the bombs and the bullets, with the cliches and iconography, it is a raging contained eruption. But at least contained, and, compared to the second time, the first time ends. They overlap and intertwine, the first and the second. They dance like cranes. No moment is so strong, that it is remembered clearly. All moments are so strong, that they are remembered clearly. When it is fought the second time, with both contradiction and consistency, with the one-way grip and uneven cadence, it seeps and evaporates, fogs, and clears. And when you compare it to the first time around, it never ends. The second time the memory, of how many, how many forms. No one moment recalled the same, even by two who stood side to side. Thankfully, there is the third, the fourth, and the fifth, and then the sixth, and many more chances you have, to fight it the second time.
Long Before the War
Stan Lake
Long before the war We’d climb cedar trees so high We’d lose sight of the ground Swaying with the rhythm Of sturdy timeless boughs There was no fear In our backyard forts With cap gun conquests And mysteries abounding War was just a distant concept Something other people did Something the grown-ups did In some place far far away I miss the boy who climbed cedar trees Long before the war Stan Lake is a writer, photographer, and filmmaker from Bethania, North Carolina. His work has been published in Reptiles Magazine, Dirtbag Magazine, Wildlife in North Carolina, SOFLETE, The Tarheel Guardsman, and he has a book of poetry being published by Dead Reckoning Collective coming out in late fall 2024. He has written 3 Children’s books currently available on Amazon. He filmed and directed a documentary about his time in Iraq called “Hammer Down.” He spends most of his free time wrangling toads. You can find his collected works at www.stanlakecreates.com
Young Gunner
Ronald Lienhardt
My name is Ron Lienhardt, and I’m a Major in the Marine Corps, serving as an infantry officer and Foreign Area Officer specializing in Southeast Asia. I started my career in the infantry (machine gunner) and was promoted up to Staff Sergeant before commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant. I was selected as a Foreign Area Officer as a Captain and attended Naval Postgraduate School, where I earned a Masters in Security Studies of East and Southeast Asia and studied Vietnamese for a year at the Defense Language Institute. Later, I commanded Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, and then helped stand up the new 3d Littoral Combat Team as the Fires and Effects Coordinator. In 2023, I was selected to be the Operations Officer in the Office of Defense Cooperation at the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In this capacity, I coordinate between partner and US forces on all exercises and engagements in support of Country Team and INDOPACOM objectives. The inspiration was pretty simple: I don't get upset about accuracy in war films because I understand there is a requirement for entertainment that surpasses any desire for authenticity. That said, my biggest pet peeve about war movies is the failure to depict the youth of the participants. Sergeant Major Plumley was barely 45 when he landed in LZ X-Ray, yet was depicted by a 58 year old Sam Elliott when We Were Soldiers came out in 2002. Tom Berenger was 38 years old at the time Platoon was released. If Jonah Hill was cast in a military movie today, he'd either be the witty and belligerent corporal or the unorthodox lieutenant. In reality, servicemembers that are his age became eligible to retire 3+ years ago. Hell, Timothee Chalemet is about the age of a rifle company commander who commissioned right after college but would probably depict the sensitive PFC who has a rough experience early in the movie but undergoes a redemption arc as the film progresses. The reality is that the "grizzled squad leader" is closer to 20 than he is 30. So I sketched out a simple picture of a noticeably young Marine machine gunner in slightly ill-fitting kit (went for the early-GWOT aesthetic) doing nothing particularly heroic but taking another step forward while carrying at least 24.6 pounds more than the riflemen around him.
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This ends Volume 26, Edition 1, of the Lethal Minds Journal (01 September 2024)
The window is now open for Lethal Minds’ twenty-seventh volume, releasing October 1st, 2024.
All art and picture submissions are due as PDFs or JPEG files to our email by midnight on 20 September 2024.
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lethalmindsjournal.submissions@gmail.com
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