This is a great army day. And secretary started this morning. And youre in for a real treat this afternoon with us Authors Forum two panels. Each panel consists of three authors there will be a q a time so im so pleased to be able to be your moderator today. And we have the first panel has a theme of the challenges of command that will run from about 1 00 to 2 00. And then the second panel is the sharp end of deterrence, which will be from 2 to 3. We will time at the end of each panel for the authors to answer questions from the audience, and youll see a microphone here where you can come to the microphone. I also encourage you to meet the authors and their publishers after the forum and throughout conference. They will be in the aca membership pavilion, which i think john smith alluded to west salon of the main entrance across from registration. Now let me introduce your three distinguished authors of this panel, the gentleman closest to the is Major General gregg f martin, the United States army. Hes the author of bipolar general my forever war with mental. Joe martin is a three year Army Combat Veteran and bipolar survivor as well as thriver, a former president of the National Defense university. He is qualified as an airborne. Airborne ranger, engineer, soldier as well as an army strategist. He holds advanced degrees from ti, a ph. D. As well as two masters and a bachelor of science from the United States military academy at west point. Joe martin, an ardent Mental Health advocate, and he is sharing his bipolar story to help stop the stigma, promote recovery and save lives. In addition to his book, he has published more than 20 articles and given of presentations, podcasts and interviews are second distinguished author on this panel is Lieutenant ColonelWilliam Stuart nance, the United States army, retired and hes the author of commanding simpson moore and the ninth u. S. Army. Colonel nance is a retired army officer with 20 Years Experience in the United States army, including two combat tours in iraq. He is currently an associate professor history at the commanding general Staff College at fort leavenworth, kansas. Colonel nance holds a masters degree and doctorate in military history from the university of north texas. His previous book is sabers through the reich World War Two core cavalry from to the elba. And lastly, but certainly not least our third author on this panel is colonel Daniel S MorganUnited States army, retired. Hes the coauthor along with kelly eads of the book entitled black hearts and painted guns a battalions journey into the iraqi iraqs triangle of death. Colonel morgan is the senior director, Business Operations and planning for teledyne flair. He retired in 2018 as an infantry officer. He deployed worldwide over his 23 year career and his last assignment was as the armys senior fellow at, the council of Foreign Relations in new york city. In addition to black cards and painted guns, colonel morgan, also the coauthor of chasing the white rabbit lessons from the battlefield to the boardroom and he has published several articles on policy and defense. So without listening to me, bang on anymore, ill turn it over to joe martin. Thank you. Hi, im greg martin, bipolar survivor and thriver. Thanks for the invitation and thanks, everybody for being here. Im fortunate to have achieved much in my life. A student athlete, leader and Mental Health advocate. My book, bipolar general my forever war with Mental Illness dives into all of this, including my experiences, both benefiting from and battling against bipolar disorder or bd. My book at once shocks and terrifies while inspiring, educating, saving lives. Much of my success is because of an sometimes in spite of living on the bipolar spectrum. The advantage of my bipolar was that my brain produced distributed large amounts of powerful, such as dopamine which gave me extra energy, drive, enthusiasm, create problem solving abilities, positivity and the like. This provided me with a advantage for years and decades. In short, my bipolar brain helped me until it went high and then it didnt. Ive lived on the bipolar spectrum. My whole life was born with a bipolar gene, which i had no idea i had my story successful service, bipolar or crisis recovery and new. But is physiologically real like diabetes, cancer or heart disease. It is not to a lack of willpower or character. So dont blame the afflicted and help educate others. Bd can strike young and old, rich and poor and illiterate privates and generals, male and female, all races. If not treated bd ruins. Marriages, careers, finances and often leads to homelessness, addictions, prison and suicide. Or, if treated and managed. One can live a happy, healthy, purposeful. The knowledge you gain from my book could save your life or someone you love. My life mission is sharing my bipolar story. Help stop the stigma, promote healing and save lives. I do it through speaking, writing and conferring. Its a cause bigger than myself and. It serves others. And i truly love it. Growing. I had what is called a hyper thymic personality, which is a state of near mild mania living on the bipolar spectrum. Helped me for years with this extra energy drive, enthuses asm, et, etc. That enhanced my talents. But i was slowly inching up the spectrum towards actual pd and again unknown on. Recognized. Led touch on my army journey. Excel that all the key commands military schools civilian graduate school at mit where my mission was to obtain a single masters degree and. I came out with two masters in a ph. D. That was my bipolar brain at. And i worked hard, but that was virtually an impossible and i did it because of my you know, highly functional bipolar disorder. Both the va and the army determined that my bipolar onset was in 2003 at age 47, during iraq war, that my genetic predisposition for bipolar disorder was triggered by the stress, thrill and euphoria of leading of soldiers in combat. I was a key commander, rapidly creating solutions to come unexpected problems under fire, and often making near simultaneous life and decisions. This altered the wiring and chemistry of my brain. I shot into my first real mania when we invaded iraq. I like superman bulletproof and performed brilliantly. But upon redeployment to germany, the thrill of combat behind me. I fell into a ten month long depression. My first full up down bipolar cycle. But again, bipolar disorder mostly helped me until it didnt. From 2003 to 2014, when my bipolar disorder intensified, as i was promoted from colonel to star than to star, my bd was unknown, unraveling, nice and undiagnosed for 12 two years. As i cycled in to higher highs and lower with severe psychosis until the year 2014. 2014 was the storm i shot into full blown mania. Madness. Insanity. I was disruptive, bizarre, overthetop. Frightening, and out of control. I swung from euphoria to agitation and rage. My mind was infused with delusions and extreme paranoia. I stopped sleeping for about three months. My speech became more rapid and pressured. New ideas flowed continuously. My grandiosity and religiosity soared. I talked nearly nonstop. Stop doing paperwork. Meetings ran over. I interrupted constantly. I was repeatedly. Late, often out uniform. And my risk taking and lack of selfcontrol were severe. I believed. I could fly. I mean, i really. In my brain, i fly. I flew on multiple it multiple occasions. I believed, i was the smartest person on earth. Held the key to world peace in gods apostle on a mission to transform dod. I saw the holy spirit descend times saw demons attack our house. I then repelled with bibles and crosses and saw them do a uturn and fly. And now noticed sending dozens of anonymous reports to my boss, leading to my removal from command. I was called on a friday, midjuly 2014, telling me to report to my boss, the chairman of the joint of staff report, monday at 10 a. M. In my sick brain, i wondered, will be a promotion an extension in command or will i be fired . I had worked for general dempsey times and we had a great relationship. I reported to him and saluted. He strode across his office and gave me big hug. Gregg, i love like a brother. Youve done an amazing. A grade of aplus. But your time at National Defense university is over. You have until 5 p. M. Today to resign and or youre fired. And im ordering you to get a psychiatric evaluation. This week at walter reed. Sir do you think i was disappointed . No. I declared. Thank you, chairman. I hugged him and said, god me in this job and hes going to move me to an even bigger job because hes got Bigger Missions for me to. I underwent three psychiatric evaluations month three times. Diagnosed fit for duty. But the doctors were wrong. After being fired, i retired early and was later hospitalized. The book details many more intense manic episodes. What goes up must come down. And that is particularly true with disorder. So after being fired over the next four months, i spiraled, then crashed into a complete breakdown. Mind, body, spirit. For mostly euphoric mania to anger bitter and paranoid delusions. Then into a hopeless, crippling depression and terrifying psychosis. In november 2014, i did an emergency walk into walter reed and finally diagnosed properly with disorder type one and psychosis. 12 years after onset. And the reason i went was when youre in mania. You feel great. You dont think theres anything wrong with you and no one can tell you there is. But youre in depression. I knew brain was sick because. I had no energy. I could hardly get out of bed. I was a complete zombie. From 2014 to 16, i lived bipolar. Hell, i was sunk in. Depression was barely for two years. Had psychosis, delusions being spied on, arrested, beaten and murdered in prison, face gurgling in a pool of my own blood continuous ideations of my own death. I wanted to die. I felt an invisible throw me under a speeding 18 wheeler steer into an oncoming 18 wheeler truck ripping apart a giant broken slithered out of the woods every morning, eyes blazing and crushed the life out of me. When i wasnt staring into space and ruminating, i threw myself on the hardwood floors, banging my head, punching myself on the face and head angry at god. Thankfully, my wonderful wife, maggie, a devoted friend, got me into a great va hospital for inpatient care. But it was six more months of bipolar hell until lithium, which saved me with lithium. I began my journey of recovery and i its a journey because im in a forever war. Theres no cure and, no end. I must manage it like other chronic disease. I lithium. In august 2016 and within days my symptoms vanished. We moved to florida for the sunshine and warmth and i began feeling like my old pre bipolar self. It took team to lift me up. My wife, family, friends and medical professionals gave me the hope and knowledge that i would recover my strategy for. Recovery is multidimensional. I covered in detail in my book and this is a very important part of my story. So please ask about it in the q a. But ive got a formula how to recover from Mental Illness that i think you all want to hear. And also its in detail in my book. But today, my life is happy, healthy, purposeful. My hypothalamic personality is back, though less intense. My bottom line is there is hope. Recovery possible. I am living proof. Finally, a word about my book general my forever war with Mental Illness. It expands and captures my story in detail. It provides hope, inspiration and practical knowledge, not just for bipolar disorder, but for any Mental Illness or, mental condition. It can benefit those who are afflicted with any kind of Mental Illness. Their families, friends, colleagues and caregivers. My website is ww rw dot bipolar general rt. Com and i have business cards with cover of the book. My website, so good info and im happy to give it to anybody. So thank you very much and i look forward to your question during the q a. Thanks. As bill nance comes to the podium, another author, and ill turn it over to you, bill. All right. So my book was commanding professionalism. Simpson in the ninth u. S. Army. And the question comes up is who simpson . Most people have never heard of him, which is interesting because he was a classmate of George Patton. He was a very successful professional general officer. And if World War Two had never happened, would have retired quite peacefully after 30 years of service and been considered a fairly successful general. General, that got to about one star and then moved into retirement and i came across when i was doing my research for the book sabers through the reich. And part of what it was, i was looking at the cause and the field armies and i was trying to figure out why no one had written anything on the ninth army. There was lots on the third army. You couldnt you cant swing a cow without hat. And something about George Patton and the third u. S. Army. And theyve done great things and theyve done wonderful things. But there were one American Army out of four u. S. Armies in northwest europe. The first, the third, the seventh and the ninth. And we know a lot about the third army, but not too much about the other three. And i was sitting around, why is that . And then i started dug in digging it a little bit more. And then i discovered that everyones suddenly like the ninth army. Everywhere i looked, people, hey, the ninth army. We like having them in their organization. We like with them. Its pure organization, subordinate organizations. We being in their organization for leaders. Thats the trifecta right. And whether they were effective, it wasnt like they were just people pleasers. So that kind of got me started. I think going thats thats kind of odd and yet no ones ever heard of guys. And then there was a great by general omar bradley, who was the commander of 12th army group, who said, unlike noisy, rambunctious third and the temperamental, the ninth army remained uncommon only normal. Now, for those of us that have been in combat headquarters, you realize that just being normal is kind of hard to do. Theres a lot there are a lot of stressors. Theres a lot of distracting hours and theres a lot of personnel that get in the way of just normal. So to be is a pretty big achievement. Yet we dont talk about it all that much. So i dug into like, okay, so how does this happen and why do we know . Why dont we write about. Why dont we hear about this guy . Well, what it turns out is is that the and the chief of staff together as a team put together a culture in a climate just doing the. Being a team player and working routine things routinely. The idea of, hey, weve got a special idea thats. Okay, thats great. Were not doing it because. Weve got an organization coming in at 2 00 in the morning thats going to cross the line of departure at 8 00 in the morning. And we cant come up with a new way of doing things. So i realized that i couldnt just write a book about simpson because simpson had his had his battle buddy, james moores chief of staff, who was just as to this. And along the way, i came more and more to realize as a former staff officer myself, just how important the general routine staff work was to the success of the United States army. We liked all im a maneuver officer. I love about, you know, poking a hole in the enemys position and driving deep the rear and destroying their headquarters or taking a hill. Those are all great things. But when we talk about large scale combat operations, we need to start looking at coors field armies, army groups, how do we manage theaters and what kind of personnel do we want in command of joint and multinational operations, particularly as we look at the United States army today and we realize if we go into a big war, were going to have our partners. So thats what got me excited and kind of motivated about looking into simpson and moore. So who are these guys. Simpson is a is a native of texas, just southwest fort worth, west point of 1909. Infantry officer so nobodys perfect. Im an army officer and he had a combat experience in the philippines fighting, the morals, and he also did surveying mission on the island was on working with a group of philippine scouts. Now its interesting, exciting about that is is that he was working with multinational operations a very junior age working with philippine scouts in on mindanao against the morals and in luzon on a survey mission, you could set like okay well hes a kind of imperial officer working as part and theyve got to work for him and. That might work for an extent, but if you dont treat your multinational partners with respect, you might get utility, but youre certainly not going to get efficiency. He got both. So moving. He then participated in the punitive expedition. And then in world and as part of his experience he got identified a aide for general bell who then go on to take command of the third infantry, our third division, which is a Midwest National guard. From that time frame, he rose all the way to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and division chief of staff. He got inculcated into the staff, processes and systems of what was needed to fight at that echelon on and said, i like this and he was good at it. After the war, he spent he spent his time. First off, at working for infantry branch, then going to the Infantry School before the martial. But still important to him. Went to fort leavenworth. Took the command general staff school then went on to the war college, ended up teaching at the war college any number of years in a number of different functions right before World War Two kicks off. He is chosen to be the assistant Division Commander for the second Infantry Division. Then at fort sam houston. At that point, hes loo