Statement of Purpose

I have started this blog in order to ask the question: "What have we learned or what are we learning about the performance of US infantry weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan that will help us design better weapons in the future?" I have been inspired to begin this quest after seeing a panel on Pentagon reform on BookTV the weekend of March 18-20.  The panelists--one of them was Pierre Sprey--mentioned the importance of civilians who asked questions of the Pentagon about weapons procurement and about the weapons they put into the hands of the men and women at 'the sharp end.' So, I am off to dig up what I can, mostly news stories at first. but, hopefully, I will find time in between grading papers in my various online classes and casing two kids around to do some more in-depth research on my own. Thanks for dropping by!