by LTC(R) Carl J. Bradshaw
History Instructor, American Military University
When I joined the military in 1981 and entered active duty in the U.S. Army in 1985 as a military intelligence officer, I had no idea if I would ever deploy to combat. I was studying at the National Intelligence University in August 1990 when Saddam Hussein decided to test the will of the world by invading Kuwait. I would find myself landing in Saudi Arabia on Christmas Day with the 1st Armored Division (1AD) less than five months later.
I served in the division’s main command post as the G2 operations officer working for a talented promotable major now known as General Alexander, the current Commander of NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. Although he was not a Vietnam veteran, many of the senior leaders during the Persian Gulf War (PGW) did serve in that war. That generation of leaders, wise from their experiences in a long difficult war, took us combat novices under their wings and showed us the way.
My frontline experience began on a dubious note. Would you believe that the U.S. Army would deploy soldiers to the line in the sand in early January 1991 without a flak vest or personal weapon? Members of the 1AD main command post were bussed close to the Kuwait-Iraq border before our personal weapons arrived in theater; I never did receive a flak vest.
I remember thinking and still do think that senior military and political leaders would have had a tough time explaining this situation to Congress and the American public if Saddam had chosen to attack across the border in early January 1991. 1AD needed the 101st Airborne Division to protect us because of our vulnerable status in Saudi Arabia. I later read how family members were mailing military protective items to soldiers during the invasion of Iraq.
My letters home don’t tell the same story as General Schwarzkopf’s memoir. If nothing else, the PGW will always leave us with an engaging question, “Did we leave too soon?” The PGW experience has had a profound affect on my life and how I approach instruction at American Military University. I think it is always important to consider perspectives based on the type of the experience—tactical, operational, or strategic. I understand and appreciate differences among generations caused by their life events and experiences. I carefully consider the agendas of those who write our history and have a scholarly respect for primary sources. My personal experiences make me mindful that history is never simple and war is never a discrete activity.
About the Author:
Carl Bradshaw joined the AMU faculty in 2010. He earned master’s degrees from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in military art and science and from the National Intelligence University in strategic intelligence. Bradshaw is using the Post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue his doctorate degree at Northeastern University. He retired from active duty in 2005 after a career as a U.S. Army military intelligence officer. His research interests include: modern American history, European and American military history, military leadership, and military tactics, operations, and strategy. He is also dedicated to the art and science of online learning.
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