Military Review English Edition November-December 2013 | Page 102

BOOK REVIEWS

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES
OF DOCTRINE MAN
Volume 1, Doctrine Man.
Self-published, 2013
163 pages, price varies

T

HE FURTHER ADVENTURES of Doctrine
Man is an enjoyable read as well as compelling commentary on the state of the Army in general. It also comments on one of the Army’s least
appreciated roles, the writer of doctrine. A fine line
exists between skeptics and cynics, and understanding the distinction is important in the context of
Doctrine Man. A skeptic is analytical and engaged
while a cynic believes in nothing. The skeptic provides a useful service by asking probing questions
and challenging assumptions. The cynic dismisses
everything as useless and often finds himself marginalized as an irredeemable crank. “Doctrine Man”
is undoubtedly a skeptic, someone committed to
making the Army better while questioning those
who seem to live the unexamined life or, worse yet,
produce ill-considered doctrine.
Doctrine Man’s actual identity is a mystery, and
this is probably a good thing given his focused ridicule of Army doctrina ???????????????????????)?????????????!???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????4?????????????)???????I@????????????????????????????????????????????????=????????????????q??????)5???t???????????????????q???????????-??????)A????t?Q???????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????)????????????Q??????Q??? ?????e?????????)???????????????????????????qQ????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????)?????????t??????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????)???????5??????????????????????????????)??????????????!??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????q???????()???????????t?????????????????????????????)M????????????????????????q???????t????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????M?????????????????????)???????????????????q?????????????t???????)=??????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????)M??????-??????????????????????????????)?????????????????????qQ??????????????????)?????????????t)Q?????????????????????????????????????????????A?????????????????????
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