What is a War Icon?
An icon is a form, which has a meaning, which shapes conviction, which guides behavior
Warring to win can be an intricate venture and it is not a skill many pick up by accident. As a military officer, I have fought across many different “terrains,” including land, air, cyber, space, strategic weapons, peacekeeping, and counterinsurgency - all these taught me that certain aspects of war are universally true. Again and again, I was reminded that in war:
the stakes are profoundly high
the circumstances are inherently overwhelming
the rules change constantly
the objective rarely stays still
the enemy adapts
the way forward is usually obscured.
My lengthy experience as a war fighter showed me there is no easy map to victory. If there was, I suspect we would all have it by now. But I found something better than a map. I found an arsenal of icons that are adaptable, personal, and powerful enough to utilize in the most intense of challenges. When we talk about war icons, we are talking about a set of tools, a collection of ideals, a series of paradigms that, when internalized, provide us with our best shot at winning when it counts.
There is a critical need for the development of an armory in all of us.
And it does not look like “how-tos,” rule books, or checklists. Winning when it counts requires fluidity and creativity. It requires uncommon readiness and deep confidence. It is my belief and experience that cultivating these icons of war is the greatest asset we could give ourselves.
