Little does he know that feeding the constant readers ahead o' publication date only gives more time to start badgering for the "next" installment :: evil grin :: this is how monsters are created.I'm glad to hear you are safe and sound. I can't wait to read the next book. Cough...cough...I could be an earlier reader...cough...cough
That is very generous of you to give away a few copies of your book
I too am glad to know you're home safely, and hard at work. I'd ran across this article, and it speaks to the kind of concerns that fueled the books for you, so thought I'd drop it in the thread.
..If gunwish feels it a drift, I'm happy to remove it, or he can hit the "report" button and ask a moderator for assistance doing so.
US Military Would Need Conscription to Fight China: Expert
Andrew Thornebrooke
The U.S. military could not achieve victory in a war with China using its current, all-volunteer force, according to one expert.
The United States will thus need to radically transform its force structure to better contend with the emerging threat environment, up to and including by reinstating conscription, said Jonathan Askonas, an assistant professor of Politics at Catholic University of America.
“This is a five-alarm fire,” Askonas said during an April 11 discussion with the Hudson Institute think tank. “We’re facing global threats and we have a force structure which we know will not work against those threats.
“We basically can’t fight a war larger than Iraq with the all-volunteer force.”
The all-volunteer force has been a staple of U.S. military organization since 1973, when the draft was terminated along with the United States’ direct involvement in the Vietnam War.
Unfortunately, Askonas said, the all-volunteer force was proving incapable of generating the number of service members required for a war between great powers, and its burdensome logistical processes were likely to be ineffective in either a conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific theater or supporting European powers against Russia.
“We have a Goldilocks problem,” Askonas said. “Our army is too small as constituted to actually prosecute a war with these countries, but it’s large enough that it’s sucking a lot of resources away.”
“We have to be ruthless. We need to adapt our force structure not to hypothetical threats or in some universal Swiss army knife approach, but to the actual threats that we face.”
To that end, Askonas suggested that the military should re-adopt a “cadre” system for deploying the military, not dissimilar to that used in World War II.
Under such a system, the number of resource-heavy full time service members would be decreased in peacetime in favor of investing in expensive, slow-to-build items like warships.
In wartime, officers from this smaller element of the elite fighting force would then serve in cadres designed to be dispersed among units of draftees to train and lead them, effectively increasing the nation’s ability to surge manpower to the front lines.
Such a surge capacity would be invaluable in a conflict with China, whose own military has nearly twice as many personnel as the United States.
So, while U.S. leadership is unlikely to back away from the all-volunteer force any time soon, Askonas said that he was confident the force could pull it off.
“The U.S. military is a tremendously adaptive organization and it’s transformed itself a number of times throughout its history,” Askonas said.
“The number one lesson from Cold War history is you have to adapt your force structure to the problems that you have, the threats that you have.”
US Military Would Need Conscription to Fight China: Expert
This doesn't make me happy. I just want to go on record saying I wrote this book because I want us to have a conversation about whether this is worth it or not BEFORE we institute a draft... ugh.I too am glad to know you're home safely, and hard at work. I'd ran across this article, and it speaks to the kind of concerns that fueled the books for you, so thought I'd drop it in the thread.
..If gunwish feels it a drift, I'm happy to remove it, or he can hit the "report" button and ask a moderator for assistance doing so.
US Military Would Need Conscription to Fight China: Expert
Andrew Thornebrooke
The U.S. military could not achieve victory in a war with China using its current, all-volunteer force, according to one expert.
The United States will thus need to radically transform its force structure to better contend with the emerging threat environment, up to and including by reinstating conscription, said Jonathan Askonas, an assistant professor of Politics at Catholic University of America.
“This is a five-alarm fire,” Askonas said during an April 11 discussion with the Hudson Institute think tank. “We’re facing global threats and we have a force structure which we know will not work against those threats.
“We basically can’t fight a war larger than Iraq with the all-volunteer force.”
The all-volunteer force has been a staple of U.S. military organization since 1973, when the draft was terminated along with the United States’ direct involvement in the Vietnam War.
Unfortunately, Askonas said, the all-volunteer force was proving incapable of generating the number of service members required for a war between great powers, and its burdensome logistical processes were likely to be ineffective in either a conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific theater or supporting European powers against Russia.
“We have a Goldilocks problem,” Askonas said. “Our army is too small as constituted to actually prosecute a war with these countries, but it’s large enough that it’s sucking a lot of resources away.”
“We have to be ruthless. We need to adapt our force structure not to hypothetical threats or in some universal Swiss army knife approach, but to the actual threats that we face.”
To that end, Askonas suggested that the military should re-adopt a “cadre” system for deploying the military, not dissimilar to that used in World War II.
Under such a system, the number of resource-heavy full time service members would be decreased in peacetime in favor of investing in expensive, slow-to-build items like warships.
In wartime, officers from this smaller element of the elite fighting force would then serve in cadres designed to be dispersed among units of draftees to train and lead them, effectively increasing the nation’s ability to surge manpower to the front lines.
Such a surge capacity would be invaluable in a conflict with China, whose own military has nearly twice as many personnel as the United States.
So, while U.S. leadership is unlikely to back away from the all-volunteer force any time soon, Askonas said that he was confident the force could pull it off.
“The U.S. military is a tremendously adaptive organization and it’s transformed itself a number of times throughout its history,” Askonas said.
“The number one lesson from Cold War history is you have to adapt your force structure to the problems that you have, the threats that you have.”
US Military Would Need Conscription to Fight China: Expert
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN isThis doesn't make me happy. I just want to go on record saying I wrote this book because I want us to have a conversation about whether this is worth it or not BEFORE we institute a draft... ugh.
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN is I was able to finish the second book as well, and I hope it isn't a spoiler to state that it too floored me for just how timely it is...
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN is I was able to finish the second book as well, and I hope it isn't a spoiler to state that it too floored me for just how timely it is...
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN is I was able to finish the second book as well, and I hope it isn't a spoiler to state that it too floored me for just how timely it is...
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN is I was able to finish the second book as well, and I hope it isn't a spoiler to state that it too floored me for just how timely it is...
I am sure the article doesn't elicit happiness any of us, it was, however, a timely example of just how important those conversations in our families are, and how very real and timely the whole subject matter of POTTERS RUN is I was able to finish the second book as well, and I hope it isn't a spoiler to state that it too floored me for just how timely it is...
I'm about 25% through Potter's Run. Thanks for your generosity. Looking forward to the next installment.Quick Update.
Got back from an Alaska gig and got right to work on the sequel. I got the rough draft of Potter's Stand finished and out to initial readers (including some very kind folks here who were willing to suffer through all my early mistakes to help me make it a better book, THANKS!)
Anyway, to celebrate, I've got the ebook of Potters' Run up for free on Amazon for the next three days. Also, for anyone who might be interested in the book but doesn't do ebooks and just can't afford a 14 buck paper back, after this last year, believe me, I get it. I've got a couple copies I can give away free here, so for the first three people that email/pm/dm me, I'll send them out to you.
Thanks again everyone.
Hehe, that wasn't really my intent, but I see that now. I have to get better at the whole 'release date' thing or something.Above ,You just wrote for us a 4 week cliff hanger .
Can't wait,
best wishes for the final chapters.
REAL TIME UPDATE:
About to start the last scene. I was going to save this stuff for Potter's War, but one of my early readers didn't like the ending and looking at it, I felt like I was kind of cheating the reader with too much cliff hangar. (thanks Mom)
Anyway, this will be a big scene and hopefully I can get it right and give it the ending everyone deserves and still set up well for the next one.
Thanks! It actually hit the #1 in free military thrillers for a little while, that was fun. Working on edits and revisions today.Just finished it. Great story, well written. Looking forward to the sequel!
Btw - congrats! Potter's Run is moving on up in Amazon rankings.
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Not patiently, nor quietly, mind you, but we WILL wait : )We'll wait.
I'm so happy to see you're enjoying the stories! Your giving copies out to your kids got me to thinking that doing so might be a good way to gently nudge the DGI's in our lives into at least thinking about the things that lie ahead of us, and hopefully, into preparing for them.Just finished Potters Stand (draft version)
The parallels to what is happening in the US today and what could happen are astounding. I wont spoil the plot, but let me say that it is imperative to read this and Potters Run.
Thanks to Charles Sage both for writing these timely books and for the ability to read his newest upcoming release. I am incredibly impressed by the author and his knowledge and kindness!
I liked the draft so much that I will be ordering Potters Run and Potters Stand both for my kids and my friends!
An incredible timely book for those who are patriots!
So glad to hear your nearing the finish line on this installment, writerrecluse!Thanks everyone, still hard at work on the edits. Special thanks to those here who have helped with it. And to my wife for her edits, but yikes, she's kind of mean about it!
I'm hoping to have the sequel up this weekend, but haven't arrived at the end of all the edits yet and maybe there is something big that needs to be fixed that I've missed, we'll see.
Also, I really appreciate all the help here, if you've enjoyed the book, I hope you can find the time to put a review up on amazon and get the word out where ever you see fit, every little bit helps.
So glad to hear your nearing the finish line on this installment, writerrecluse!
..now, what are your tentative expectations for the timeline on the next installment?
:: runs n ducks ::
..n I'm guessin yer wifie isn't mean so much as yer more sensitive to the one who's praise means the most, but we will commiserate w/ ya iffin it gets the stories here even quicker
Ah, finally good internet, in town on a beautiful day when we have a garden to put in... gotta get this done though.So glad to hear your nearing the finish line on this installment, writerrecluse!
..now, what are your tentative expectations for the timeline on the next installment?
:: runs n ducks ::
..n I'm guessin yer wifie isn't mean so much as yer more sensitive to the one who's praise means the most, but we will commiserate w/ ya iffin it gets the stories here even quicker
I'm glad you liked it. The next one gets dark, I'd say.I finished reading Potter’s Run last night. It’s so good, I’m trying to decide who to give it to… these are some scary times we’re living in. I woke up today with the realization that I am part of the resistance - similar to those who resisted in 1930 Germany. It’s been amazing and disturbing these last three years to see the number of people who are accepting of losing their freedoms. And major disturbing to see these acquiescent sheep become vicious and attack those of us who value liberty. People aren’t staying in their own lanes anymore and minding their own business. My goal is to continue to find like-minded people and shore up that community.
I have given this a lot of thought. I'm not a big audio book listener myself, but in talking to those who are, they say the narration is really critical and if it can't be done right, it's not really worth doing.Audiobook any time soon?
Thanks! I hope you like it. Another big help right now is just getting the word out if it means something to you or you enjoyed it. Amazon reviews help and just plain old spreading the word on social media or among friends.I am not sure how I missed this post, but I just ordered the book from Amazon. I have a Kindle but thought perhaps it would help more for the cause with the $14. Look forward to the read and will let you know after I have time to read it. RLTW
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Well, I guess I’m going to have to buy a kindle….I have given this a lot of thought. I'm not a big audio book listener myself, but in talking to those who are, they say the narration is really critical and if it can't be done right, it's not really worth doing.
Potters' Run is doing better than any book I've written, but it's still not selling well enough that I can afford to hire a professional narrator.
I thought about doing this myself and even did a youtube test video of me reading a scene. I quickly realized I have a face for radio and a voice for books. Actually I did it beside my fire pit with my back to the camera, I very quickly learned that having the right microphone/studio is EXTREMELY important and having the correct training in such things is too. I think I could pull it off for about a paragraph or two with the right recording set up, but doing the entire book would take me FOREVER.
So, to make a short question an extremely long answer... strictly due to budgetary constraints, I can't really pull this off right now as much as I'd really like to.
It is available in paperback, but paperbacks are expensive these days, I tried to keep mine cheap. For the longest time I didn't mess with paperbacks because of the cost of Amazon and being a no name author, nobody was going to pay 15 bucks for a paperback, then I looked at what paperbacks run, guess I hadn't bought a new one in a while, yikes, so mine is $14 on Amazon, I know that's still a lot but I guess everything is expensive these days.Well, I guess I’m going to have to buy a kindle….
That got me laughing in the middle of this little coffee shop, working on formatting the paper back now, then ebook. It takes 24 hours give or take after it gets posted for amazon to do their whole processing thing on their end. Hope to have the ebook and paperback posted today and see them on amazon some time tomorrow hopefully.Hey Y'all- time to set up your tents in the line that's forming for the release of the next Installment!
..Should be hitting Amazon within days :: happy dance ::
..in other good news, when I went to order the keg for the pre-party, I learned that BUD LIGHT was on sale 90% off- and still NOT MOVING