Donald Vandergriff Master Trainer

PUBLICATIONS/ACADEMIC WORKS

-Edited and wrote (chapters), Mission Command, The Who, What, Where, When and Why: An Anthology, (Create Space, June 2017)

-Edited and wrote (chapters), Mission Command, The Who, What, Where, When and Why: An Anthology, (Create Space, FEB 201)

-Authored Adopting Mission Command: Developing Leaders for a Superior Command Culture (United States Naval Institute Press, SEP 2019)

-Wrote “Culture Wars,” in Digital Wars: A View from the Frontlines, (Presidio 1999).
-Edited Spirit, Blood and Treasure: The American Cost of Battle in the 21st Century, (Presidio 2001).
-Wrote chapter, “Reinventing How to Educate Leadership: Army Style?” in Business Acumen: Insights from the Faculty and Friends of the Coles College of Business, (Kennesaw State University Press, 2010).
-Authored The Path to Victory: America’s Army and the Revolution in Human Affairs, (Presidio 2002). Updated 2nd edition JUL 2013.
-Authored Raising the Bar: Creating and Nurturing Adaptability to Deal with the Changing Face of War, (Center of Defense Information (CDI) December 2006). 2nd Edition May 2012.
-Authored Manning the Legions of the United States and Finding Tomorrow’s Centurions (Praeger 2008).

-Authored chapter called “Adaptability” in Counterterrorism: Bridging Operations and Theory (Terrorism Research Center, 2015)
-Co-authored Adaptive Leadership Handbook: Law Enforcement and Security, Innovative Ways to Lead and Teacher your People, (Create Space 2014).
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-Currently co-authoring Tactical Decision Game Handbook for Law Enforcement, (forthcoming), Summer 201822.
-Numerous online articles, blog posts, and commentary, most recent Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Institute of Land warfare (ILW)(FEB 2013) dealing with warfare, military culture, personnel systems, training and education.

26 years of Reserve, National Guard and Active Duty service to the US Army and Marine Corps as well as  16 years as a contractor/consultant to both the US Army and US Marine Corps, and also working with NATO and several law enforcement agencies. During this time, I served from enlisted Marine (squad member USMCR) to tank commander (TNARNG), and platoon leader (three times), through company commander (three times) and operations officer, as well as instructor of the year for US Army ROTC (2002 and 2003).

During my active duty time, I was awarded several leadership awards, and nominated for the Douglas MacArthur award three times, and won the National Training Center (NTC) Rotation 95-06 “Hero of the Rotation Award” for my impact on the rotation for 3^rd Brigade 2^nd Infantry Division. For this impact, when I retired I was immediately hired by TRADOC Commander General Kevin Brynes to bring the training and education methodologies I had created while at Georgetown University. Please see article,

Fall From Grace – Government Executive (govexec.com)

I am considered by many one of the foremost trainers and educators in the United States regarding an understanding of Mission Command and adaptability (see Google, the Who’s Who of Professionals), Please see a recent article about me in Atlantic Monthly by James Fallows at,

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/01/chickenhawk-no-13-vandergriff-as-yoda/384590/)

I implemented Outcomes Based Training and Education (OBT&E) with the US Army at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, particularly the Army Reconnaissance Course (ARC), as well as recently (Outcomes Based Learning (OBL)) in the US Marine Corps. I recently served as a consultant on Professional Military Education (both officer and enlisted) to the Commanding General United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command or TECOM.

My recent book Adopting Mission Command: Developing Leaders for a Superior Command Culture (USNI Press SEP 2019) dealing with reforming PME, has been read by the Commandant of the Marine Corps and several Marine Generals. My impact on the Marine Corps with OBL is now included in TECOM Strategic and Campaign plans, signed February and April 2020 respectfully, supported by learning videos developed for the College of Distance Education and Training (CDET) in 2020.

I was rewarded for my innovation and achievements in reforming training and education of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps by winning a Fellowship in the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce). I was nominated by others for this honor, please see,

(http://www.thersa.org/about-us).

In sum, I created OBL that is now used throughout PME in the USMC, from Distance learning to formal instruction, as well as parts of the US Army to include the United States Military Academy’s Department of Military Instruction, US Army Cadet Command, at the Maneuver Center of Excellence (Ft Benning, GA), U.S. Army Ranger School, and the Special Forces Q course as well as the United States Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course and Expeditionary Warfare Course (see remarks in linked in profile).

My book Raising the Bar: Creating and Nurturing Adaptive Leaders to Deal with the Changing Face of War (2nd edition, May 2013) now forms the basis for PME for the Department of Military Instruction (DMI) at US Military Academy, US Army Cadet Command and the US Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, where I taught five-day courses that I designed to develop personnel in the Adaptive Soldier Leader Training and Education (ASLTE) methodology to support the command culture of Mission Command.

Finally, in light of my academic and job performance achievements, I am also a 26 year veteran of the US Marine Corps and Army, honorably discharged and retired in August 2005 (VA 30% disability). I remain physically fit, working out two hours, six days a week in order to set the example.  Please visit my linkedin page referring to recommendations as to my qualifications at,

http://www.linkedin.com/prwofile/view?id=5660146&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile

My proudest moments was serving in the US Army and Marine Corps. I began my career entering the USMC Recruit Depot at Parris Island, SC in 3 June 1981, serving my time in the Marine Corps Reserve and then in the US Army National Guard, 278^th Armored Cavalry Regiment as a tank crewman, Tank Commander, Scout Section leader and Cavalry Platoon Leader before entering active duty in January 1985, attending several schools before going to the Republic of Korea serving in 2^nd Infantry Division as a tank platoon, tank executive officer (and acting company commander in Team Spirit 86 when my commander was relieved, and awarded an impact ARCOM by the 2^nd Division Commanding General Major General Gary Luck during the exercise. Later, I served as the Scout Platoon Leader for the 2-72d Armor.

After almost two years, in Korea, I rotated to the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, CA. During my three and half years at NTC, I served as a Scout Platoon and Staff Observer Controller; and then after an interview with the Commanding General of NTC Brigadier General Paul Funk, I was selected to command the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) Reconnaissance.  During my tour at NTC, I won several leadership awards, and for this, the US Army Armor branch selected me to attend the USMC Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) at Quantico VA where I finished 2^nd out of 187 Marine and allied students.

After several more US Army Courses at Fort Knox in the summer of 1991, I reported to 3^rd Brigade, 8^th Infantry Division where I commanded a tank company and Headquarters and Headquarters Company for 38 months serving in Operation Positive Force (occupation after Desert Storm), and several rotations to Combat Maneuver Training Center and preparing the units for deployments to Bosnia, as well as moving the Brigade to Fort Lewis, WA in OCT 94. Due to several surgeries in rebuilding my feet and knees, the US Army allowed me to go the academic route after a decade in operational assignments. I finished my career as a military historian and attending schools at Chapel Hill, NC, Duke University and Georgetown University and as Commandant of the US Army ROTC program, retiring in the summer of 2005.

• 1. Master Teacher (teacher of the year twice)
• 2. Curriculum Design
• 3. Modelling and Simulation Wargaming
• 4. Master Trainer
• 5. Military Historian

Teaching and Course Design

https://www.missioncommand5ws.com

French 1 and 1, German 1 and 1., Spanish 1 and 1