“A most remarkable scholar.” - The late Dr. Charles C. Moskos
“Expertise, independence, and intellectual courage… Roger Thompson, a respected scholar of military and especially U.S. Naval organisation, has all of these things…” - Dr. John Reeve, Osborne Fellow in Naval History, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy
“His professional work is insightful and highly regarded by military specialists. He has an elegant writing style…” - Dr. John A. Williams, Loyola University Chicago
“His work has been widely recognized by the international naval authorities including the Chiefs of Naval Staffs of the German, Spanish and Italian navies as well as the Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy.” - Rear Admiral Fred Crickard, Royal Canadian Navy (Retired)
Roger Thompson is a Fellow of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society, an assistant professor at South Korea’s prestigious Kyung Hee University, and a former researcher with the Operational Research and Analysis Establishment at National Defence Headquarters (Canada). He is an internationally recognized authority on combat motivation, military sociology, regular/reserve total force issues, and military bureaucratic politics. His seminal work “Combat Motivation and Behaviour Among Naval Forces: A Discussion Paper” was endorsed by the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, SACLANT, CINCPACFLEET, best-selling novelist and submariner the late Captain Edward L. Beach, U.S. Navy (Retired), and the German, Australian, Chilean, Italian and Spanish chiefs of naval staffs. His work in this area was translated into Spanish under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armada de Chile, Almirante Jorge Martinez Busch. He received a medallion from the Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy, Admiral Guido Venturoni, for his contribution to military sociology, and his work has been acknowledged by General Colin Powell as well. His 1994 MA thesis Brown Shoes, Black Shoes and Felt Slippers: Parochialism and the Evolution of the Post-War U.S. Navy was published as a book by the U.S. Naval War College in 1995, and again by the Mine Warfare Association in 1997. The original publication was endorsed as “essential reading for professional naval officers” by the former U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations, the late Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. The famous military sociologist the late Dr. Charles C. Moskos called it “a classic in the sociology of the armed forces and civil military relations,” and called Roger Thompson “the leading scholar in the sociology of naval institutions.” The book was also used by Dr. Harvey Sapolsky to teach a graduate level political science course at MIT in 2005.
His second book, Lessons Not Learned: The U.S. Navy’s Status Quo Culture was published by the Naval Institute Press in April 2007. NOTE: You can preview certain pages of the book on “Google Books” by clicking here.
Reviews of Lessons Not Learned: The U.S. Navy’s Status Quo Culture
“I was in the Persian Gulf in 1990 as a reporter with the amphibious ready group aboard the USS Gunston Hall, and the World War I-era mines deployed by the Iraqis caused the mighty U.S. Navy to lose command of the sea. As for dealing with small, fast attack boats, our vaunted Aegis cruisers have neither 30mm stabilized guns or searchlights. The problem is not want of money but want of thought about the real threats facing our fleet. As Roger Thompson argues so eloquently in Lessons Not Learned, big carriers, big submarines, and the admirals who lead them are blocking funds and needed training for capabilities the Navy really needs… Thompson properly emphasizes that the problem of naval reform is ultimately one of having the right people and encouraging their creativity. He offers what he calls a “simple twelve-step program” to produce a more vital and less parochial naval leadership (for example, “Discontinue the ‘up or out’ promotion system and use the systems used by all other English-speaking countries”). His program of reform is about a page in length, tucked all the way into page 179, but it should be a poster emblazoned on every office in the Department of the Navy. ” - David Evans, Lt. Col., USMC (Ret.) former defense correspondent with the Chicago Tribune.
“For nearly a century, the U.S. Navy has been plagued by a self-imposed albatross, an approach to personnel management known as the individual replacement system and the ‘up or out’ promotion system, also hampered by a force structure developed for warfare of the past and an out of date doctrine of mobilization. This has created a culture where only the positive is seen, thus no learning takes place. It encourages a culture of corruption, where only ‘yes-men’ survive, and adaptation only exists on power point slides. Roger Thompson has conducted a masterpiece of research. Lessons Not Learned tells the story of this self-inflicted wound - how it prevents the Navy as well as the entire U.S. military - from evolving and being prepared to fight in the 21st Century. True leaders of our Republic, if there are any, need to take this as the beginning blue print toward revolutionary reform.” - Donald E. Vandergriff, author of Raising the Bar: Creating and Nurturing Adaptability to Deal with the Changing Face of War.
“Roger Thompson raises crucial questions about choices made by the United States with respect to national defense matters. While readers may not agree with every point made here, due regard for the truth demands that each be critically debated. Thompson questions whether investment in technology and sheer size has come at the expense of investment in tactics, strategy, and war-fighting skills- and shows that other navies are superior. He further questions whether adverse psychological and social-political factors inherent in the United States are the reason for its weakness. Is the U.S. Navy learning from its failures? This is a debate of absolute necessity among friends, and well done in this important book.” - Professor Guntram F.A. Werther, Executive in Residence, Thunderbird School of Global Management.
“Thompson has written the most important military reform book in almost a decade and certainly the most important book for the post-20th century U.S. Navy, ever. The USN is on a collision course with disaster and to try to save it, Thompson ambushes the reader immediately with a flurry of covered-up facts and incidents not unlike the missiles, bombs, torpedoes and sea mines that are going to overwhelm the Navy in real life as it goes down overcome by events (OBE). This book is a slap-in-the-face to make the USN wake up before it’s indeed too late since there is no internal constructive criticism taking place now.” - Mike Sparks, 1LT, U.S. Army Reserve, editor of Air-Mech-Strike: Asymmetric Maneuver Warfare for the 21st Century.
“Provocative… In detailing what he sees as the Navy’s shortcomings - from expensive ships and aircraft that often don’t perform up to expectations to serious personnel problems - and offering a twelve-step program for fixing the problems, Thompson opens an important debate on an issue that’s crucial to national security in the twenty-first century.” - Professor Tom Miller, www.military.com
“Lessons Not Learned is more than a brilliant book. It’s an irrefutable case for reform and change in the United States Navy, a service that maintains itself almost exclusively to fight. In the aftermath of America’s misguided occupation of Iraq, the United States will rely more than ever on the reach and effectiveness of its naval power. Thompson points the way ahead. The question is will anyone in the Navy Staff listen?” - Douglas Macgregor, PhD, Colonel (Ret.) U.S. Army, author of Transformation under Fire and Breaking the Phalanx
“The U.S. Navy is among the most powerful fighting forces in the world, yet it has repeatedly been embarrassed in exercises with smaller and less technologically equipped forces. In Lessons Not Learned, respected military scholar Roger Thompson discusses the institutional biases, the outmoded strategic thinking, the use of the wrong technology at the wrong times, and much more. This book is a scholarly and perceptive study that delves into all of this, and more, and helps the reader understand why such a formidable force is not living up to its potential. This is a must-read for naval scholars, strategists, or anyone who really cares about the Navy and its sailors.” - Dr. Andrew Karam, author of Rig Ship For Ultra Quiet.
“A thought provoking and occasionally sobering, contribution to current naval literature… This is a book which will infuriate many people for different reasons, but it is scholarly, well meaning, obviously written by someone who cares, and is therefore hard to dismiss lightly. It is to the credit of the USNIP that it has been published. May it encourage constructive debate. Recommended.”- Dr. John Reeve, Osborne Fellow in Naval History, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy.
“Roger Thompson has spent decades thinking about military culture and the bureaucracy that hampers effectiveness. He has reduced his commentaries, questioning aspects of how the U.S. Navy conducts itself, into a single volume. This book is not for those with delusions of invincibility. It takes a realistic look at adversaries both conventional and asymmetric that could undermine if not defeat U.S. Navy combat platforms… One may disagree with Thompson’s observations and recommendations, however for those passionate about our Navy, it is necessary to read criticism that is constructive and offers readers a way to reflect on how to solve problems that undermine the U.S. Navy.” - Lt. Cmdr. Youssef Aboul-Enein, U.S. Navy. You can read this review here.
Kudos for Previous Work by Roger Thompson
Praise for “Combat Motivation and Behavior Among Naval Forces: A Discussion Paper”:
“Excellent…A first class piece of work.” - Admiral Paul Miller, U.S. Navy, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic
“Interesting and well worth reading.” - Admiral R. J. Kelly, U.S. Navy, Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet
“Very well done and interestingly written…” - The late Captain Edward L. Beach, U.S. Navy (Retired), author of the famous novel Run Silent, Run Deep.
“Interesting and enjoyable reading… The paper provides an excellent account of the factors which determine motivation…” - Vice Admiral Ian MacDougall, Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Australian Navy
“Realistic, rigorous and easy to read…In certain aspects, Thompson’s paper constitutes a master text for the professionals of the sea.” Admiral Carlos Miranda, Spanish Armada
Praise for Brown Shoes, Black Shoes and Felt Slippers: Parochialism and the Evolution of the Post-War U.S. Navy:
“Essential reading for professional naval officers.” - The late Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, U.S. Navy (Retired)
“Outstanding!” - Rear Admiral James Forrest, SC, U.S. Navy (Retired)
“Roger Thompson’s study provides an excellent basis for study and discussion.” - Rear Admiral J.R. Stark, U.S. Navy, President U.S. Naval War College
“A classic.” - The late Dr. Charles C. Moskos, Northwestern University
“A super piece of scholarship.” - Dr. Edward Rhodes, Rutgers University
Roger Thompson can be reached at cp107argus@NOSPAMgmail.com (remove “NOSPAM”).
