Written in the format of a Staff Ride
VICTORY PRINCIPLES is written in the three part format of a Staff Ride, the same technique used to train army officers. A staff ride focuses the study of history on leadership “lessons learned” that can be applied in the future. Part one of this book is the fascinating story of D-Day itself. Part two describes seven timeless leadership lessons, the VICTORY PRINCIPLES. Part three is a guide to the battlefield sites on the northern coast of France and what you would find there today.
Staff Rides were originated in the 19th century by the German army to train their general staff officers. General staff officers studied and visited the European battlefields from the Napoleonic Wars to deduce lessons learned for the future. The Staff Ride methodology was later adopted by the US Army prior to World War I when officers attending advance military schooling studied Civil War battles and subsequently made on-site visits. Their visits helped to visualize and understand the lessons learned by walking the actual terrain of the battlefield. Today, Staff Rides are still a popular teaching technique used at the US Army Command and Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. and by other military agencies.
