Cadets Attend Fireside Chat with GEN Perkins ’80

Cadets and faculty from across the academy attended a fireside chat in Robinson Auditorium facilitated by GEN (R) Lloyd J. Austin, III, BS&L’s Class of ’51 Chair for the Study of Leadership with GEN David Perkins, Commander, US Training & Doctrine Command. The lecture focused on the topic of “Decision Making” in the context of mission command, particularly centering on the importance of trust between senior and subordinate commanders. GEN Perkins served as a Brigade Commander under GEN Austin’s leadership during the initial phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and was responsible for leading his unit on two Thunder Runs into Bagdad. This seminar re-examined some of the key events and critical decision points of a historically impactful operation with a lens that has significant relevancy and applicability in today’s complex and ever changing environment.