Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

In this episode, Cadet Orion Van Buskirk is joined by retired Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith, whose career began in the field altillery and culminated in his service as inspector general of the Army. He covers a range of subjects during the discussion, including leadership in moments of crisis, the vital role of standards in the profession of arms, and the emerging challenges of large-scale combat operations.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

Drawing from his 37-year Army career, retired Lieutenant General James Dubik reflects on leadership, moral responsibility, and institutional reform in a wide-ranging conversation with Cadet Nicholas Finke. From his unconventional path into the Army after leaving the seminary to commanding the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team and leading multinational efforts in Iraq, General Dubik emphasizes urgency, adaptability, and humility in leadership. He discusses the moral weight of warfare, arguing that while technology may increase physical distance from the battlefield, it never creates distance from a soldier’s conscience. Across roles from platoon leader to three-star general, General Dubik underscores a consistent lesson: treat people with dignity and respect, remain humble, and tap into the expertise within your formation.

The conversation also explores the complexities of building partner forces and leading large multinational commands in combat. General Dubik highlights America’s strengths in tactical training while candidly addressing institutional impatience and the difficulty of building enduring military and police institutions abroad. He reflects on the importance of strategic patience, the iterative nature of improvement in wartime leadership, and the irreplaceable role of human presence, even in an era of rapid technological change. Closing with personal reflections, he offers advice to his younger self about balancing professional duty with family life and models how retired generals can responsibly engage in national security debates by focusing on policy rather than partisanship.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

In this wide-ranging interview conducted by Cadet Emily Wilczek, Brigadier General Shane Reeves, the dean of the academic board at the United States Military Academy at West Point, reflects on his path to service, his role as West Point’s dean, and the central importance of intellectual development in preparing officers for modern warfare. Drawing on his family’s long military tradition and his own experience as an armor officer and judge advocate general, General Reeves emphasizes that the academy’s core mission is to build an intellectual foundation that enables cadets to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity rather than freeze in the face of it. The discussion ranges from the inseparability of academic rigor and operational effectiveness to the enduring importance of character in the profession of arms to emerging technologies like AI.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

In this episode, Cadet Nathan Unks sits down with retired Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., former Commander of US Pacific Command and former US Ambassador to South Korea, for a conversation focused on national security, leadership, and perseverance. Admiral Harris reflects on his personal journey—from growing up in the American South as the son of a Navy chief petty officer and a Japanese war survivor, to finding opportunity through Navy JROTC and the Naval Academy—and shares candid lessons on resilience, failure, risk management, and teamwork.

The discussion also explores the evolving strategic challenges of the Indo-Pacific, with Admiral Harris identifying China as the most significant long-term threat to global security and emphasizing the importance of alliances, diplomacy, and rebuilding America’s industrial base. Drawing on his experience leading joint and interagency organizations throughout his 40-year Navy career as well as his time serving as ambassador, he underscores the value of understanding institutional cultures and leading diverse teams under pressure. Admiral Harris closes with advice for future leaders: focus on excelling in the job at hand, learn from setbacks, and commit to service with humility and purpose.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an exceptional professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about leadership, their unique experiences in uniform, and their expectations for the future of war.

In this episode, Cadet Emily Wilczek speaks with retired Lieutenant General Joe Berger, who began his thirty-three-year career as a military police officer and saw combat in Somalia before transferring to the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, served in such units as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Joint Special Operations Command, and US Cyber Command, and finished his career as the judge advocate general of the Army. In the conversation, he reflects on how disciplined legal judgment and ethical clarity inform sound decision-making in complex environments—from advising commanders in conflict zones to leading the Army’s ten-thousand-strong legal community.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

In this episode, Cadet Zach Olson hosts retired General Joe Votel, who led such units as the 75th Ranger Regiment, the Joint Special Operations Command, US Special Operations Command, and US Central Command.

General Votel reflects on a career shaped by trust, adaptability, and disciplined leadership across the full spectrum of modern conflict. Drawing on experiences commanding both special operations and conventional forces, he discusses the enduring importance of decentralized decision-making, strong relationships, and transparent communication in complex, fast-moving environments. General Votel also explores how leaders should balance human judgment with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, the evolving role of special operations in great power competition, and the strategic challenges of regions such as the Middle East. Throughout the conversation, he emphasizes patience, collaboration, professional curiosity, and commitment to the task at hand as timeless foundations for developing highly effective military leaders.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

In this episode, Cadet Justin Rodriguez sits down with Major General Mark Quander to discuss topics ranging from disaster relief to team building to accomplishing what seems impossible.

General Quander graduated from West Point and commissioned as an engineer. After service in units such as the 82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the 10th Mountain Division and combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, he returned to West Point as the 79th commandant of the United States Military Academy. He now serves as the Deputy Commanding General for Military and International Operations, US Army Corps of Engineers.

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.

Retired Brigadier General Maureen LeBoeuf graduated from Saint Bonaventure University and received a direct commission into the Women's Army Corps. She served in the logistics, ordnance, and aviation branches during her Army career before being selected to head West Point's Department of Physical Education and earning the title Master of the Sword, becoming the first woman to hold either of those positions.

In this episode, Cadet Parker Brown talks to General LeBoeuf about leadership philosophy, mentorship, physical fitness, and setting the standard as a leader.