Rating: 
Summary: Good yarn, good lessons
Review: This book works on two levels. First, it is a biography of a very interesting man; it also provides a "slice of life" (a la Chuck Yeager's autobiography) for those interested in military careers.On a deeper level, it introduces a revolutionary way of thinking. The OODA loop, put simply, is to do the least-expected thing to get your opponent off balance, and to follow that with more "least-expected" actions until you achieve your goal. The trick is to understand the situation before the opponent does. Since reading this book, I've started seeing "OODA Loops" everywhere there has been success in competition--basketball games, boxing matches, contract negotiations, advertising campaigns, chess, office politics, the invasion of Iraq... The book provides a good (if basic) intro to Boyd's ideas, but it does give you the tools to understand his (very chewy)concepts. It also includes an extensive list of books Boyd found interesting, which I have been using to guide my own reading.
Rating:
Summary: Bloodless Military History, Hilarious Intellectual History
Review: This is a book of oxymorons: the biography of America's greatest fighter pilot with no battles described; an important intellectual history which is actually fun to read. The apparent contradictions result from the subject. John Boyd was one of those brilliant American originals with no Ivy League degrees and a very eccentric mind, who changes the way the world works. Such people are America's real secret weapon. Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Steve Jobs are examples of such people. It says something positive about the United States military that they tolerate drop-outs, losers and other jetsam and give such people enough freedom that they can develop to their full potential. This is not something that either business or academia or the media do any more, but the military does it more than ever. Ralph Peters is one example that springs to mind. John Boyd is another. As a young captain, he changed the way air forces throughout the world fly their planes. As a major, he changed the way they build their planes. As a colonel, he changed the way the United States buys its planes. In retirement, he changed the way the West fights its wars. Yet Boyd could easily have been written off as a kook. He wouldn't converse, so much as hector (and Lord help you if you sitting across the lunch table from him). He once set a general's tie on fire by poking him in the chest with a lit cigar while trying to make a point. Oblivious to what he had done, he was genuinely puzzled when the general broke off to put the fire out. "Jesus, John, you set the general's tie on fire," a friend said. "Did I?" said Boyd, "Gee, I bet THAT never happened to him before." It's stories like that, combined with clear, if quite simplified, descriptions of Boyd's ideas, which make this book a classic. For a more sophisticated explanation of Boyd's work, read Grant Hammond's The Mind of War, but in any event, don't miss this extraordinary book.
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Summary: The Late Col Boyd and Lessons Learned
Review: This is a must read for leaders serving in any capacity. Mr Coram's candid biography captures both the good and bad in our humanity. And, no matter what side one decides to set their focus upon, there is much to be studied, learned, appreciated and applied. For not only did the late Colonel Boyd give his life to his country, his family did, and continues to do so today. May their sacrifices not be in vain. What do I mean? Just like people can debate, or disagree, on an issue in an effort to make a rational and effective judgement. This book presents a brilliant, painful and joyful emotional rollercoaster of ideas, experiences, concepts and character that is seldom revealed to the public in one book. Usually a book seems to be presented with a certain view just to make a sale. Mr Coram's book counters that perception by giving you the full bag of a man's life by exposing his hardships, failures, but most importantly- a man's successes. It is those successes that we, as leaders, must build upon. The failures are what we must be wary of, monitor, and counsel those who exhibit such dichotomies of character. About the bad... The late Colonel came from a "dysfunctional family". This is a term, I believe, a lot of us can relate too; and that a "dysfunctional family" may not be so uncommon after all. If none of us can relate to the term "dysfunctional", then leaders must learn how to do so. Why? How can one lead, evaluate, or help people if you cannot understand them. The Colonel neglected the needs of his family in pursuit of what he believed to be the truth. He appeared to have been very insecure during his younger years but quickly grew into a man of strong convictions at a young age in order to survive. It is sad to say that other men of character did not ever notice this problem at one time or another and may have not had the guts to pull his fellow man aside and at least attempt to guide him to a more functional path. This is a learning point. We all have faults, but this book makes us confront them. For leaders or peers to notice a family in suffering and not get involved where involvement may be required- this is another learning point. This book provides deep insight and lessons to leaders who dedicate themselves almost solely to work;getting promoted; displaying moral courage or feeling defeated; lacking some required social skills to oil the dignities of competitors and friends to alleviate unneccessary blowback; and still there is so much more. On the positive... the most important.... the gold nuggets that can benefit leaders and nations alike are the concepts and tactics that the late Colonel employed at the political and military levels. The Boyd Cycle, Destruction and Creation; the concept of "To Be or To Do". These are just a few of the concepts and legacy the Col leaves behind. These concepts help guide our focus, enhance our information collection efforts; aid in developing strategies to allow us to overcome our enemies. We need to study him before our enemies do. This is the essence of BOYD: THE FIGHTER PILOT WHO CHANGED THE ART OF WAR.
Bob Howard
Rating:
Summary: zlotnikde@myvine.com
Review: Well Done--Coram! America is desperately seeking patriots in all fields of endeavor; education, social services, military, industry and especially government. You revealed a group of patriots who knowingly put thier country before their own self-interests--and you also clearly showed what happens to a patriot! Again! WELL DONE!
Rating: 
Summary: The First Outstanding, the Second Half.....
Review: When I returned from Vietnam in 1969 to Luke AFB, AZ my Commander was Lt Col Doral Connor who had roomed with John Boyd during a tour in Korea, I believe. He told how his roommate would sit in his room working for hours on mathematical calculations involving air-to-air engagements. Col Connor was a tactical weapons controller, as was I, and had a good understanding of what Boyd was trying to accomplish. My next involvement with Boyd's work on Energy Maneuverability (EM) was when I attended the Air National Guard (ANG) Fighter Weapons School (FWS) at Tucson, AZ, and also when Steve Hepburn and I served as the principal radar weapons controllers for the F-15 Operational Test & Evaluation. It was during that period that I was sent TDY to Nellis AFB to become certified as an Aggressor Controller with the 64th. Based upon this background, and after reading Bob Coram's book, "Boyd" I can say the first half of the book is both very accurate and extremely well done. And If I had never gone to Air Force Project Checkmate in 1978 where I worked for 8 years I could give Coram's work nothing but a rave review. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Things are not always what they seem, and this book clearly overlooks several important points when it comes to the Reformists, including Boyd. Anyone going back and reading the material released by the Reformist at the time would see that they were against the whole concept of complex technology. The same technology that permitted striking results during Desert Storm and numerous other lesser engagements. Boyd's single focus on air-to-air overlooked the importance of accuracy during air-to-ground. For example, those hard points on the F-16 and the avionics added weight, which Boyd and the Reformists fought. And if the Reformists would of had their way there still would never have been an F-15E Strike Eagle. And that's not to mention the extensive criticism at the time of the M-1 Abrahms tank. They claimed it would never operate in the desert...which it did with exemplary results. Coram also was led astray on several other points. An example, one of many, is why a TAC General insisted on painting the back of all traffic signs Creech Brown. Did you ever wonder what kind of reflection one gets off of silver aluminum at night when you're trying to tone-down a base's signature? I also take issue with whoever told Coram that Checkmate (it's not Check Mate) quickly devolved into little more than a stage play. I would be interested to know his source of what we did since none of his sources ever served in Checkmate. Especially in light of a substantial body of very original work on the European Central Region as well as Southwest Asia. Exactly where does Coram think those briefings came from, if not extensive analysis. For example, Checkmate was award recognition by the Air Force Association for the idea of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) which was the fore-runner to CENTCOM. Checkmate, under the leadership of Col Joe Redden (later Lt Gen), was also the location of the 31 Joint Initiatives. As close as Coram comes to a Checkmate source is that he lists Barry Watt's, "Foundations of U.S. Air Doctrine", and Barry was the Red Team Chief. Finally it is unforgiveable to not have one word about Moody Suter in the book who was the father of Red Flag and the Warrior Prep Center in Germany and worked closely with a number of these folks. Moody and I occasionally went to the Fort Myer gatherings and to leave out his contributions which were equal, if not more, important to the Air Power in the 1970s & 1980s is unbelievable. Especially since there were similarities between Suter and Boyd. Moody used to say when her retired as an O-6 that it was the zenith of a mediocre career.
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