by Jonathan Movroydis
LTC James Wiese, representing the US Army, is a National Security Affairs Fellow for the academic year 2020–21 at the Hoover Institution.
In this interview, Wiese discusses his two-decade career as an infantryman and special operator, including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey. He also provides lessons in leadership during his army career and describes the importance of 360-degree leadership, which entails motivating subordinates, inspiring peers, and helping superiors to make good decisions.
Why did you decide to join the US Army?
I studied biological science at Clemson University and originally joined the US Army looking for experience and adventure. I stayed because it is such a rewarding career. Both of my parents were in the army for brief periods (four years). I have been an infantry officer for 18 years and have spent a decade in special operations.
Where have you been deployed?
My first deployment was during the initial Iraq invasion in 2003. My battalion commander called me after ranger school and said, “Hey, if you want to deploy with us to Iraq, you’d better get here to Fort Campbell (Kentucky).” I was in Iraq for a year. Five or six years later, I deployed to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border as a company commander for a yearlong deployment. We worked with the Afghan border police and army patrolling the mountainous border and searching for Taliban fighters.
I then transitioned to special operations and my deployments were much shorter. I did a number of deployments to the Middle East. Some of them included working in an embassy, which I did in Jordan and in Turkey. There were also some more traditional deployments focused on counterterrorism efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
From your perspective, what is the objective of US engagement in the Middle East and Central Asia?
On the counterterrorism side, it’s the defeat of extremists and empowering local governments. For example, with ISIS there is a brutal terrorist element that’s out there chopping people’s heads off and burning people alive. Our strategy is to work with our partners to put an end to that. I think the US has done that to some really great success in Iraq and also in Syria, but there is much work left to do to enable a long-term defeat of terrorist organizations like this.
As for the broader goals in the Middle East, I think something you have to remember for the region is that it that it is important and connects Europe, Africa, and Asia. We talk a lot about the threat posed by China and the importance of the military’s focus on the Indo-Pacific region, but we can’t forget about the Middle East. The US and its security partners need to stay engaged in order to maintain openness and stability. In addition to terrorism, significant challenges include Turkey’s turn toward authoritarianism, the Syrian Civil War, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions and use of proxy forces.
What will be your research focus at the Hoover Institution?
I’m using this opportunity, with all the expertise among the fellowship, to get a lot smarter on the People’s Republic of China, America’s greatest competitor. From the perspective of an army officer, the US-China competition can be seen in what we are doing with our allies and partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region. This may include strengthening military relationships and conducting joint exercises with Australia, Japan, India, and South Korea. In the army, this is principally the work of the 25th Infantry Division, based in Hawaii, but all combatant commands have a role to play in this competition.
Can you talk about a defining experience and challenge in your career in which you worked to support the advancement and security of the United States?
The reward for staying in the army was the feeling of being able to give back to the nation. It’s also the ability to give back to the people that I lead and my colleagues. A defining moment for me would have probably been in my fourth, fifth, and sixth years as an army officer, so as a captain. My assignment was to instruct the new infantry lieutenants in Fort Benning, Georgia. This is a five-month course. My responsibility, as a senior instructor, was to teach these lieutenants how to take over their platoons.
I prepared these officers to go to war. They were going to deploy either to Iraq or Afghanistan. For me, that was a very defining moment. It was extremely rewarding to teach these two-hundred-plus lieutenants. I instructed them on leadership, tactics, and how to be successful in battle and not to make the same mistakes that I made. These young lieutenants are like sponges. They soak up all the experience and knowledge they can get.
There are also defining real-world experiences. For me, these come down to building partnerships and relationships during my deployments to Middle East. When I worked with partner nations and local forces our objective was to achieve security and stability for their citizens. I have seen some of my counterparts in those partner countries rise through the ranks of the military and government. Those personal relationships help strengthen the security relationship between the US and the host country.
What does leadership mean to you?
When I took the job at Fort Benning, I came to this realization that I was supposed to be teaching these young officers about leadership. I was like, “Okay. What do I know about leadership other than just what I've absorbed through my experience?” That brought me back to studying leadership. I started with John Maxwell’s book The 360 Degree Leader and continued from there. I pulled several books into the course to build a reading program for the lieutenants.
Is there anyone at Hoover who has influenced you?
I think for all of the National Security Affairs Fellows, even during the unusual circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, we understand how lucky we are to be at Hoover. We all want to take advantage of our access to the fellows and other great resources to learn more and get better at our jobs.
When I listen to General H.R. McMaster, Secretary Condoleezza Rice, or any number of the other fellows, I walk away with a renewed motivation to get smarter in so many different areas.
As I said earlier, I have made my focus China, and the first book I read when I arrived at Hoover was The Third Revolution by Elizabeth Economy. I also read H. R. McMaster’s Battlegrounds. General McMaster inspires his readers to think bigger by seeing current events from a more historical perspective. I have also enjoyed listening to Senior Fellow Larry Diamond, Admiral James Ellis, and Senior Fellow Amy Zegart, who runs the NSAF program. I interact with her the most. She’s given all of us invaluable guidance.
I would say that all of the fellows I have engaged helped me think differently and in depth on a variety of issues.
