Washington Post journalist Greg Jaffe delivers a book lecture at the US Army War College based on his co-authored book, "The Fourth Star". Jaffe traces the intersecting military careers of four prominent four-star generals—John Abizaid, George Casey, Peter Chiarelli, and David Petraeus—detailing the internal institutional struggle to reform and adapt the US Army from the post-Vietnam era through the counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Army trains its Soldiers to follow orders precisely and manage risk. From Aug. 17–21, 2026, at the U.S. Army War College, the Innovation Champion Course asked something almost contradictory of its students: take a good idea and be willing to fight for it past skeptical leaders, past friction, past the moment most innovations quietly fail.
