John Spencer

There has been no shortage of attention paid to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Commentary and analysis have produced a range of claims about what the six-week-long war means for the future of combat. What has been almost completely left out of these discussions is how the war offers stark reminders about the urban character of warfare in military campaigns.

After 20 long years, the war in Afghanistan is coming to a close. Yet what does the next chapter for the U.S. military look like?

There has been an explosion of underground warfare in the last five years. From sophisticated cross-border Hezbollah attack tunnels discovered in northern Israel to defensive tunnels that criss-cross the urban battlefields of Syria, Iraq and the Philippines, a tactic familiar to history buffs has emerged as a characteristic of modern war. That’s why a group of scholars and practitioners recently gathered at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel for the first Subterranean Challenges in… Show more

There has been an explosion of underground warfare in the last five years. From sophisticated cross-border Hezbollah attack tunnels discovered in northern Israel to defensive tunnels that criss-cross the urban battlefields of Syria, Iraq and the Philippines, a tactic familiar to history buffs has emerged as a characteristic of modern war. That’s why a group of scholars and practitioners recently gathered at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel for the first Subterranean Challenges in War and Peace conference and the inaugural meeting of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare. One of the many characteristics of subterranean warfare discussed at the conference stood out in particular—the use of tunnel bombs. Show less

In 2015, I had the opportunity to take a class on “op-ed” writing. The instructor was a former reporter and writer for the the New York Times. I wasn’t even sure what op-ed stood for (a legacy term from newspaper journalism, it means “opposite the editorial page,” rather than “opinion editorial,” as I initially thought), but I attended, nonetheless. The one-hour class covered how to write a short, newsy opinion essay; how to pitch an editor a topic; and what types of topics editors want to see.

On Nov. 26, 2008, 10 Pakistan-based terrorists simultaneously attacked and laid siege to multiple sites across Mumbai—a megacity of about 18 million people—bringing the city to a standstill for more than two days. The attack was meant to overwhelm both the city and its security forces, creating a sense that the entire city was under assault. It took Indian security forces over 60 hours to end the attack. Often referred to as India’s 9/11, the attacks were planned and orchestrated with what… Show more

On Nov. 26, 2008, 10 Pakistan-based terrorists simultaneously attacked and laid siege to multiple sites across Mumbai—a megacity of about 18 million people—bringing the city to a standstill for more than two days. The attack was meant to overwhelm both the city and its security forces, creating a sense that the entire city was under assault. It took Indian security forces over 60 hours to end the attack. Often referred to as India’s 9/11, the attacks were planned and orchestrated with what seemed to be impressive military precision—so much so that the world was shocked by the attackers’ tactics, their brutality, and the attacks’ exposure of the vulnerabilities of large urban areas to state-sponsored terrorism. Show less

As the US military pivots from people-centric counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are making historic investments in researching and testing new technologies. For the ground forces, many of these devices seek to help the Army soldier or Marine understand the environment around them, see the enemy before they see them, and connect them to vast amounts of weapons, eyes in the sky, and other real-time information. Experiments with new technologies are not new, but there is a renewed… Show more

As the US military pivots from people-centric counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, they are making historic investments in researching and testing new technologies. For the ground forces, many of these devices seek to help the Army soldier or Marine understand the environment around them, see the enemy before they see them, and connect them to vast amounts of weapons, eyes in the sky, and other real-time information. Experiments with new technologies are not new, but there is a renewed vigor to modernize the military with increased budgets, new threats, and new imagined battlefields against technologically equipped foes like China and Russia. Show less

On May 8, 2014, about three years into Syria’s civil war, anti-government forces prepared explosives—reportedly about 20 tons—in a freshly dug tunnel under the city of Aleppo. Above ground, Syrian soldiers in a hotel being used by the Syrian army were oblivious. The massive blast that followed killed approximately 40 soldiers. It took only 33 days to dig the 100-meter-long tunnel using hand tools.

Last month former Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia became the Iraq War’s first living Medal of Honor recipient. The details of the extraordinarily brave event read like every soldier’s nightmare. A “house of hell” filled with enemy insurgents prepared to die in almost every room. Sergeant Bellavia and his fellow soldiers were outgunned, overmatched — disadvantaged in every respect. That was the sad state of American military capabilities in 2004. But the reality is that if today’s military was… Show more

Last month former Staff Sgt. David G. Bellavia became the Iraq War’s first living Medal of Honor recipient. The details of the extraordinarily brave event read like every soldier’s nightmare. A “house of hell” filled with enemy insurgents prepared to die in almost every room. Sergeant Bellavia and his fellow soldiers were outgunned, overmatched — disadvantaged in every respect. That was the sad state of American military capabilities in 2004. But the reality is that if today’s military was placed in a similar battle, little would be different. Show less

If we are entering an era where military forces will increasingly be called upon to operate in cities (and we are), it follows logically that the Army should begin preparing for urban terrain. But a quick scan of the global contemporary operating environment reveals the extraordinary diversity of urban landscapes. So what types of cities should we focus on?

Combat in urban areas is the most destructive type of warfare imaginable. Densely populated terrain, complex systems of systems that support human life, military weapons not optimized to these conditions, and asymmetric close-quarters battle tactics all make warfare in cities unforgiving for combatants, noncombatants, and cities alike. The unintentional—and at times intentional—destruction of the physical terrain, populations, and infrastructure of cities during combat leave effects that can be… Show more

Combat in urban areas is the most destructive type of warfare imaginable. Densely populated terrain, complex systems of systems that support human life, military weapons not optimized to these conditions, and asymmetric close-quarters battle tactics all make warfare in cities unforgiving for combatants, noncombatants, and cities alike. The unintentional—and at times intentional—destruction of the physical terrain, populations, and infrastructure of cities during combat leave effects that can be felt for generations. Show less

Ask any group of infantry soldiers what they train to prepare for urban operations and the answer will usually be: Battle Drill 6, “Enter and Clear a Room.” Battle Drill 6 is one of the fourteen drills, defined by doctrine, that infantry platoons and squads are intended to master. But it is also ingrained in soldiers—alongside shooting and breaching—as the foundation for preparing for urban combat. These skills are necessary for success in urban environments, but not sufficient. A review of… Show more

Ask any group of infantry soldiers what they train to prepare for urban operations and the answer will usually be: Battle Drill 6, “Enter and Clear a Room.” Battle Drill 6 is one of the fourteen drills, defined by doctrine, that infantry platoons and squads are intended to master. But it is also ingrained in soldiers—alongside shooting and breaching—as the foundation for preparing for urban combat. These skills are necessary for success in urban environments, but not sufficient. A review of historical urban operations shows that there are several other tasks that units need to add to their training programs. Show less

The military services have historically been very resistant to major change. The full integration of cyberwarriors and the ability to integrate cyber capabilities into the core functions of war fighting still face many cultural battles that could slow momentum.

A range of scenarios can be imagined that will pull U.S. Army units into increasingly dense urban environments. The future battlefield is an urban one, and that future is not far off. It’s time for the Army to prepare to operate, survive, fight and win in cities.

My short recommended reading list for studying urban warfare.

This rise in urban violence and the resurgence of warfare in cities comes from three key factors: the global trend toward urbanization, increasingly volatile domestic political conditions in developing countries, and changes in the character of armed conflict.

A report explaining an experiment we did with over 1000 cadets testing whether virtual reality goggles would increase performance in military tasks.

The article highlights reserach I did in 2017 with over 1,000 cadets at the United States Military Academy which suggests that we should not assume that millennials who've logged hundreds of hours of video gaming will seamlessly be able to employ new technologies in the heat of battle. In combat-like scenarios, even tech-savvy millennials default to analog.

I give a list of new military tools I would want for solve some of the challenges of urban warfare (not all lethal).

Discussion of how swarms could change the fundamental challenges of urban warfare.

The military should update its record-keeping. It should be unlawful to ever delete another combat record. Daily combat records should be tagged, stored in a searchable cloud database and attached to individual soldiers’ files — as their medical records are. That way soldiers could leave the service with complete histories of their combat experiences.

I explain different ways we can look at urban security in major U.S. cities.

From Hue to Fallujah, the US military has ample evidence that we need to improve the way we operate in cities. But before we can do that, we need to figure out a better way to think about cities. With their complexity, their dynamism, their individual quirks, and their vulnerabilities, the analogy to the human body is too obvious to ignore. If effectively contending with the array of difficult security challenges cities pose is the goal, following the path to get there will not be an easy task.… Show more

From Hue to Fallujah, the US military has ample evidence that we need to improve the way we operate in cities. But before we can do that, we need to figure out a better way to think about cities. With their complexity, their dynamism, their individual quirks, and their vulnerabilities, the analogy to the human body is too obvious to ignore. If effectively contending with the array of difficult security challenges cities pose is the goal, following the path to get there will not be an easy task. Thankfully, the medical profession has left us a trail of breadcrumbs to get us on our way. Show less

I discussed the limited option (methods, weapons, and equipment) US forces have for fighting in cities.

I argue for a new military approach to preparing for conflict in urban terrain to include recommending building a military training site in a large/dense city.

A few ideas for new innovations to solve challenges unique to conducting military operations in urban terrain.

Challenging the assumption against preparing for future military operations in megacities.

I review and discuss the status of the Army's training and preparations for operations in dense urban areas.

My West Point colleague and I argue that as the fight enters its final stage and US-backed forces look to defeat ISIS, they should take a page out of other professions that have used metrics to be more effective - a "moneyball" approach to the US military's stability operations to avoid some of the waste and recidivism of violence we saw previously in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I argue for creating a unit focused on preparing for the complexity of a megacity to serve as the vanguard for initial operations and to develop the solutions to known challenges for all follow on forces.

Recent research and work to combine post traumatic growth concepts with non-clinical activities is showing promising alternatives to longstanding PTSD protocol.

I argue that the miles of concrete walls that lined streets and surrounded bases in Baghdad demonstrate that the most effective weapon in an urban counterinsurgency is concrete.

In an op-ed for the L.A. Times, I explain why so few women have signed up for combat arms branches — and how more can be encouraged to do so.

An article on the effects of cell phones, internet, and social media to team building and social cohesion in the military.

My colleagues and I discuss the implication of increased connectivity to the military profession in the August edition of Army Magazine.

I argue that there could be other designs for deploying soldiers in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

I argue that equality doesn't impact military readiness and culture is the key.

An argument for action to prevent future Bowe Bergdhal’s from joining and addressing a declining pool of eligible volunteers to serve in the military.

A letter of encouragement to women considering becoming a member of the Army's infantry.

By 2017, the U.S. Army will be the smallest it has been since 1940. The Department of Defense estimates that 71 percent of the roughly 34 million 17- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. today would fail to qualify for military service based on the current enlistment criteria because of physical or mental health issues, low educational scores, and major criminal convictions. A smaller army with fewer eligible volunteers is strategic risk.

Social media’s hold on soldiers’ attention is damaging the combat cohesion needed in battle.

An agrument for the integration of women soldiers into the ranks of close combat formations.

Article on the significance of two female officers graduating the U.S. Army Ranger School.

The West Point Small Unit Tactics Club visited New York City Feb. 15 with 15 cadets and two faculty members from the Department of Military Instruction to discuss subterranean operation with the New York Fire Department. By studying, researching, and teaching such environments, the cadets, NCOs, and officers at USMA will be better prepared when they arrive/return to the operational force where they very well may face these environments and challenges in combat.

As the Army resets after protracted wars in Iraq and Afghanistan it is an appropriate time to challenge existing Army beliefs about force structures and design.

John Spencer was a new second lieutenant in 2003 when he parachuted into Iraq leading a platoon of infantry soldiers into battle. During that combat tour, he learned how important unit cohesion was to surviving a war, both physically and mentally. He observed that this cohesion developed as the soldiers experienced the horrors of combat as a group, spending their downtime together and processing their shared experiences.

When Spencer returned to Iraq five years later to take command of… Show more

John Spencer was a new second lieutenant in 2003 when he parachuted into Iraq leading a platoon of infantry soldiers into battle. During that combat tour, he learned how important unit cohesion was to surviving a war, both physically and mentally. He observed that this cohesion developed as the soldiers experienced the horrors of combat as a group, spending their downtime together and processing their shared experiences.

When Spencer returned to Iraq five years later to take command of a troubled company, he found that his lessons on how to build unit cohesion were no longer as applicable. Rather than bonding and processing trauma as a group, soldiers now spent their downtime separately, on computers communicating with family back home. Spencer came to see the internet as a threat to unit cohesion, but when he returned home and his wife was deployed, the internet connected him and his children to his wife on a daily basis.

In Connected Soldiers Spencer delivers lessons learned about effective methods for building teams in a way that overcomes the distractions of home and the outside world, without reducing the benefits gained from connections to family. Show less