
'Why We Write' Series - Writing to convince – why I write
Writing to convince – why I write
David Beaumont

David Beaumont

Kate Tollenaar
'If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word’

Trav Hallen

Mick Cook




The Forge editors are proud to present our first series, entitled 'Why We Write'. The series will showcase some current ADF military writers, with the intention of encouraging others, particularly at the rank of O5 and above, to consolidate their thinking and experience into a written form. The contributions are very honest and open accounts of why officers have chosen to contribute to the discourse on the myriad matters that affect the military profession.

“Our traditional way that we differentiate between peace and war is insufficient …….we think of being at peace or war…our adversaries

The US Marine Corps has just released its new Commandant’s Guidance, foreshadowing a return to their traditional role of supporting the Navy’s fight for Sea Control now that it is being increasingly challenged. There are valuable insights for the ADF in understanding this fundamental shift in US Marine Corps thinking.


Successful integration of gender is about understanding how gender influences effects in population-centric strategies, and it begins with its robust incorporation into the intelligence analysis of the operational environment.