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Artwork for The Operational Arch

The Operational Arch

SAMS
Operational Art
Multi-Domain Operations
School Of Advanced Military Studies
Urban Warfare
China
Napoleon Bonaparte
United States
Attrition Warfare
Military Doctrine
Hamas
Historical Military Doctrine
Military Strategy
Ukraine
Gaza
Positional Warfare
Army Doctrine
Israel
NATO
Deterrence Theory
Iraq War

The official podcast of the School of Advanced Military Studies, dedicated to bridging the gap between tactics and strategy through the study of operational art and the operational level of war.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes52Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for The Operational Arch

Latest Episodes

In this episode, hosts Major DJ Taylor and Major Evelyn Payne sit down with Major General (Ret.) James "Spider" Marks β€” decorated Army intelligence officer, Georgetown University professor, and CNN military analyst β€” for a wide-ranging conversation o... more

Major Spencer Bates sits down with Colonel Ethan Diven, the US Army Command and General Staff College Commandant, and former Commander of Operations Group at the NationalTraining Center, to explore the evolving challenges facing the operational force... more

In this episode of The Operational Arch, hosts Spencer Bates and DJ Taylor sit down with Lieutenant General Chun In-bum (Ret.), former commander of the Republic of Korea Special Warfare Forces and U.S. Army War College graduate, for a wide-ranging co... more

In this episode of The Operational Arch, hosts Spencer Bates and DJ Taylor sit down with Steven Box, founder and CEO of Vanguard Tactics and a top-ranked competitive Warhammer coach, alongside SAMS professor Matt Yandura. The conversation explores ho... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

James Spider Marks
Major General Retired, Georgetown adjunct professor and CNN military analyst
Georgetown University, CNN
Episode: Seeing Over the Edge: Operational Planning and Intelligence with MG (R) Spider Marks
Ethan Diven
Colonel, Commandant of the US Army Command and General Staff College
Army University / CGSC
Episode: From Tactical to Operational: Building Army Leaders for the Future Fight β€” with COL Ethan Diven, Commandant of US Army CGSC
Chun In-bum
Lieutenant General (Retired), former commander of the Republic of Korea Special Warfare Command
Republic of Korea Armed Forces
Episode: An Unshakable Bond: Insights into the US-ROK relationship and the threat posed by North Korea with Lt. Gen. (R) Chun In-bum
Stephen Box
Founder and CEO of Vanguard Tactics, professional wargaming coach
Vanguard Tactics
Episode: From Warhammer to War Plans: The IDEA Framework with Stephen Box
Matt Yandura
SAMS professor, psychological operations and information operations specialist
School of Advanced Military Studies
Episode: From Warhammer to War Plans: The IDEA Framework with Stephen Box
Kirk Dorr
Deputy Director, SAMS
School of Advanced Military Studies
Episode: So You Think You Want to be a SAMS Graduate? Insights on applying to and being successful at AMSP with the leadership team
Bruce E. Stanley
Director, Advanced Military Studies Program
SAMS
Episode: So You Think You Want to be a SAMS Graduate? Insights on applying to and being successful at AMSP with the leadership team
Paul D. Godson
Deputy Director, AMSP
SAMS
Episode: So You Think You Want to be a SAMS Graduate? Insights on applying to and being successful at AMSP with the leadership team
Dr. James Greer
Former SAMS director and current SAMS professor, leading expert on operational art, military design, and leader development.
School of Advanced Military Studies
Episode: Convergence in Army Doctrine, with Dr. Jim Greer

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 61 ratings
  • Try it, loved it, subscribed

    Really enjoy the student run vibe here. Season 2 is definitely an improvement with new and different voices/attitudes/ideas!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kelevra08
    United States3 years ago
  • Operational Cringe

    The commentary whether purposefully flamboyant or not feels like an awkward Comps study session. Rather than quote authors or theorists that you’re currently reading to the speaker, just let the speaker talk and ask engaging open ended questions. The lack of active listening is evident when a prophetic insight is offered by the podcasters as a retort to a fairly senior leader. The enthusiasm is great, but its comes across as either operationally naive or elitist, neither of which endear you to t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Movie cop
    United States3 years ago
  • Operational Level of War

    This podcast provides access to some of the best minds at Army University. A must for those in the profession of arms to broaden their knowledge and still relevant for the non Military listener.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan (Dorrance)
    United States3 years ago
  • Great Initiative ⭐️🫑

    Look forward to hearing some great insights from our colleagues. Well done!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mariestls
    United States3 years ago
  • This is the bomb dot com

    Every planner of literally anything should consider The Operational Arch as required listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dr. Homie Cat
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality, academically rigorous discussions with practical military relevance.
A few episodes feel elitist; engagement could be more listener-friendly.
Great mix of guest expertise and actionable leadership-focused content.
Some episodes lean too heavily on theory; audience benefit from more case studies.
Contains strong insights from leading SAMS-affiliated experts; must-listen for practitioners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#116
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#201
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#65
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#207
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#234
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#25
Ukraine/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Seeing Over the Edge: Operational Planning and Intelligence with MG (R) Spider Marks
Q: What does it mean to link political objectives to tactical goals at the operational level?
It starts with a clear description of the desired strategic outcome by the senior commander, then translating that into actionable operational decisions and ensuring the staff understands and can articulate the commander's intent.
From Warhammer to War Plans: The IDEA Framework with Stephen Box
Q: How does the Box framework translate to real-world planning and operations?
Stephen explains that the framework helps surface the critical information needed for rapid decisions, keeps execution aligned with a clear objective, and uses ongoing assessment to decide when to pivot or adapt plans based on changing information and constraints.
From Warhammer to War Plans: The IDEA Framework with Stephen Box
Q: Can you describe the Box method briefly for our listeners?
The Box method centers on four sides, with information gathering as the first leg, followed by decision space, execution, and assessment; the host asks Stephen to outline why asking the right questions at the right time is the core driver of effective decisions.
So You Think You Want to be a SAMS Graduate? Insights on applying to and being successful at AMSP with the leadership team
Q: What is the duration and structure of the AMSP year?
The AMSP runs about 10.5 months, structured as six courses interleaved with six exercises, plus a staff ride and a 10,000-word monograph; the year combines intensive courseware with practical field exercises to reinforce theory and practice.
Convergence in Army Doctrine, with Dr. Jim Greer
Q: How do you see the concept of Convergence evolving over the next decade?
Convergence will likely evolve with a greater emphasis on systems warfare and the integration of physical, information, and human dimensions of warfare.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Operational Arch

What is The Operational Arch about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show tends to feature military scholars, practitioners, and leaders connected to the School of Advanced Military Studies, with a strong emphasis on operational art, doctrine convergence, and civil-military relations. Episodes explore frameworks, mentorship, data literacy, and leadership development, often bridging classroom theory with real-world military decision-making. Notable angles include cross-disciplinary wargaming methods, civilian-academic perspectives in AMSP, and discussions on how doctrine and education shape civilian-military interactions. The format often includes expert panels, deep-dives with guest scholars, and practitioner-led conversations aimed at improving strategic thinking for military professionals and informed ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Operational Arch?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Operational Arch:

1. War on the Rocks
2. Modern War Institute
3. Irregular Warfare Podcast
4. Net Assessment
5. Global Security Briefing

How many episodes of The Operational Arch are there?

The Operational Arch launched 3 years ago and published 52 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Operational Arch?

Recent guests on The Operational Arch include:

1. James Spider Marks
2. Ethan Diven
3. Chun In-bum
4. Stephen Box
5. Matt Yandura
6. Kirk Dorr
7. Bruce E. Stanley
8. Paul D. Godson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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