Dr. Whitman Cobb and Col Hollon welcome the teaching team for SAASS 633: Coercion and Deterrence in Theory and Practice. Dr. Paige Reid and Lt Col Rachel Reynolds discuss the origins and evolution of the course along with its central question: “how do you get someone to do what you want them to do?” The team breaks down why the class drops students straight into the nuclear age, how thinkers like Brodie, Schelling, and Pape square off, and why debates over airpower, punishment, and denial still matter today. They also dig into the emotional side of coercion, sparring with Markwica’s challenge to the rational-actor model. The episode closes with an inside look at the course’s culminating tabletop exercise, which pushes students to apply theories of coercion to contemporary great-power competition in the Indo-Pacific.

Books mentioned in this episode

Bernard Brodie, Strategy in the Missile Age (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016).

Thomas C. Schelling, Arms and Influence (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2020).

Daniel Byman and Matthew C. Waxman The Dynamics of Coercion: American Foreign Policy and the Limits of Military Might (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002).

Brad Roberts, The Case for US Nuclear Weapons in the 21st Century (Stanford: Stanford Security Studies, an imprint of Stanford University Press, 2016).

Robert A. Pape, Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1996).

Robin Markwica, Emotional Choices: How the Logic of Affect Shapes Coercive Diplomacy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018).

In this episode, the team talks with Lt Col JoLynn Tatum, a clinical psychologist and Air War College faculty member, about the state of mental health in the military. She explains common challenges service members face—often less PTSD than everyday stressors like relationships, sleep, depression, and anxiety—and why stigma and career fears still keep many from seeking help. Tatum discusses rising suicide rates, the limits of current resources, and the importance of early intervention, coping skills, and community support. She also outlines what signs should prompt someone to seek care and highlights the range of military and civilian resources available. The conversation offers a candid, practical guide to recognizing stress, reducing stigma, and encouraging healthier help-seeking behavior across the force.

In this episode of Books to Battles, Dr. Wendy Whitman Cobb and Col. Cory Hollon are joined by Lt. Col. Joshua Cobb, U.S. Army, for a candid deep dive into the complexities of military acquisitions reform. Drawing on his broad experience across infantry, missile defense, special operations, and requirements writing, Josh explains why the U.S. system struggles with speed, agility, and risk acceptance. The conversation breaks down historical shifts—from post–Cold War consolidation to post-9/11 urgency—and how today’s focus on attritable systems and rapid iteration challenges long-standing processes. They also explore the tension between accountability, statutory limits, and the need to field capabilities faster in a world shaped by Ukraine, drone warfare, and great-power competition. The result is a grounded, insightful look at what real reform requires—and why it’s so hard.