The former superintendent at West Point and a psychologist explain why all successful leaders rely on a foundation of strong character. Among the most successful leaders throughout history—from Abe Lincoln to Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi to Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr. to Nelson Mandela—some were brilliant mathematicians and economists, others were creative visionaries, still others were masterful at strategic planning. Their mastery of their field wasn’t the secret to their highly effective leadership. All of their skill, grit, resilience, charisma, and courage emanated from one thing: their strength of character. Character—the moral values and habits of an individual—is in the spotlight now more than perhaps at any other point in modern history. Politicians distort facts. Corporations cheat customers and investors. Athletes are caught using illegal supplements. In addition to harming our culture at large, these failures of character have a profound and undermining impact on leadership. The authors of this book are experts on the value of character, its correlation with successful leadership, and how to build it in individuals and prospective leaders. General Robert L. Caslen, Jr. served the US Army for over 43 years and served as Superintendent at the US Military Academy at West Point. Psychologist Dr. Michael D. Matthews is a Professor of Engineering Psychology at West Point who has focused on the psychology of character for years. Together they witnessed firsthand that raw talent is not enough to stand on its own; successful leadership relies on the critical foundation of a strong character. In The Character Edge they leverage their perspectives to offer an empowering, story-driven argument—backed by the latest scientific research—that character is vital to success. They give readers the tools to build and sustain character in themselves and their organizations by testing readers' strengths of the gut, head and heart and teaching how to build trust and nurture the seeds of character.

On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, ending the practice of segregating the military services by race. That same year, the Army allowed women to join the services on an equal basis with men. Both of these steps preceded the larger societal changes that allowed fully equal treatment of all types of American citizens in military service. Just over 2 years ago, Congress repealed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, allowing for gays and lesbians to openly take their place in the military. Our procedures and policies for successful gender integration have grown and evolved. The authors share five principles for leaders and commanders on the prevention of sexual harassment and assault, as well as associated "Tips" for implementation: Leaders identify and break chains of circumstance; Education is preferable to litigation; What's electronic is public; Don't ignore pornography; and, Unit climate is the commander's responsibility. These principles and their associated tips are not panaceas, and these recommendations are submitted for discussion and feedback.

In Mia Noona Mia Momma and Me Robert L. Caslen, Sr. sets out to describe his life growing up with parents and relatives utilizing the wonderful occasions where family and friends appreciated and loved one another using food as the medicine of togetherness. The center of this family history is the "table." Caslen is a food connoisseur of his own making and necessity. He became interested in food preparation at age of ten when he watched his Noona Contino and Mother Rose cooked meals for their families. He dabbled with meal preparation while teacher and school principal serving "hot lunches." In 1968, Caslen and his wife purchased an Inn at the Jay Peak ski area located in Jay, Vermont. Their chef quit during their second season thus making Roberto the "cook." Many errors occurred and much was learned. He later took the position of Food and Beverage Manager of the Jay Peak Ski Area. They sold the Inn twelve years later and located in Mashpee, Massachusetts in Cape Cod. They opened a small cafe called Roberto's Quiche & Chowder House and the restaurant at the Falmouth Playhouse. The Quiche House won the Best Chowder contest held annually in Hayannis, Massachusetts. Roberto was selected to become a member of the Escoffier Society of Boston. Mia Noona Mia Momma features 200 recipes with an strong emphasis on Italian cooking. Many of the recipes are based on old family recipes. Many others have been adapted or devised by Caslen during his long cooking career.