Wayne Michael hall - 1969 Honor AlumHistory
Learning; performing under pressure; learning how to lead learning sessions; learning from great scholars; and thinking -- learning to start thinking about thinking (metacognition) even though I didn't know the word way back then.
I was drafted in 1969, graduated from Officer Candidate School, liked the Army, and went on to make General Officer, as a Brigadier General. My military career spanned 30 years. I was the senior intelligence officer in one infantry battalion (1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS), two infantry brigades (2d Infantry Division, Republic of Korea, and 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, KS), and one airborne infantry division (82d Airborne Division). I was the 4th Infantry Division Plans Officer, Fort Carson CO. I commanded the military intelligence battalion in the 82d Airborne Division from 1989-1991, and a military intelligence brigade in the Republic of Korea from 1994-1996. I participated in Operation Golden Pheasant in Honduras in 1988 as the 82d Airborne Division G2; Just Cause in Panama in 1989 as the 82d Airborne Division Military Intelligence Battalion Commander, and; in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm from 1990-1991 as the 82d Airborne Division Military Intelligence Battalion Commander. As a General Officer, I was the J2 (Joint and Combined intelligence officer) for US Forces Korea/Deputy C2 for two years from 1996-1998. From 1998-1999, I led a study for the Chief of Staff of the Army on the future of Army Military Intelligence. I am a Senior Parachutist, and I earned and proudly wear the Army’s Ranger Tab.
After retirement, Brigadier General Hall worked as an author, consultant, and advanced analysis seminar leader. As a consultant, he provided both the government and private sectors with assistance in applying and expanding intelligence analysis, and now, understanding the phenomenon of “will.” Along with providing advice to firms and government organizations on intelligence issues, I provided red teaming and “devil’s advocate” services in addition to direct consulting and seminar services. Also, within my realm of expertise I have been a consultant in intelligence experimentation, future conflict, counter insurgency warfare, counter IED explorations, and developing new ideas about working with the continuous flow of data, information, and knowledge and then forming conclusions and recommendations. My concepts involving knowledge advantage centers and virtual knowledge environments allow people to use data for advantage while sifting through the huge flow of data that exists in today’s world. To this day, I provide virtual mentorship to individuals as they plan for their personal and professional lives; and, I have helped some graduate students with their thinking and writing. From 2008-2014, I led ~ 52 two-week advanced analysis seminars, of my design, on my analysis book, helping ~ 1250 analysts of all Services learn how to think about and implement a system of thought fostering higher-level thinking.
Brigadier General Hall’s academic credentials: Bachelor of Science in history from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Science in Adult Education from Kansas State University, a Master of Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and an Ed.D. in Adult Education from George Washington University. He attended the Army’s CGSC, School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), and the National War College.
Brigadier General Hall authored four books: Stray Voltage War in The Information Age (Naval Institute Press, 2003), Intelligence Analysis—How to Think in Complex Environments (Praeger Security International (PSI), 2009), Intelligence Collection—How To Plan and Execute Collection Operations in Complex Environments (PSI, 2012), and—The Power of Will in International Conflict How to Think Critically in Complex Environments (PSI, 2018).
After retirement, Brigadier General Hall worked as an author, consultant, and advanced analysis seminar leader. As a consultant, he provided both the government and private sectors with assistance in applying and expanding intelligence analysis, and now, understanding the phenomenon of “will.” Along with providing advice to firms and government organizations on intelligence issues, I provided red teaming and “devil’s advocate” services in addition to direct consulting and seminar services. Also, within my realm of expertise I have been a consultant in intelligence experimentation, future conflict, counter insurgency warfare, counter IED explorations, and developing new ideas about working with the continuous flow of data, information, and knowledge and then forming conclusions and recommendations. My concepts involving knowledge advantage centers and virtual knowledge environments allow people to use data for advantage while sifting through the huge flow of data that exists in today’s world. To this day, I provide virtual mentorship to individuals as they plan for their personal and professional lives; and, I have helped some graduate students with their thinking and writing. From 2008-2014, I led ~ 52 two-week advanced analysis seminars, of my design, on my analysis book, helping ~ 1250 analysts of all Services learn how to think about and implement a system of thought fostering higher-level thinking.
Brigadier General Hall’s academic credentials: Bachelor of Science in history from the University of Nebraska, a Master of Science in Adult Education from Kansas State University, a Master of Military Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and an Ed.D. in Adult Education from George Washington University. He attended the Army’s CGSC, School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS), and the National War College.
Brigadier General Hall authored four books: Stray Voltage War in The Information Age (Naval Institute Press, 2003), Intelligence Analysis—How to Think in Complex Environments (Praeger Security International (PSI), 2009), Intelligence Collection—How To Plan and Execute Collection Operations in Complex Environments (PSI, 2012), and—The Power of Will in International Conflict How to Think Critically in Complex Environments (PSI, 2018).
UNL set the stage for my life. It was a great preparatory four years that enabled my success in life. I went on to jump out of airplanes, to be a proud graduate of the Army's Ranger School, and to perform in difficult, dangerous, and extreme conditions, even when I was fearful. For example, UNL forced me to learn how to stand in front of people and present classes even though apprehensive—this overcoming of personal fear enabled me to overcome later fears and do things, difficult things in Army training and war. I remain a devoted Cornhusker football fan -- Go Big Red.
- Don’t be afraid to ‘disturb the universe’ with your ideas and actions.
- Always answer and then revisit – Have I lived a life worth living?
- Believe in the conjoining of the past, present, and future.
- Deep thinking matters and through the purposeful, challenging use of the intellect, homo sapiens can shape, protect, serve, and save humanity. Although machines have their place in the process, the human mind is and always shall be uniquely superior to machines in creative thinking, dream states, visions, perspectives, and imaginative capabilities compared to artificial intelligence—machines.
- Always answer and then revisit – Have I lived a life worth living?
- Believe in the conjoining of the past, present, and future.
- Deep thinking matters and through the purposeful, challenging use of the intellect, homo sapiens can shape, protect, serve, and save humanity. Although machines have their place in the process, the human mind is and always shall be uniquely superior to machines in creative thinking, dream states, visions, perspectives, and imaginative capabilities compared to artificial intelligence—machines.
