Michael Wyly
Encyclopedia
Michael Duncan Wyly is a retired U.S. Marine
Colonel
. In 1979, Colonel Wyly was head of tactics at the Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) where he, with John Boyd
, introduced maneuver warfare
.
, Annapolis, in 1958 and graduated in 1962 as Second Lieutenant of Marines. He served as Jim Webb
's company commander in the Vietnam War
. He co-wrote the Maneuver Warfare Handbook for the Marine Corps with William Lind.
school is seen as unusual for a former Marine and has been the subject of articles in the Wall Street Journal, and the Christian Science Monitor.
Ricks goes on to quote Wyly "We must be willing to realize that our real enemy is as likely to appear within our own borders as without." He (Wyly) then took swipes at the two fundamental principles of U.S. military professionalism: unwavering subordination to civilian control and nonparticipation in politics. Ricks then quotes Wyly from a later article: "If our laws and self-image of our role as military professionals do not allow for [the recognition that the real enemy may be within] we need to change them." Ricks writes " Wyly raised the possibility that the Marines would refuse to enforce certain laws. Specifically, if Congress were to restrict gun ownership, then Marines would need to understand that "enforcing such a restriction could quickly make us the enemy of constitutional freedom."
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. In 1979, Colonel Wyly was head of tactics at the Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) where he, with John Boyd
John Boyd (military strategist)
Colonel John Boyd was a United States Air Force fighter pilot and Pentagon consultant of the late 20th century, whose theories have been highly influential in the military, sports, and business.-Biography:...
, introduced maneuver warfare
Maneuver warfare
Maneuver warfare, or manoeuvre warfare , is the term used by military theorists for a concept of warfare that advocates attempting to defeat an adversary by incapacitating their decision-making through shock and disruption brought about by movement...
.
Military service
Wyly enlisted as a Marine private in 1957. He entered the U.S. Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, Annapolis, in 1958 and graduated in 1962 as Second Lieutenant of Marines. He served as Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
's company commander in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. He co-wrote the Maneuver Warfare Handbook for the Marine Corps with William Lind.
Ballet
He is currently Executive Director of Bossov Ballet Theatre, a non-profit ballet company in Pittsfield, Maine. Wyly's role as director of a BalletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
school is seen as unusual for a former Marine and has been the subject of articles in the Wall Street Journal, and the Christian Science Monitor.
Criticism
Wyly's views were criticized in a July 1997 Atlantic Monthly article "The Widening Gap Between the Military and Society" by Thomas E. Ricks. "It is one matter to acknowledge that much in American society today is deserving of contempt. It is another matter to propose that the role of the U.S. military -- especially an all-volunteer professional military oriented toward conservative Republicanism -- is to fix those problems. Yet that is what some are doing." Ricks then quotes Wyly from the March, 1995, issue of the Marine Corps Gazette. "It is no longer enough for Marines to 'reflect' the society they defend, They must lead it, not politically but culturally. For it is the culture we are defending."Ricks goes on to quote Wyly "We must be willing to realize that our real enemy is as likely to appear within our own borders as without." He (Wyly) then took swipes at the two fundamental principles of U.S. military professionalism: unwavering subordination to civilian control and nonparticipation in politics. Ricks then quotes Wyly from a later article: "If our laws and self-image of our role as military professionals do not allow for [the recognition that the real enemy may be within] we need to change them." Ricks writes " Wyly raised the possibility that the Marines would refuse to enforce certain laws. Specifically, if Congress were to restrict gun ownership, then Marines would need to understand that "enforcing such a restriction could quickly make us the enemy of constitutional freedom."