In this opinion essay for The New York Times, Elliot Ackerman examines the COVID-19 pandemic as a test of wartime leadership, truth-telling, and national resolve.
Drawing on his experience as a Marine officer before the Battle of Falluja, Ackerman compares the spread of fear during combat to the fear spreading across America during the coronavirus crisis.
Leadership in a Time of Fear
Ackerman argues that the antidote to fear is leadership rooted in honesty, competence, and confidence in the people being led.
COVID-19 and Wartime Truth
The essay critiques false optimism and rosy timelines, warning that crisis leaders must tell the truth about hardship rather than offer promises that collapse into despair.
Falluja, Resilience, and National Purpose
At its center, the piece connects military leadership to civic leadership, emphasizing that Americans can endure difficult trials when leaders speak clearly and call them to shared purpose.