battle staff essay

The Lightning Press SMARTbooks

Javascript & Cookies

Many features on our site require Javascript & Cookies. Please make sure these are both enabled in your browser settings.

1-800-997-8827 Customer Service and Quotes

• Subscriptions

Your cart is empty

Number Of Books

International.

Domestic Shipping (US & APO/FPO/DPO)

Economy/Saver Shipping (5-20 Days)

Expedited shipping (2-5 Days)

Shipping to Canada Rates

Economy/Saver Shipping (5-11 Days)

Expedited shipping (3-6 Days)

Global Shipping Rates

Economy/Saver Shipping (9-20 Days)

Expedited shipping (4-10 Days)

Processing & Handling

Start reading sooner. Just $10 for RUSH processing & handling. Learn more

RUSH Handling (+$10)

• All Books (Purchase/Order)
• Discount SMARTsets
• Military Reference: Multi-Service & Specialty
• Military Reference: Joint & Service-Level
• Joint Strategic, Interagency, & National Security
• Threat, OPFOR, Regional & Cultural
• Homeland Defense, DSCA, Disaster & National Response
• SMARTupdates (Keep your SMARTbooks up-to-date!)

Books in Development

Digital smartbooks.

• Digital FAQs & Help (Adobe Digital Editions)
• SMARTupdates, Changes, and Revisions
• SMARTnews Blog
• SMARTregister
• SMARTleader Program
• Join the Mailing List
• Government Sales
• Quote and Pro Forma Invoices
• Shipping and Handling
• SMARTbook Payment/Order Options
• About SMARTbooks
• About The Lightning Press
• Contributing Authors
• Author/Book Submissions
• Reseller Inquiries
• Reader Comments
• SMARTbook Design, Composition & Production Services

Remember to check out our Digital/Ebooks tab for Immediate Download!

*product page, military reference: multi-service & specialty.

BSS7: The Battle Staff SMARTbook, 7th Ed.

SUTS3: The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, 3rd Ed.

TLS7: The Leader’s SMARTbook, 7th Ed.

SMFLS5: The Sustainment & Multifunctional Logistics SMARTbook, 5th Ed.

TAA2: The Military Engagement, Security Cooperation & Stability SMARTbook, 2nd Ed. (w/Change 1)

Military reference: service-level.

AODS7: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 7th Ed.

MAGTF: The MAGTF Operations & Planning SMARTbook

MEU3: The Marine Expeditionary Unit SMARTbook, 3rd Ed.

The Naval Operations & Planning SMARTbook

AFOPS2: The Air Force Operations & Planning SMARTbook, 2nd Ed.

Joint, Strategic, Interagency, & National Security

JFODS6: The Joint Forces Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 6th Ed.

Joint/Interagency SMARTbook 1 – Joint Strategic & Operational Planning, 3rd Ed.

INFO2 SMARTbook: Information Advantage

CYBER1-1: The Cyberspace Operations & Electronic Warfare SMARTbook (w/SMARTupdate 1)

CTS1: The Counterterrorism, WMD & Hybrid Threat SMARTbook

Threat, OPFOR, Regional & Cultural

OPFOR SMARTbook 1 - Chinese Military

OPFOR SMARTbook 2 - North Korean Military

OPFOR SMARTbook 3 - Red Team Army, 2nd Ed.

OPFOR SMARTbook 4 - Iran & the Middle East

OPFOR SMARTbook 5 - Irregular & Hybrid Threat

Homeland Defense, DSCA, & Disaster Response

HDS1: The Homeland Defense & DSCA SMARTbook

Disaster Response SMARTbook 1 – Federal/National Disaster Response

Disaster Response SMARTbook 2 – Incident Command System (ICS)

Disaster Response SMARTbook 3 - Disaster Preparedness, 2nd Ed.

SMARTupdates

Change 1 (ADP 3-13/JP 3-04) SMARTupdate to INFO1

Change 1 (Aug ‘21) SMARTupdate to CYBER1

Change 1 (July 2019 ADPs) SMARTupdate to AODS6

Joint/Interagency SMARTbook 2 – Interagency Planning & Process

The ''WARFIGHTING'' SUPERset (7 books)

The ''ARMY'' SMARTset (5 books)

''Multidomain Operations'' Planner's SMARTset (2 books)

The ''OPFOR THREAT'' SMARTset (5 books)

The ''JOINT FORCES + JOINT/INTERAGENCY'' SMARTset (2 books)

The ''INFO + CYBER'' SMARTset (2 books)

The ''NAVY'' SMARTset (3 books)

The ''AIR FORCE'' SMARTset (3 books)

The ''MAGTF + MEU'' SMARTset (2 books)

The ''DISASTER RESPONSE'' SMARTset (3 books)

Paperback Edition

Price: $42.95 $36.95

Digital Edition (Adobe Digital Editions)

Price: $42.95 $29.95

Bundle & Save (Paperback + Digital)

Price: $85.90 $49.95

Planning & Conducting Multidomain Operations

BSS7: The Battle Staff SMARTbook, 7th Ed. is completely updated for 2023 to include FM 5-0 w/C1, Planning and Orders Production (2022); FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations (2022), FMs 1-02.1/.2, Military Terms & Symbols (2022); and more!

Focusing on planning and conducting multidomain operations (FM 3-0 Operations, 2022), BSS7 covers the operations process; commander and staff activities; the five Army planning methodologies - Army Design Methodology (ADM), Military Decison-making Process (MDMP), troop Leading Procedures (TLP), Rapid Decision-Making and Synchronization Process (RDSP), & Army Problem Solving; integrating processes (IPB, information collection, targeting, risk management, and knowledge management); plans and orders; mission command, C2 warfighting function tasks, command posts, liaison; rehearsals & after action reviews; and operational terms and military symbols.

The Army’s framework for organizing and putting command and control into action is the operations process —the major command and control activities performed during operations: planning, preparing, executing, and continuously assessing the operation. Commanders use the operations process to drive the conceptual and detailed planning necessary to understand their operational environment (OE); visualize and describe the operation’s end state and operational approach; make and articulate decisions; and direct, lead, and assess operations.

Commanders, staffs, and subordinate headquarters employ the operations process to organize efforts, integrate the warfighting functions across multiple domains , and synchronize forces to accomplish missions. This includes integrating numerous processes and activities within the headquarters and with higher, subordinate, supporting, and supported units. Key integrating processes that occur throughout the operations process include intelligence preparation of the battlefield, information collection, targeting, risk management, and knowledge management.

Planning requires the integration of both conceptual thinking and detailed analysis. Army leaders employ several methodologies for planning, determining the appropriate mix based on the scope and understanding of the problem, time available, and availability of a staff . Army planning methodologies include the Army design methodology (ADM), military decision-making process (MDMP), Troop leading procedures (TLP), rapid decision-making and synchronization process (RDSP),and Army problem solving.

Commanders and staffs integrate the warfighting functions and synchronize the force to adapt to changing circumstances throughout the operations process. They use several integrating processes to do this. An integrating process consists of a series of steps that incorporate multiple disciplines to achieve a specific end. For example, during planning, the military decision-making process (MDMP) integrates the commander and staff in a series of steps to produce a plan or order. Key integrating processes that occur throughout the operations process include i ntelligence preparation of the battlefield, information collection, targeting, risk management, and knowledge management .

Note: BSS7: The Battle Staff SMARTbook, 7th Ed. is designed specifically to work hand-in-hand as a planner’s companion guide to AODS7: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook (Multidomain Operations), with specific page references that lead to expanded content pertinent to understanding multidomain operations from FM 3-0. Save $14.90 when you order both together (bundle the print and digital versions together and save $74.80 )! Read more here: https://www.thelightningpress.com/bookstore/smartset/multidomain-ops-planning-set-2-books/

Related Books

Discount sets with this book

Planning & Conducting Tactical Operations

SUTS3: The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, 3rd Ed. is the third revised edition of The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook, completely updated for 2019 to include ADP 3-90 Offense and Defense (Jul ‘19), FM 3-0 Operations w/Change 1 (Dec ‘17), FMs 3-90-1 & -2 (May ‘13), ATP 3-21.8 Infantry Platoon and Squad (Apr ‘16), ATP 3-21.10 Infantry Rifle Company (May ‘18), TC 3-21-76 The Ranger Handbook (Apr ‘17), and the latest versions of more than 20 additional references. SUTS3 also features a return of our premium GBC plastic-comb binding for a true open-flat reference experience!

At 344-pages, chapters and topics include tactical mission fundamentals, the offense, the defense, stability and counterinsurgency operations, tactical enabling tasks (security, reconnaissance, relief in place, passage of lines, encirclement, and troop movement), special purpose attacks (ambush and raid), urban and regional environments (urban, fortified areas, desert, cold region, mountain, and jungle operations), patrols and patrolling.

Tactics is the employment and ordered arrangement of forces in relation to each other. Through tactics, commanders use combat power to accomplish missions. The tactical-level commander uses combat power in battles, engagements, and small-unit actions .

The nature of close combat in land operations is unique. Combatants routinely come face-to-face with one another in large numbers in a wide variety of operational environments comprising all types of terrain. When other means fail to drive enemy forces from their positions, forces close with and destroy or capture them.

Offensive actions are combat operations conducted to defeat and destroy enemy forces and seize terrain, resources, and population centers. They impose the commander’s will on the enemy. A commander may also conduct offensive actions to deprive the enemy of resources, seize decisive terrain, deceive or divert the enemy, develop intelligence, or hold an enemy in position. The four primary offensive tasks are movement to contact, attack, exploitation, and pursuit.

A defensive task is a task conducted to defeat an enemy attack, gain time, economize forces, and develop conditions favorable for offensive or stability tasks. Although on the defense, the commander remains alert for opportunities to attack the enemy. A defending force does not wait passively to be attacked, aggressively seeking ways of attriting and weakening enemy forces before close combat begins. There are three basic defensive tasks —area defense, mobile defense, and retrograde.

The Small Unit Tactics SMARTbook translates and bridges operational-level doctrine into tactical application -- in the form of tactics, techniques and procedures -- and provides the “how to” at the small-unit level as a ready reference at the battalion, company, platoon, squad and fire team level.

Leadership as a Dynamic of Combat Power

TLS7 is the seventh edition of The Leader’s SMARTbook, completely updated for 2023. TLS7 focuses on gaining the human advantage and leadership as a dynamic of combat power (FM 3-0, 2022), developing leaders, and training, the most important thing the Army does to prepare for operations. Topics and chapters include Army leadership and the profession (ADP 7-0); developing leaders (FM 6-22); counseling, coaching, and mentoring (ATP 6-22.1); Army team building (ATP 6-22.6); training to fight and win (ADP 7-0 / FM 7-0 / FM 7-22); planning & preparation: training guidance, meetings, schedules, briefs; executing training events and exercises, holistic health & fitness (H2F); training evaluations, assessments, and after action reviews.

Combat power is the total means of destructive and disruptive force that a military unit/formation can apply against an enemy at a given time. It is the ability to fight.

Leadership is the most essential dynamic of combat power. Leadership is the activity of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization.

The human dimension encompasses people and the interaction between individuals and groups, how they understand information and events, make decisions, generate will, and act within an operational environment. A human advantage occurs when a force holds the initiative in terms of training, morale, perception, and will.

Today’s Army demands trained and ready units with agile, proficient leaders . Army leaders are the competitive advantage the Army possesses that neither technology nor advanced weaponry and platforms can replace. Developing leaders is a complex and complicated undertaking because it is primarily a human endeavor—requiring constant involvement, assessment, and refinement.

The Army relies on effective teams to perform tasks, achieve objectives, and accomplish missions. Building and maintaining teams that operate effectively is essential. Team building is a continuous process of enabling a group of people to reach their goals and improve their effectiveness through leadership and various exercises, activities, and techniques.

The Army trains to fight and win —it is what we do in order to preserve the peace and to decisively defeat our enemies. We do this through challenging, relevant, and realistic training performed to the highest standards. The Army trains the way it operates. It does this by replicating in training how we expect to fight,closing the gap between operations and training.

To do this, the Army trains by developing proficiencies in mission-essential tasks, weapon systems, and the effective integration and employment of both. These components of training readiness provide the backbone to the development of unit readiness—the Army’s first priority .

Guide to Operational & Tactical Level Sustainment

SMFLS5:The Sustainment & Multifunctional Logistics SMARTbook, 5th Ed. has been completely updated for 2021. At 368 pages, SMFLS5 topics and references include the sustainment warfighting function (ADP 4-0); sustainment operations (FM 4-0), sustainment execution (logistics, financial management, personnel services, & health services support); sustainment planning; brigade support (ATP 4-90, Brigade Support Bn); division, corps & field army sustainment (ATP 4-93, Sustainment Brigade); theater support (ATP 4-94, Theater Support Command); joint logistics (JP 4-0); deployment & redeployment (ATP/JP 3-35); and more than a dozen additional new/updated Army sustainment references.

The sustainment warfighting function is the related tasks and systems that provide support and services to ensure freedom of action, extended operational reach, and prolong endurance. Sustainment determines the depth and duration of Army operations. Successful sustainment enables freedom of action by increasing the number of options available to the commander. Sustainment is essential for retaining and exploiting the initiative. The sustainment warfighting function consists of four elements: logistics, financial management, personnel services and health service support.

Sustainment is essential for conducting operations and generating combat power as the Army performs its strategic roles . Sustainment provides the operational commander freedom of action, operational reach, and prolonged endurance necessary to shape operational environments, prevent conflict, prevail in large-scale ground combat operations, and consolidate gains.

The effectiveness of the sustainment warfighting function is dependent upon actions of units and staffs at the operational and tactical levels . Execution is putting a plan into action by applying combat power to accomplish the mission. It focuses on actions to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. Sustainment determines the depth and duration of Army operations. It is essential to retaining and exploiting the initiative and it provides the support necessary to maintain operations until mission accomplishment. Failure to provide sustainment could cause a pause or culmination of an operation resulting in the loss of the initiative.

UPGRADE / CONVERT this book to premium GBC Plastic-Comb binding!

• Select to upgrade
• GBC Plastic-Comb (+$3)

Train, Advise, & Assist

TAA2: The Military Engagement, Security Cooperation & Stability SMARTbook (with Change 1*) is the re-titled and re-focused second edition of The Stability, Peace & Counterinsurgency SMARTbook. Topics and references include the Range of Military Operations (JP 3-0); Train, Advise & Assist (SFA/FID/IDAD/HN/FSF); Stability Operations (JP & ADRP 3-07); Peace Operations (JP & FM 3-07.3); Counterinsurgency Operations (JP & FM 3-24); Civil-Military Operations (JP 3-57); Multinational Operations (JP 3-16); and Interorganizational Cooperation (JP 3-08).

* Change 1 to TAA2 (Sept 2017) incorporates new material and text edits from JP 3-0 (Jan 2017), JP 3-07 (Aug 2016), JP 3-20 (May 2017), JDN 1-3 (Apr 2013), and JP 3-08 (Oct 2016). An asterisk marks changed pages.

In the complex, dynamic operational environments of the 21st century , significant challenges to sustainable peace and security exist. Sources of instability that push parties toward violence include religious fanaticism, global competition for resources, climate change, residual territorial claims, ideology, ethnic tension, elitism, greed, and the desire for power. These factors create belts of state fragility and instability that threaten U.S. national security.

Throughout U.S. history, U.S. forces have learned that military force alone cannot secure sustainable peace. U.S. forces can only achieve sustainable peace through a comprehensive approach in which military objectives nest in a larger cooperative effort of the departments and agencies of the U.S. Government, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, multinational partners, the private sector, and the host nation.

Military engagement, security cooperation, and stability missions, tasks, and actions encompass a wide range of actions where the military instrument of national power is tasked to support OGAs and cooperate with IGOs (e.g., UN, NATO) and other countries to protect and enhance national security interests, deter conflict, and set conditions for future contingency operations.

Use of joint capabilities in these and related activities such as Security Force Assistance and Foreign Internal Defense helps shape the operational environment and keep the day-to-day tensions between nations or groups below the threshold of armed conflict while maintaining US global influence.

Stability operations are various military missions, tasks, and activities conducted outside the US in coordination with other instruments of national power to maintain or reestablish a safe and secure environment, provide essential governmental services, emergency infrastructure reconstruction, and humanitarian relief.

Peace Operations are crisis response and limited contingency operations conducted by a combination of military forces and nonmilitary organizations to contain conflict, redress the peace, and shape the environment to support reconciliation and rebuilding and to facilitate the transition to legitimate governance.

A counterinsurgency campaign is a mix of offensive, defensive, and stability operations conducted along multiple lines of operations. It requires military forces to employ a mix of familiar combat tasks and skills more often associated with nonmilitary agencies and to be nation builders as well as warriors.

Civil-military operations are a primary military instrument to synchronize military and nonmilitary instruments of national power, particularly in support of stability, counterinsurgency and other operations dealing with asymmetric and irregular threats.

Best Military Books On Leadership, Strategy & Tactics

Download our signed 889 v5 Representation Form on file, or we can complete an alternate version.

SMARTbook Catalog

Download and print the latest SMARTbook catalog!

Download PDF Catalog

In addition to paperback, SMARTbooks are also available in digital (eBook) format. Our digital SMARTbooks are for use with Adobe Digital Editions and can be transferred to up to six computers and six devices with free software available for 85+ devices and platforms.

SMARTnews Email List

Join our SMARTnews mailing list to receive free email notification of new titles, updates, revisions, doctrinal changes, and member-only discounts to our SMARTbooks!

Contact and Support Information

• Customer Service and Quotes: 863-409-8084 (Mon-Fri 0800-1700 EST) or 1-800-997-8827 (24-hour voicemail)
• Email: [email protected]
• SMARTnews: Signup for the latest news and releases
• SMARTupdates: Signup to keep up to date on updates and revisions

Copyright © 2024 Norman M. Wade, The Lightning Press Website Development and Management by thirteen05 creative

• Military Reference Categories/Books
• National Power Categories/Books
• Reader Support

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Become an FT subscriber

Try unlimited access Only $1 for 4 weeks

Then $75 per month. Complete digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Cancel anytime during your trial.

• Global news & analysis
• Expert opinion
• Special features
• FirstFT newsletter
• Videos & Podcasts
• Android & iOS app
• FT Edit app
• 10 gift articles per month

Explore more offers.

Standard digital.

• FT Digital Edition

Premium Digital

Print + premium digital, weekend print + standard digital, weekend print + premium digital.

Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• Global news & analysis
• Exclusive FT analysis
• FT App on Android & iOS
• FirstFT: the day's biggest stories
• 20+ curated newsletters
• Follow topics & set alerts with myFT
• FT Videos & Podcasts
• 20 monthly gift articles to share
• Lex: FT's flagship investment column
• 15+ Premium newsletters by leading experts
• FT Digital Edition: our digitised print edition
• Weekday Print Edition
• Videos & Podcasts
• Premium newsletters
• 10 additional gift articles per month
• FT Weekend Print delivery
• Everything in Standard Digital
• Everything in Premium Digital

Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.

• 10 monthly gift articles to share
• Everything in Print

Terms & Conditions apply

Explore our full range of subscriptions.

Why the ft.

See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times.

International Edition

• SI SWIMSUIT
• SI SPORTSBOOK
• Other Sports
• Basketball Scores

UNC Basketball Staff Loses Transfer Battle to John Calipari

Cam robertson | may 6, 2024.

• North Carolina Tar Heels

While much of the focus has been on landing the eventual replacement for the program’s all-time rebounder in Armando Bacot, UNC basketball has still been involved with and actively pursuing other variations of transfers.

One of those includes Belmont transfer Cade Tyson, who committed to play for the Tar Heels and currently remains the only 2024 transfer to pledge their services to head coach Hubert Davis and UNC.

RELATED: Inbound Tar Heel Heading to UNC Ahead of Schedule

But another major target for the Heels came in the form of Adou Thiero, a Kentucky transfer who looked to be a potential perfect fit in replacing the production of former Tar Heel Harrison Ingram after he declared for the upcoming NBA Draft.

UNC was heavily involved with Thiero. The Tar Heels appeared on his list of top five programs. Plus, Davis and the UNC staff flew to the Bluegrass State to conduct a private meeting with the former Wildcat.

But on Monday, over a month after he entered his name into the transfer portal, Thiero announced his commitment to play for Arkansas and his old coach, John Calipari. The 6-foot-8 forward chose the Razorbacks over UNC, Indiana, Pittsburgh, and a return to Kentucky.

BREAKING: Kentucky transfer forward Adou Thiero has committed to Arkansas and John Calipari, he tells @On3sports . The 6-8 sophomore averaged 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season. https://t.co/O0tO13Wi8G pic.twitter.com/USc4HrcJwF — Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 6, 2024

Interestingly enough, Thiero entered his name into the transfer portal before Calipari officially left his job with the Wildcats for the same position at Arkansas. At one point, it looked as if it was a two-horse race between UNC and conference foe Pitt, but Thiero ultimately will play a third season under his old coach.

Thiero’s decision marks yet another swing and a miss for the Tar Heels, who have continued to struggle in their pursuit of landing a frontcourt transfer. Again, outside of Tyson, UNC has yet to welcome any other transfers for next season, although all indications point to the Tar Heels going back to the drawing board .

On the bright side, the Tar Heels are still set to boast one of the best rosters in the nation next season, with the return of RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, Jae’Lyn Withers, Jalen Washington, Zayden High, and Seth Trimble alongside the newcomers in Tyson and a heralded three-deep recruiting class.

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI for more UNC basketball news.

CAM ROBERTSON

Why conservative media is suddenly turning on Kristi Noem

The Trump-era right wing has proved it will put up with plenty — until it decides you’re a political liability.

When South Dakota Gov. Kristi L. Noem (R) sat down with Fox News last week amid a growing tempest over her killing her dog, Sean Hannity gave her the softballs-in-a-storm treatment often reserved for Donald Trump .

Hannity mused that perhaps there wasn’t really a difference between Noem shooting her own dog and having someone else euthanize it. He whatabout-ed by pointing to President Biden’s dog biting Secret Service agents, and posited about aggressive dogs: “It’s a sad thing to do, but at some point, doesn’t it become the responsible thing to?”

On Monday night, Newsmax host Eric Bolling offered an even more ham-handed attempt to explain it all away. He offered that perhaps the inclusion of the dog story in Noem’s book and an apparently false anecdote about meeting Kim Jong Un were the work of a “ liberal plant ” book editor. (Noem assured him that these were her own words.)

Something has happened since then, though. Conservative media has begun to turn on Noem, actually grilling her over her book and even ridiculing her.

Why? It’s pretty evident, and it’s the same reason conservative media and the GOP often turn on their own after putting up with plenty: She’s become a perceived liability for the brand.

By Tuesday morning, Newsmax was giving Noem a very different treatment . A host told Noem he didn’t think she was in the mix for Trump’s running mate anymore. (“Really? And why is that?” Noem responded.) He suggested Noem’s brazen effort to not actually deny meeting Kim would continue to haunt her.

Fox Business host Stuart Varney an hour later peppered Noem with five questions about whether Noem had broached the dog story with Trump. “Enough, Stuart,” an exasperated Noem responded. “This interview is ridiculous — what you are doing right now. So you need to stop.”

Noem suggested they talk about other issues, but Varney said they were out of time. “Oh, well of course we are,” Noem responded sarcastically.

By Tuesday night, with plenty of people asking why Noem was still talking, she finally canceled a Fox News interview (citing bad weather).

Clearly irked by the late cancellation, hosts Greg Gutfeld and Dana Perino proceeded to roast Noem by having Perino do the interview as the governor. They pointed to how Noem, despite insisting she had just learned of problems with her book, had previously recorded it as an audio book .

“I said some words that were written about me, and they were in a certain order of — they call them sentences,” deadpanned Perino-as-Noem. “And so I read those aloud. I don’t know if that means I’ve read the book.”

Perino-as-Noem added: “A little known fact: Another one of my dogs, his name was Ghost Writer. And I killed him this morning.”

It’s all quite an un-conservative media thing to do in the Trump era. Fox and Newsmax hosts have become studied at trying to explain away Republican controversy as the work of nefarious and censorious political opponents — as they initially tried to do with Noem. Why would they suddenly take issue with Noem telling an apparent falsehood about meeting with Kim, after years of ignoring Trump’s own penchant for saying oodles of bizarre and false things ? (Trump has uttered several false statements specifically about Kim , in fact.)

The answer is that conservative media and the GOP can ignore and try to cover for plenty — until they decide you’ve become a problem for the red team.

Former congressman Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) was accused of multiple instances of misconduct from his college days, told multiple falsehoods about his biography and faced repeated driving and gun infractions. But his party didn’t set about taking him out in a 2022 primary until he did a podcast interview in which he claimed a fellow lawmaker invited him to an “orgy” and accused Republicans in Washington of using cocaine . Republicans expressed concern that his problems were suddenly becoming their problems .

Indicted former congressman George Santos (R-N.Y.) was allowed to stick around for months despite his abundant legal and ethical problems and telling an even more remarkable number of lies about his own bio. A big apparent reason for his ultimate expulsion: Multiple vulnerable New York Republicans worried he would compromise their own reelections .

Further back, Republicans put up with former congressman Steve King’s (R-Iowa) controversial and even racist remarks for years before deciding to turn against him in 2019 for well-publicized remarks about white nationalism to the New York Times. An Iowa GOP strategist explained at the time that King had become “ the largest in-kind contribution Nancy Pelosi’s received . … It’s untenable for our candidates to have to answer for someone like that.”

And more recently, we’ve seen some on the right begin to cast a more skeptical eye on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) . This is not because she has espoused bizarre conspiracy theories or unapologetically appeared at a conference hosted by a white nationalist , but because they appear to worry that her attempted ouster of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and her Russia apologia are hurting the party’s 2024 prospects.

“She is dragging our brand down,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said two weeks ago. “She — not the Democrats — are the biggest risk to us getting back to a majority.”

If you look closely at Noem’s increasingly contentious interviews on conservative media, you’ll see an acknowledgment that this is really about the same thing.

It seems to be sending a signal that it would be better for all involved for Noem to fade away, and certainly that Trump should think twice about putting her on the ticket.

“I’m not sure anybody supports you on shooting the dog,” Varney told Noem, adding: “We’ve been consumed with emails saying, ‘I won’t vote for this person. I won’t vote for Trump if he puts her in the vice-presidential spot.’ ”

Newsmax host Rob Finnerty had said an hour earlier: “I’m not deliberately trying to be adversarial. I just — Donald Trump winning in November is very important.”

Michigan editor who chronicled Ottawa Co. upheaval fired after trying to staff 'ghost' papers

A west Michigan newspaper editor who earned kudos for her blow-by-blow coverage of Ottawa County government’s takeover by right-wing activists last year said she has been fired by her employer, Gannett Co.

The removal of Sarah Leach as group editor of the Holland Sentinel and two dozen other newspapers came after she vented to a journalist at the nonprofit media site Poynter that Gannett's promised hires for news positions had not materialized for months, as selected job candidates waited on offers. 

Without outing Leach, the Poynter reporter asked Gannett whether they had indeed “ paused” an initiative to restaff the company’s smallest daily papers , some of which had dwindled to just one or no local news reporters. 

Days later, Leach was summoned to a video call with her supervisor, accused of sharing proprietary info with a competitor and abruptly dismissed, she said. She suspects Gannett reviewed her emails internally to identify the leak. 

When asked about this, a company spokeswoman declined to comment on personnel matters. 

“I was asked, ‘Why did you do this?’ And I just stared at the screen for a long time because it was difficult to process what this moment was,” Leach recounted.

“I admitted that I had a phone call with this person, you know, because I am dying. I have been asking for resources, and I'm doing my best to try to serve these communities to the best of my ability, and I feel like I can't. … Then I was informed that was my last day.”

Leach oversaw news operations at the Holland Sentinel and 25 other newspapers across four states — 15 in Michigan, eight in Wisconsin, two in South Dakota and one in Minnesota — the largest group within Gannett’s Center for Community Journalism division. 

She handled budgeting, hiring, goal-setting and managed overtime. Short-staffed on local editors, she was also editing and managing reporters at three of the newspapers herself: the Daily Telegram in Adrian, the Hillsdale Daily News and the Monroe News. 

Gannett is a publicly traded company and the nation's largest newspaper publisher. It also owns the Detroit Free Press and manages the Detroit Media Partnership, which runs the combined business operations of the Free Press and The Detroit News. The News, however, is separately owned by MediaNews Group.

Leach's dismissal also comes as the Holland Sentinel, her home base, is covering what is probably one of the biggest local stories in the newspaper’s 127-year history — the rise of the conservative group Ottawa Impact, borne out of political ire over pandemic restrictions in Michigan’s fastest growing county, population 300,000.

In the 2022 election, members clinched a majority of the 11 seats on the county board of commissioners. Their reign over the last 16 months has left the local government in a state of upheaval and controversy , with the commissioners moving to oust top bureaucrats like the administrator and health officer, axing the DEI department and prompting five lawsuits against the county. 

Leach jumped in last January to help cover the crush of Ottawa Impact news when the Sentinel was down to just one full-time reporter. She soon became the face of the paper’s coverage, striving to explain to the community the unprecedented nature of the board’s sweeping new decisions and their potential effects. 

A trio of retired journalists in the community elevated Leach’s work for the Pulitzer Prize for local reporting last fall, with the nomination citing the 130-plus stories she’d written. The nomination letter also noted the Sentinel's subscriptions had surged 38% at that point in the year, making it the fastest-growing website in Gannett’s division for small newspapers. 

One significant obstacle noted by the nominating committee is that Ottawa Impact commissioners generally refuse to answer questions or be interviewed by mainstream news reporters, though Leach tried to fairly represent their views anyway, according to the committee. 

“More than any other journalist she has held our local elected officials accountable. We need her to preserve democracy in this town,” said Milt Nieuwsma, a retired journalist and author who was part of the nominating committee.

“It’s almost like David and Goliath battling it out against the Ottawa Impact people. What’s ironic is we’re starting to see the results of her work now a week after she’d been fired. If she’d won the Pulitzer, it would have even more ironic. ” 

Nieuwsma was referring to Tuesday’s recall election, in which Ottawa Commissioner Lucy Ebel, an Ottawa Impact Republican, lost to Democrat Chris Kleinjans by 20 percentage points, according to unofficial results. 

Greg DeJong, former chair of the county commission, said the work by Leach and the Sentinel to keep residents informed about Ottawa Impact’s “shenanigans” led to the public outrage that prompted Tuesday’s recall. DeJong, a Republican, lost his seat in Ottawa Impact’s 2022 takeover of the commission. 

“She absolutely tried her best to hold this new board accountable and get other people’s opinions and perspectives. Some people say she’s always beating up on Ottawa Impact, but she reached out to them time and time again,” DeJong said of Leach.    

“It makes me think who from Ottawa Impact got to those people (at Gannett) and made this happen? I scratch my head, thinking, did they get to one of the decision-makers? They had the clout to do it.”

'She tells the truth'

The commission’s new leadership has blasted Leach, with Chair Joe Moss on social media calling her coverage “lies from Leach” and the “epitome of Drive-by Media,” denigrating the Sentinel as a “radicalized left-wing rag.” Moss did not respond to a call from The News. 

Vice Chair Sylvia Rhodea has called the paper hyper-partisan and “fake news.”

“Truthful journalism is dead in Holland, Michigan,” Rhodea tweeted in March. 

Leach also has been criticized outside Ottawa Impact circles. The communications director for U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, a Holland Republican, said the congressman’s hometown paper hasn’t provided fair coverage over the years.

Brian Patrick said Leach has favored Democratic candidates and ignored substantive stories, including major legislation Huizenga passed in Congress and even the opening of his new district office down the street from the Sentinel last year after district lines changed. 

“She has done a disservice to the community in recent years by running a biased paper,” Patrick said. “Hopefully the Holland Sentinel can be restored and regain its title as a newspaper that serves and represents the entire community."

In response, Leach said the paper hasn’t heard from Huizenga in a long time. “It’s not like he advocates to have that connection with the paper,” she said.

Others praised Leach for “dogged” reporting. In November, she scooped , for example, that the county had made a $4 million settlement offer in exchange for the resignation of the health director and her deputy, following a year-long feud. A public outcry ensued.  

Leach recently was a runner-up for the Michigan Press Association's Michigan Journalist of the Year, and her reporting on Ottawa Impact won first place in the association’s public service award for small daily newspapers. 

“If Joe Moss were to talk to you, he’d be jumping up and down for joy that Sarah has been released from her duties,” said Field Reichardt of Grand Haven, a Republican and long-time Ottawa County resident who serves on the road commission.

“Her reporting has been comprehensive, highly detailed and balanced to the degree that it can be, considering the Ottawa Impact people won’t talk to her. She tells the truth, and she doesn’t exaggerate. She has had an amazing effect on attitudes and opinions. ”

Reichardt noted that local grassroots groups that formed in response to Ottawa Impact often shared Leach’s articles and acted on the information within.

“I think Sarah will continue to be a factor,” Reichardt said. “She is so respected that many people will be seeing what she’s writing, wherever that is.” 

Managing 'ghost' papers

Leach, 46, of Grand Haven spent 14 years at the Sentinel, taking over as the editor in chief in 2013. She still “fully supports” the staff of Holland's daily newspaper, calling them “very skilled” journalists. She stressed the paper is more than just its Ottawa Impact coverage.

“But we do have to have a conversation here about whether local journalism is being served adequately in these communities,” Leach said. “Community newspapers are being starved to death in a variety of ways, either for lack of interest from their ownership, or lack of commitment of resources. We have to find a better way.” 

With Gannett, she oversaw five “ghost” newsrooms with no news reporters for over a year, and other newsrooms with just one local news reporter, including seven papers in Michigan like the Battle Creek Enquirer.  

There are likely hundreds of ghost papers nationally with virtually no news staff or original reporting — that is, “newspapers in name only,” said Tim Franklin, senior associate dean at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and director of the Medill Local News Initiative. The school’s State of Local News project found newspapers closing at a pace of 10 a month last year.

Research has shown these low-information counties see turnout in local elections go down, the number of candidates seeking public office declining and one study even found corruption rising in these areas — all because the community doesn't have as much information about what's happening with few or no watchdogs “minding the store,” Franklin said.

Franklin applauded Gannett for investing in metropolitan newspapers such as the Indianapolis Star and the Arizona Republic, which are contributing the vast majority of revenue and profits for large media companies. But that leaves smaller community publishers, who are not the big moneymakers, “in a real bind,” he said. 

“They’re really scraping by,” Franklin said. 

Gannett has been shedding newspapers in the last year or two, so a possibility is some of these publications end up being acquired by local owners, investors or community foundations, which could be a net positive, Franklin said. 

“But if that happens, the concern is that some of these just get shut down, which would be a tragedy, both for the journalists involved and for the communities,” he said. 

Asked whether it plans to hire for the positions that Leach had wanted to fill, Gannett spokeswoman Lark-Marie Antón pointed to the company’s online jobs page and said it’s “actively recruiting for multiple roles throughout the region.” 

The company also said it has hired 120 new content roles in both metro and community markets across its network since the start of 2024, “and we remain committed to adding resources to support our newsrooms, including those in Michigan.”

Antón did not respond when asked for a breakdown between hires at metro versus community papers like the Holland Sentinel.

Asked about Ottawa Impact news after Leach’s departure, Antón pointed to an article on Tuesday's recall results and said Gannett’s “talented team of journalists will remain at the forefront of this important coverage, delivering timely and impactful news our readers depend on."

A 'shocking' dismissal

Rick Edmonds, a media business analyst for Poynter, published a story last week on Gannett’s “pause” on its hiring initiative for small newsroom positions, fed in part by his conversation with Leach. Gannett had pressed him about where he got his info, but he didn’t reveal that, he said.

It was the first time in 58 years of journalism that Edmonds can recall a source getting fired for talking to him, he said. 

“It’s kind of shocking. This was kinda done in a whistleblowing spirit,” Edmonds said. “And this wasn’t like a critical cornerstone of their secret strategy but about an issue in one of the smaller parts of their operation. To come down with the atomic bomb of firing somebody with no severance seems hypocritical and unseemly for a news organization.” 

Leach is confident she will land on her feet. She plans to keep working as an independent journalist in the community, covering Ottawa Impact. She’s started her own Substack site that readers can subscribe to and is setting up freelance agreements with publications like the Washington Post and the Grand Haven Tribune, she said. 

She was distressed by the timing of the disruption, however, coming amid one of the biggest election seasons for the county, with all 11 commissioners on the ballot later this year. 

“Communities need to start valuing information and realize they need to pony up some money to subscribe because journalists need to eat,” she said. “Sitting through an eight-hour public meeting isn’t information you can get from a Facebook newsgroup or from your neighbor.”

[email protected]

• CBSSports.com
• Fanatics Sportsbook
• CBS Sports Home
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School

Men's Brackets

Women's Brackets

Fantasy Baseball

Fantasy football, football pick'em, college pick'em, fantasy basketball, fantasy hockey, franchise games, 24/7 sports news network.

• CBS Sports Golazo Network
• PGA Championship
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA Europa League
• Italian Serie A
• Watch CBS Sports Network
• TV Shows & Listings

The Early Edge

A Daily SportsLine Betting Podcast

With the First Pick

NFL Draft recap

• Podcasts Home
• The First Cut Golf
• Beyond the Arc
• We Need to Talk Now
• Eye On College Basketball
• NFL Pick Six
• Cover 3 College Football
• Fantasy Football Today
• My Teams Organize / See All Teams Help Account Settings Log Out

Rhys Hoskins (hamstring) likely out as Brewers battle Pirates

The Milwaukee Brewers likely will be without injured slugger Rhys Hoskins when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday in the middle game of the three-game set.

Share Video

Joe Ross (1-4, 4.75 ERA) will start for Milwaukee, while fellow right-hander Quinn Priester (0-3, 3.86) gets the nod for Pittsburgh.

Bryan Reynolds went 5-for-5 with a homer and two doubles to pace the Pirates to an 8-6 victory in Monday's series opener, which Hoskins left in the second inning with a hamstring injury.

Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal each added a two-run homer. Pirates starter Mitch Keller tossed six scoreless innings despite taking a line drive off his leg in the second inning. Milwaukee rallied against Pittsburgh's bullpen, pulling within 7-6 in the eighth on Jake Bauers' first career grand slam. Reynolds capped his first five-hit night with a solo homer in the ninth.

"That was back-and-forth and wild, but offensively we did a really good job and prevailed," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "I thought we swung the bats really well."

After averaging 3.49 runs per game through the first 39 games, the Pirates have scored 22 runs over their last three games.

Hoskins, who has a team-high nine homers, left Monday's game with a right hamstring issue after a single in the second inning. He is slated for an MRI on Tuesday.

"I just felt a little grab in the hamstring and I've kind of learned over the years, especially not to push soft-tissue stuff like that," said Hoskins, who missed all of last season with Philadelphia after surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee. "I really don't have much for you guys right now. I'm sure we'll get some imaging (Tuesday) and see where we're at."

Ross, who missed most of the last two seasons after a second Tommy John surgery, has been inconsistent. His only win came on April 9 and the Brewers are 2-5 in his starts.

Ross was saddled with the defeat in his last outing, giving up three runs in five innings in a 6-4 loss at Kansas City.

Ross is 1-2 with a 2.19 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates, including a 4-2 road loss on April 22, allowing two runs (one earned) in 5 1/3 innings.

Brewers catcher William Contreras continued his torrid hitting with three singles, extending his on-base streak to a career-high 21 games. Contreras is hitting .354 over that span with eight doubles, a homer, 10 RBIs and 20 runs.

Bauers also has been hot, hitting .361 with three homers and 13 RBIs over his last 13 games.

Priester, who began the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, has had little support as the Pirates have not scored a run in his four starts while he has been in the game.

In his last start, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed five runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings in last Tuesday's 9-0 home loss to the Angels. He has a 2.70 ERA over his last three starts.

In 37 career games at American Family Field, Reynolds is hitting .352 with five homers, 10 doubles and 17 RBIs.

--Field Level Media

Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

Our Latest MLB Stories

Snyder's Soapbox: Home plate boundaries already exist

Matt snyder • 3 min read.

Reds' Elly De La Cruz on torrid stolen base pace

Matt snyder • 2 min read.

How Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani got even better

R.j. anderson • 4 min read.

First-quarter grades: Orioles, Phillies, Cubs get 'A'

R.j. anderson • 16 min read.

Phillies vs. Mets odds, picks, computer sims, best bets

Cbs sports staff • 3 min read.

Reds' TJ Friedl suffers broken thumb

Dayn perry • 1 min read.