Ty Seidule

The inspiring story behind the ten Americans newly chosen to represent U. S. military bases previously named for Confederate soldiers, told by two members of the Naming Commission that selected them. In 2020, the United States Congress, in an unprecedented and bipartisan piece of legislation, created the Naming Commission. It was tasked with a monumental mission: rename nine of the U. S. military's most prominent army bases--all of which were named for Confederate leaders who waged war against America in the name of maintaining a slave republic. Over the course of twenty months, that commission completed their mission, carefully combing through years of American history, and hearing from tens of thousands of Americans from all walks of life. It ultimately chose ten Americans whose individual heroics reflect the collective best of all that America is and could be. With their firsthand knowledge of the selection process, vice-chair Ty Seidule and lead historian Connor Williams recount the lives of each of these American heroes, from former President Dwight D. Eisenhower to Civil War Dr. Mary Walker to Cold War General Richard Cavazos. The individual histories nestled within each chapter prove why these men and women are true representatives of our country and how, by looking to them, America can aspire towards a better future. A collection of stirring tales of heroism, A Promise Delivered is the powerful account of how ten worthy Americans and one bipartisan Commission joined the ongoing fight to reclaim our nation's history.

Ty Seidule scorches us with the truth and rivets us with his fierce sense of moral urgency. --Ron ChernowIn a forceful but humane narrative, former soldier and head of the West Point history department Ty Seidule's Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the myths and lies of the Confederate legacy--and explores why some of this country's oldest wounds have never healed. Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E. Lee. From his southern childhood to his service in the U. S. Army, every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived, and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor. Now, as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point, his view has radically changed. From a soldier, a scholar, and a southerner, Ty Seidule believes that American history demands a reckoning. In a unique blend of history and reflection, Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy--that its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americans--and directly challenges the idea of honoring those who labored to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it. Through the arc of Seidule's own life, as well as the culture that formed him, he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright lies--and how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day. Part history lecture, part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout, and part memoir, Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacy--and provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting.

Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E. Lee. From his southern childhood to his service in the U. S. Army, every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived, and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honor. Now, as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point, his view has radically changed. From a soldier, a scholar, and a southerner, American history demands a reckoning. In a unique blend of history and reflection, Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy - that its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americans - and directly challenges the idea of honoring those who laboured to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it. Through the arc of Seidule's own life, as well as the culture that formed him, he seeks a path to understanding why the facts of the Civil War have remained buried beneath layers of myth and even outright lies - and how they embody a cultural gulf that separates millions of Americans to this day. Part history lecture, part meditation on the Civil War and its fallout, and part memoir, Robert E. Lee and Me challenges the deeply-held legends and myths of the Confederacy - and provides a surprising interpretation of essential truths that our country still has a difficult time articulating and accepting.

From the National Security Act of 1947 to the intelligence and security restructuring after September 11, 2001 (9/11), our nation has stood up new security organizations to meet new challenges. On October 10, 2010, my team and I helped give life to a new U. S. security organization when I assumed command of the United States Army Cyber Command. As its first commander, I was more than "present at the creation;" I was responsible for it. In a crowded, yet resource-constrained defense establishment, Army Cyber was responsible for all Army cyber efforts-not only in relation to U. S. Cyber Command, but also the Department of Defense and U. S. Intelligence Community. A single-page General Order from the Secretary of the Army served as the command's founding document and mission statement. Army Cyber Command was designated the lead for Army missions, actions, and functions related to cyberspace.