Our Mission
Thought to Action looks to help military professionals succeed where we have failed. In doing so, we seek to speak directly to the newest members of our force about the military experience by providing candid, down-to-earth, and multi-disciplinary commentary that you won’t be able to find as readily elsewhere.
Our Approach
Born out of our friendship and mutual desire to steward the profession of arms, Thought to Action presents the fruits of our contemplation in the hope that the reader may incorporate them into his or her own actions. We draw inspiration from The Thinker sculpture by French artist Auguste Rodin. Rodin’s Thinker appears deep in thought, but primed for action. The figure brings to life an ancient theory of reality promulgated by Aristotle: all beings are a composite of both actuality and potentiality. A thing actually is something in the present, but simultaneously has the potential to be something else in the future. Aristotle’s understanding of act and potential helps us understand human change and development. Applying this concept, our goal for Thought to Action is to help our readers and contributors all realize their potential and grow as leaders.
While we offer a mix of perspectives and experiences, we won’t claim to have life or the military all figured out. But we do hope that by sharing our reflections on service and airing our flaws, we can be a resource for the next generation of those who choose to serve.
What you shouldn’t expect to read in this blog are articles talking about all the ‘good things’ we have done in command or as leaders in the military. While we’d like to think we’ve had some successes, Thought to Action is not a forum for ‘look at how great I did in X, Y, or Z,’ but rather an introspective, critical look at ourselves throughout various points in our careers. This material is not meant to make headline news, nor serve as the clickbait.
What you should expect are articles ranging from the philosophical to the tactical that can hopefully help you learn from our thoughts and mistakes. Our articles will generally fall into two broad categories: (1) reflections and lessons learned from our failures and (2) commentaries on topics of particular interest to us. We draw from our own diverse experiences and share the introspection we have been luckily able to gain after our myriad failures (and some successes). Some pieces may speak to current events while others look forward to the future of the military. Ultimately, Thought to Action is designed to give you digestible content that may help you make your organization better.
Our Team
Brigid Hickman
Co-Founder
Brigid Hickman (nee Calhoun) is an active duty Army Major serving as an intelligence officer in 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). She most recently served in the Pentagon as a military assistant in teh Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Headquarters, Department of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2 as part of the Bradley Fellowship (formerly known as the Joint Chiefs of Staff Internship). A Military Intelligence Officer, MAJ Hickman served as a platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and as an Infantry Battalion S-2 and company commander in the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne). MAJ Hickman graduated from the United States Military Academy with a B.S. in History in 2011 and holds a Masters in Policy Management from Georgetown University. She enjoys reading, history, cooking and eating, and playing with her golden retriever Gracie. She formerly co-hosted the DODReads: What Are You Reading? podcast and was a non-resident fellow at West Point’s Modern War Institute.
Alexander Boroff
Co-Founder
Alexander Boroff is an active duty Army Major serving as the Battalion Operations Officer for 2nd Battalion 69th Armor Regiment in the 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team in the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart. An Armor Officer, MAJ Boroff has commanded company formations in both the generating and operational force. He has completed tours on both the 3rd Infantry Division Staff, the Joint Staff, and the Army Staff. MAJ Boroff commissioned through the United States Military Academy and holds a Masters in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters in Policy Management from Georgetown University. His previous publications include topics such as general organizational leadership in public and private sectors, Army reconnaissance training, and great power competition. He is a former Fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point.
Tara Middlebrooks
Founding Contributor, Web Designer, Operations Officer
Tara Middlebrooks (Roberts) is an active duty Army Major and Strategist serving in the Army Talent Management Task Force at the Pentagon. She previously served as an Assistant Professor in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Department at the United States Military Academy at West Point. As an Engineer Officer, she has served as a Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in the 555th Engineer Brigade at Ft. Lewis, Washington and as a Company Commander in the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado. She deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013. MAJ Middlebrooks graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2011 with a B.S. in Comparative Politics, holds a M.S. in Engineering Management from Missouri University Science and Technology and a M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. She enjoys cooking, reading, listening to Podcasts, snowboarding and traveling in her Airstream with her husband, MAJ Arthur Middlebrooks, and her German Shepherd Ellie.
Brian Fiallo
Founding Contributor
Brian Fiallo is an active-duty Army Major at the Command and General Staff College. As an Armor Officer, he has served as a Scout Platoon Leader in the 3rd Brigade (Rakkasans), 101st Airborne Division and as a Cavalry Troop Commander in the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 2011, earning a B.S. in Military History. He earned his M.A. in Archaeological Studies from Yale University in May 2021. His interests include forensic archaeology, blacksmithing and metallurgy projects, and exploring the outdoors with his wife, three children, and two dogs.
Jennifer Walters
Founding Contributor
Jennifer Walters is an active duty Air Force pilot and current Olmsted Scholar. Most recently, Jennifer served as the lead speechwriter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC. As a KC-10A instructor pilot, she led aircrew on air refueling, humanitarian, and contingency operations across the globe. Jennifer has deployed four times in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, INHERENT RESOLVE, and RESOLUTE SUPPORT, completing over 100 combat sorties. She is a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and holds a Master of Philosophy and PhD in policy analysis from the RAND Graduate School. She is the co-founder of Air Mobility Command’s Reach Athena that identifies and addresses female and family-centric barriers to military readiness. Additionally, Jennifer is a mentor for Girl Security, a Council on Foreign Relations Term Member, and serves as the executive director of the Irregular Warfare Initiative. She enjoys spending time with her husband Clark (and trying to beat him at pickleball), tennis, running, travel and seeking out the best cup of local coffee wherever she finds herself.
Evan Bruccoleri
Contributor & Content Manager
Evan Bruccoleri is an active duty Army Major serving as an Omar Bradley Fellow and is currently serving in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army. MAJ Bruccoleri served as a platoon leader in the 2nd Stryker Brigade, 7th Infantry Division and as a Company Commander with 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He most recently served in the Deputy Directorate for Special Operations on the Joint Staff. Evan currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and four children and enjoys spending his time with his young children, reading, and coaching his son’s team.
James “Beau” Wasson
Contributor
James “Beau” Wasson is an active duty Army Major serving as the S3 for the 130th Engineer Brigade, in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. As an Engineer Officer, Beau has previously served as a Battalion S3, a Project Manager in USACE – New Orleans District, Commander of the 902d Engineer Construction Company in Germany, and deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom as a Platoon Leader in the 1st Infantry Division. Beau graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2010 and holds an M.S. in Engineer Management from MS&T (2015) and a Masters of Operational Studies from CGSC (2021). He is a Project Management Professional and Certified Associate in Engineer Management. Beau enjoys any time spent outdoors, especially with his wife, daughters, and son. He has contributed to the Engineer Professional Journal, the Center for Junior Officers Blog, and the From the Green Notebook blog.
Bret Wilbanks
Contributor
Bret Wilbanks is an active-duty Army Major currently a student in the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. As an Armor Officer, he has served as a Scout Platoon Leader in the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, Fort Bragg, NC and as a Tank Company and Headquarters Troop Commander in the 4th Squadron 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, Fort Carson, CO. He graduated from the University of West Florida in 2011, earning a B.A. in History. His interests include military history, grilling, old guitars, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and two dogs.
Giovanni Tomasi
Contributor
Giovanni Tomasi is an active-duty Army Major and Foreign Area Officer (FAO) with a focus on Europe/Eurasia. He is currently attending graduate school at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. Previously as an Infantry Officer, he served in the 3d Cavalry Regiment, the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). MAJ Tomasi graduated from the George Washington University in 2012 with a B.A. in International Affairs.
Jake Conrad
Former Founding Contributor
Jake Conrad is an active duty Army Major serving in the 4th Infantry Division. He previously served as a Bradley Fellow at the Pentagon. An Armor Officer, MAJ Conrad has served as a Tank and Scout Platoon Leader in the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and as a Cavalry Troop Commander in the 3d Cavalry Regiment. He graduated from Penn State University in 2012, earning a B.S. in Forensic Chemistry. He graduated in May 2021 with a M.A. in Policy Management from Georgetown University. He enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, and hiking National Parks with his wife and dog.
Brian Mathews
Former Contributor
Brian Mathews is an active duty Army Major serving in 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He previously served as a Bradley Fellow at the Pentagon. He is a logistician by trade and schooling and has served in both conventional and unconventional formations at Fort Carson, CO and Fort Campbell, KY. Brian is a graduate of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and holds undergraduate degrees from the Pennsylvania State University.