Twenty years ago, America lost one of its fiercest warriors and most principled voices: Colonel David H. Hackworth. But two decades on, his story of heroism and moral courage and insights on leadership remain as relevant as ever – particularly for our military brass as they confront a bureaucracy bloated with careerists in a world growing more dangerous by the day.
Right to the very end, Hackworth, or “Hack” as most knew him, was no stranger to battle. From lying about his age to join the Merchant Marines at 14, to earning 78 combat awards—including two Distinguished Service Crosses, ten Silver Stars, and eight Purple Hearts—he lived and breathed the “grunt’s life.” On May 4, 2005, he succumbed to bladder cancer after a grueling fight.
General Creighton Abrams called Hack “the best battalion commander I ever saw in the United States Army” – part of why he became the youngest colonel in Vietnam at the time of his promotion. But Hack’s true greatness wasn’t just in his medals or his tactical genius; it was in his refusal to bow to the Pentagon’s “perfumed princes” (as Hackworth called them) and his relentless fight for the soldiers under his command. His book About Face and his leadership principles are a masterclass in what it means to lead from the front, and they’re a wake-up call for today’s military.
In 2021, Buck Stewart distilled five timeless lessons from Hackworth’s life in a Medium article, drawn from his actions in Korea and Vietnam. These aren’t academic theories—they’re battle-tested truths forged in the crucible of combat. Here’s what they are and why they matter now more than ever.
- Do the Right Thing, No Matter the Cost
Hackworth never hesitated to put his career on the line for what he believed was right. In 1971, he went on ABC’s “Issues and Answers” and blasted military leadership for their failures in Vietnam. That took guts—it also cost him a shot at a general’s star and forced his retirement.
Today, our armed forces are plagued by leaders more concerned with promotions than principle. From COVID-19 vaccine mandates that punished honorable service members to DEI policies that prioritize quotas over readiness, we need officers with Hack’s backbone to stand up and say, “enough.”
Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but it’s the only way to rebuild trust in our military.
Hackworth lived by this mantra: “The more sweat on the training field, the less blood on the battlefield.” He turned the demoralized 4th Battalion 39th Infantry Regiment—nicknamed the “Heartbreak Battalion”—into the “Hardcore Battalion” by enforcing relentless training and discipline. In six months, he slashed casualties and turned draftees into a lethal force.
Our military today is distracted by social experiments and watered-down standards. If we’re to face near-peer adversaries like China or Russia, we need Hack’s obsession with rigorous, realistic training. No more coddling—train like your life depends on it, because it does.
Hackworth’s loyalty to his troops was legendary. He’d jump from helicopters into firefights to save his men, earning their unwavering devotion. He renamed units to instill pride and shielded soldiers from unfair reprisal to build a more honest and accountable fighting force.
Contrast that with today’s Pentagon, where whistleblowers are silenced and troops are left to fend for themselves against bureaucratic neglect. Leaders who genuinely care about their people—ensuring they have the gear, training, and support to win—are absolutely necessary. Hack showed us how it’s done.
In the chaos of battle, Hack was a rock. Whether charging through machine gun fire or orchestrating daring rescues, he kept his cool, inspiring confidence in his men.
Modern warfare is faster and more complex, with cyber threats and hypersonic missiles adding to the fog of war. Leaders who panic or freeze under pressure get people killed. Hack’s example demands commanders who can think clearly and act decisively, no matter how hot the fight gets.
Hack never stopped growing. He studied guerrilla tactics from Mao and Ho Chi Minh, co-authoring The Vietnam Primer to teach counterinsurgency. He learned from every fight, every failure, and every soldier he led.
Today’s military needs leaders who aren’t afraid to adapt, question outdated doctrines, and embrace innovation. Stagnation is death—Hack knew it, and so should we.
But Hack wasn’t just a soldier; he was a truth-teller. After Vietnam, he became a journalist, penning the syndicated column “Defending America” and running Soldiers for the Truth, a platform to amplify enlisted troops’ voices. He called out Pentagon waste, criticized the mismanagement of the Iraq War, and even took on Admiral Mike Boorda over potentially wearing unauthorized ribbons. Hack didn’t pull punches, even when it made him enemies.
That kind of courage is in short supply today. Our military is drowning in careerism, with too many officers chasing stars instead of challenging a system that’s failing our warfighters. From defective equipment to unaccountable leadership that enforced unlawful orders during the COVID vaccine debacle, the problems Hack railed against are still here. His willingness to speak truth to power—knowing it could cost him everything—is a model for every officer and enlisted member today.
We need more people like Hack to expose the disloyalty and incompetence eroding our readiness, just as I’ve called out the “disloyal government employee problem” that’s gone unchecked for too long.
As we honor Hack on the 20th anniversary of his death, let’s not just remember him—let’s emulate him. To every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine: study Hack’s leadership lessons. Demand accountability from your leaders. Train like your life depends on it. Care for your brothers and sisters in arms. Stay calm when the world is burning. Never stop learning. And above all, have the moral courage to do what’s right, no matter the cost.
To our military leaders: take a hard look in the mirror. Are you a Hackworth, or are you part of the problem? The Pentagon doesn’t need more bureaucrats—it needs warriors who will fight for the troops and the mission. As I’ve said before, we’re destroying ourselves from within. Wake up. Hack’s legacy demands it.
And to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth: you’ve got Hack’s warrior spirit. Keep pushing to empower warfighters, cut the bureaucracy, and restore the military’s lethality. Hack would be proud of your fight to make our forces lean and mean again.
Colonel David Hackworth wasn’t perfect, but he was real. He lived for his troops, his country, and the truth. Twenty years after his death, his lessons and courage are a beacon for a military at a crossroads. Let’s honor him by building a fighting force worthy of his name.
Be “Hardcore,” like Hack and his men.
Rob Maness is a retired Air Force Colonel, a former wing and squadron commander, veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, a survivor of the 9/11 Pentagon Attack, Graduate of the U.S. Navy War College and Harvard Kennedy School, a former U.S. Senate Candidate, Chairman of GatorPAC, CEO and Owner of Iron Liberty Group LLC, and Host of the Rob Maness Show on WorldViewTube.
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