Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war.
In this wide-ranging interview conducted by Cadet Emily Wilczek, Brigadier General Shane Reeves, the Dean of the Academic Board at the United States Military Academy at West Point, reflects on his path to service, his role as West Point’s dean, and the central importance of intellectual development in preparing officers for modern warfare. Drawing on his family’s long military tradition and his own experience as an armor officer and judge advocate general, General Reeves emphasizes that the Academy’s core mission is to build an intellectual foundation that enables cadets to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity rather than freeze in the face of it.
He argues that academic rigor and operational effectiveness are inseparable, highlighting the need for adaptable leaders capable of critical thinking in peer conflict, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. He underscores the enduring importance of character, ethical reasoning, and the law of armed conflict, while cautioning against both the misuse of legal constraints and overreliance on emerging technologies like AI. Ultimately, General Reeves contends that while warfare’s tools are rapidly evolving—especially through drones and artificial intelligence—the decisive advantage will remain with leaders who combine education, disciplined judgment, technological competence, and moral clarity.
