Much has changed since the first publication of this book in 2001, and subsequent editions in 2004 and 2007. It was originally published before 9/11, before the war on terrorism, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Arab Spring, civil war in Syria, Putin’s grab for Crimea, attempted secession in Ukraine, and China’s hard line and show of force in the East and South China Seas. What has not changed is the relevance and increasing awareness of the validity of John Boyd’s counsel on strategy. If anything, the era of continuous competition and conflict that defines our circumstances today calls for Boyd’s insight, imagination, and innovation even more.
Yet many of Boyd’s ideas—notably the OODA Loop—have been reduced to mere caricatures of what they really reveal. But the concept that one’s target in any kind of competition or conflict is always the same—the opponent’s perception—has gained acceptance. His insights on the human dimension of conflict are as important as those on technology and airpower. Both Boyd and his ideas continue to grow in stature here and abroad. How he thought, as well as what he thought, are equally important. His views on command and control and how he conceptualized isolation and interaction provide useful insights on the cyber conflict of today.
Several other books, and a number of articles, have been written about Boyd, most notably Franz Osinga’s Science, Strategy and War: The Strategic Theory of John Boyd. Indeed, the literature on Boyd now numbers in the hundreds. Boyd’s reputation is now worldwide, his ideas and concepts studied by militaries, politicians, and businesses in Europe and Asia as well as in the U.S. If anything, his notions of rapidity, variety, harmony, and initiative as ways to contend successfully in an uncertain, everchanging strategic environment are more relevant today. His ideas are even studied in his own Air Force, albeit belatedly. He was the subject of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s prestigious Harmon Memorial Lecture series in January 2012.
Boyd died wondering if he had really made a difference, if people either knew or cared about his ideas, and if these ideas could be used to improve his beloved air force and the nation he served. They have. The insights contained in his briefings combined in his magnum opus, "A Discourse on Winning and Losing," have become widely known and continue to influence the thinking of those concerned with strategy, competition, and conflict around the globe. Boyd’s personal integrity, his courage, and his dedication to improving the performance of his service and his country are role models for us all. The calling to be a maverick who is a "loyal heretic" is not an easy path to follow, especially in the military. But we need such people. Rest in peace, John, the "discourse on winning and losing" continues, and has been forever improved by your example and counsel.