Interview With Author Matthew Weiss
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Second Lieutenant Matthew Weiss an Intelligence Officer in the United States Marine Corps. Previously, he worked in mergers and acquisitions at a cutting-edge defense technology company. He holds a BS and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Most importantly, he is a member of Generation Z who cares deeply about solving this issue of service. This is his first book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“We Don’t Want You, Uncle Sam: Examining the Military Recruiting Crisis with Generation Z” = name of book.
We Don’t Want You, Uncle Sam. This is what Generation Z is saying with respect to military service.
The all-volunteer force that has served our country well for more than 50 years is at a critical inflection point. Today, recruiters are struggling to bring enough Zoomers into the armed services. Mismatched fundamental ideals, divergent beliefs about the workplace, and other sociocultural influences have contributed to the United States military scrambling to get a grasp on how to appeal to Gen Z.
Through the use of personal life stories and macro analysis, this book explains why military recruiting in the United States is at an all-time low in order to suggest ways that American society and its leaders can fix this issue. We must rebuild the value proposition of military service by demonstrating the benefits of the world’s greatest physical social network.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often lock myself in the the room for 50 hours on end to have intense focus and get the writing done.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jocko Wilink, Nate Fick, Andrew Goggins
What are you working on now?
A manufacturing investment thesis
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
National news interviews have been the best because the topic I wrote on is of national interest.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, just finish the writing. Go super hard and write like crazy.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Principles over tactics.
What are you reading now?
Freedom’s Forge by Arthur Herman
What’s next for you as a writer?
I hope to push out my chapters as smaller op-eds and keep getting publicity for my book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Pinciples by Ray Dalio, Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, and One Bullet Away by Nate Fick
Author Websites and Profiles
Matthew Weiss’s Social Media Links