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No Copy-Paste Zone!
Issue #014
Date: 6 April 2026
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Hey there, Reader,
I almost ended my career before it started.
I was a brand new Marine Lieutenant. I had a training range to run. I was busy, overwhelmed, and behind on everything. So I did what a lot of project managers do when they're stressed.
I grabbed a buddy's old plan. Hit Ctrl+F. Swapped out his unit name for mine. Changed the dates. And submitted it.
I didn't even read the risk section.
Forty-eight hours before the range kicked off, I got a call from the Executive Officer. He wanted to see me. Immediately.
Lets Get Proactive Over Reactive!
Quote of the Week
"Plans are worthless, but planning is everything."
~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Story of the Week
Now, if you've never served in the military, when a Lieutenant Colonel calls a Lieutenant into his office unannounced, it is not to give you a compliment.
I got there as fast as I could.
He looked at me and asked one question: "Did YOU write that order?"
I stood there... young, motivated, and completely exposed. Because he already knew the answer.
My range was in December. In North Carolina. It would actually snow the next day.
And my risk management section? It was a detailed plan for managing summer heat. Hydration stations. Cooling procedures. Heat mitigation protocols.
For a December range.
A lot of what was said in that office I'll keep PG. But one line has stayed with me for my entire career:
"Russ, if I can't trust you to run a range... how am I supposed to trust you with your Marines in Afghanistan?"
That was the moment risk management stopped being a checkbox for me.
But here's the thing, that failure didn't end my career. It built it.
Because a year later, I deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan as a Motor Transportation Officer. And what happened there changed everything about how I think about risk, planning, and what it really means to lead.
I won't bury the lead here: I told the full story on this week's YouTube video. The XO office. The deployment. And the day it all got tested for real.
It's the story behind why I teach this stuff, and honestly, the video version hits different.
📺 This Week's Video
I recorded this one a little differently. It's not a technique breakdown or a framework walkthrough. It's the story of why risk management became personal to me... from copy-pasting my first order to leading convoys through Helmand Province.
If you've ever wondered how a retired Marine ends up teaching PMI-RMP exam prep... this is the origin story.
The Bearded Risk PM on YouTube
Watch the full video on "Why I Got into Project Risk Management"
 Please don't forget to "Like" the video and Comment PMI-RMP® or PMP® Exam Prep Question you have!
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PM Dad Joke of the Week
Why did the Lieutenant submit his buddy's range plan?
He thought risk management was a copy-right.
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P.S. - Are you planning to take the new PMP exam, or are you still weighing whether to go for the old version before July? Hit reply and let me know. I'm genuinely curious where people are landing on this.
P.P.S. - If you're wondering "should I wait until the exam has been out a few months?" — I get it. But here's the thing: the exam is built by PMI, tested by PMI, and I'm teaching PMI's authorized material. You're not beta testing anything. You're just choosing to be first instead of last.
Hit reply and tell me. I read every response, and I might be able to help you figure out your next move.
Russ Parker
Founder, 44Risk PM
PMP® | PMI-RMP® | PMI-ACP® | Retired USMC
PMI-ATP Instructor for the PMP® and PMI-RMP®
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