Michael Martin is a retired senior executive from the financial services industry in both Canada and the United States. His life was marked by problem solving from fitting in, as a military BRAT, to 11 schools within 12 years in the US and overseas, exploiting securities’ and foreign exchange arbitrage opportunities in the international financial markets, and developing market/product niches through design, strategic planning, and competitive intelligence at various financial sector organizations.

Almost 25 years ago, Michael visited the Russian 45th Spetsnaz (VDV) at their base south of Moscow. The unit commander, a colonel, said that he saw three means to solve a problem - physical, mental, and/or philosophical/spiritual. He said that they are like a screwdriver, hammer, and pliers which, singularly or in combination, can fix almost any material-related problem. For example, he spoke further saying when one appears to reach one’s physical limits, then one looks for a mental solution. If these do not work, then one draws upon something greater, e.g, my comrades, family, country, religion, values, etc. to push through, especially with the problems associated with combat. Sometimes the latter is a noble tool: but at times, it can lead to negative ends.

More recently, it is the intractable conflict in Burma/Myanmar that has become the ultimate problem attracting Michael’s attention. Here one solution may add to or subtract from solving other problems within a complex dynamical system which seems like applying political-civil-military acupuncture to the people and territory of the country in a search for sustainable peace.”