Seven years after replacing command and control with mission command, the Army decided to bring it back. There was an oft-stated problem that mission command was a confused concept. It was a group of communications systems, a warfighting function, and a philosophy. The rewrite aimed to clear the ambiguity. In addition, the Army was on its own doctrinal island and the rewrite realigned the Army with sister service, joint, and allied doctrine that had retained the concept of command and control. Finally, the Army had an opportunity. We were planning to consolidate ADPs and ADRPs anyway.
The problem in the Army wasn’t understanding the difference between a CPOF, using mission orders and intent to get things done, and tasks and processes needed to produce orders. The problem was that we misunderstood the philosophy. Most commonly, leaders interpreted mission command as a hands-off approach to let subordinates figure it out. Mission command was decentralized command and control.
Military leadership understands there is a problem with retention. Across the services, a common hot button issue is how to maintain a force large enough to meet the military’s requirements. To maintain current strength the services must recruit 150,000 individuals per annum to replace those who are choosing to leave, and this training bill in terms of manpower and money greatly detracts from readiness. This is true in both the enlisted and officer ranks and across career fields. With some training pipelines lasting anywhere from six months to two years the numbers game is academic.
Photo Credit: Eric Pilgrim, Fort Knox News
In full disclosure, if you think this article will provide some sort of insight to gain a foothold at the Battalion Commander’s Assessment Program (BCAP); it won’t. What it will do is provide some of my thoughts based on my attendance as part of FY20’s BCAP Cohort 002. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the program and within the scope I’m allowed, I will share my impressions on my involvement.
Perhaps due to my 16+ years within the legacy command slating process, I was skeptical on the utility of the BCAP. While the BCAP introduces multiple “vectors” of additional information for a board to consider, it also only presents a snapshot in time of an officer. You have a bad day, and your physical fitness test score is not as high as usual. You didn’t sleep well, and your assessments suffered. The reality is, although it is only a snapshot, it is also real life for a Battalion Commander. Not every day is a great day; sometimes it’s just okay. If the BCAP can provide some additional insight into the “wholeness” of an officer, or even just identify an officer who may potentially derail an organization with an abusive or toxic attitude, then I think it is worth a try.
U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Connaher, Dec. 5, 2019.
Trust is a bedrock characteristic of the Army profession and leaders at all levels are expected to build it within their organizations. It is mentioned 196 times in the Army’s 132-page manual on leadership. Most importantly, trust is a critical enabling principle of our approach to the command and control of forces in combat. Our philosophy for action encourages adaptation. In simple terms, Army leaders tell subordinates what to do but not how to do it. This is surprisingly rare in other armies, but it allows us to adapt when conditions change and puts responsibility for decision-making in the hands of those with the new information. Our philosophy of mission command is epitomized by and cannot function without – trust.
This winter, as I watched my foreign language instructor spend 5-10 hours every week filling out routine administrative paperwork, I realized that there were AI/ML technologies available that could not only have automated most of that work but also made it more accurate. This would have allowed her to spend those hours working on class preparation or working on the textbook she dreams of writing. But, because I didn’t know how AI/ML works, I could not advise her on the basics of how to free her time. Who has not stayed late at work, filling out paperwork that should have been automated? Wouldn’t it be nice to not waste time filling out paperwork, but instead use the insights we are supposed to be getting from that data to build better units? This frustration motivated me to begin looking more closely at how AI/ML works, what it requires to be implemented, and how to prepare myself to lead in an AI/ML environment. As I investigated this field, I realized that my technical skills are lacking. I needed to go back to school to be an effective AI/ML leader so I began exploring where I could learn these skills on my own. And if I, one of the slower people in the room, am looking for ways to learn these skills, then other FGOs must be looking as well.
The Roman army’s disenfranchisement from the Republic is often used as a warning in modern civil-military relations. This story mimics the warning from a French perspective. Larteguy’s characters, archetypes with varied backgrounds, endure Indochina and captivity before engaging in the Algerian War. They experience ethical conflict and subsequent rationalization where the ends justify the means. The character of warfare changes and the characters change with it. The failure at Dien Bien Phu was a result of failing to recognize and adapt to the right kind of war. The characters understand this with reflection and adapt to the type of war they are fighting in Algeria – becoming what they fight.
“I’d like France to have two armies: one for display, with lovely guns, tanks, little soldiers, fanfares, staffs, distinguished and doddering generals, and dear little regimental officers who would be deeply concerned with the general’s piles: an army that would be shown for a modest fee on every fairground in the country. The other would be the real one, composed entirely of young enthusiasts in camouflage battledress, who would not be put on display but from whom impossible efforts would be demanded and to whom all sorts of tricks would be taught. That’s the army in which I should like to fight.”
A quick and easy read, Larteguy was a reporter during this period and this novel clearly shows his experience. There is much to unpack in this narrative from an ethical and moral standpoint.
A book review by Chris L’Heureux
Doesn’t it seem like the world is just plain crazy these days? Should we attribute it to the 24-hour news cycle? The constant interconnectivity of human beings through social media? Perhaps it is just increased awareness associated with a coming of age. Whatever the cause, the world seems to spin faster and faster, pushing us along a path towards uncertainty and potential danger.
US Army photo, Oct 15, 2019
What advice should one offer to Captains for post-company command assignments? After Captain branch qualifying or key development (KD) positions, officers face significant career decisions. Should they stay in their current branch, leave active duty, or apply for a functional area? For those staying in, Intermediate Level Education (ILE) options present a wide-range of options. As first-line mentors, Majors have a responsibility to educate and inform Captains about broadening opportunities. In the spirit of talent management and AIM 2.0, the article explores methods to educate Captains to post-key developmental (KD) broadening opportunities. We conclude panels best educate and inform about their opportunities ahead.
U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. William Chockey. Oct 21, 2019
In the eyes of many young Soldiers, “their LT” represents the Army. If you care, the Army cares. If you don’t, the Army doesn’t. When an organization cares about your well-being, the natural reaction is to return the sentiment. Leaders who take a genuine interest in their subordinates will see their teams achieve amazing feats. To help new leaders get started in this important facet of their stewardship this article will discuss four topics: get to know your Soldiers; assist in their personal and professional needs; find out their goals and help develop a plan to achieve them; take care of your soldiers, they will always take care of the mission.
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Ryan Lucas. Sept. 22, 2019
I often tell people that being the Intelligence Officer for a Brigade Combat Team was the only job in 13 years of service that I felt as uncomfortable on Day 1 as I did on my last day. It was the first position I held after graduating from Command and Staff College; a training center rotation 3 months into the job; and deploying to Iraq 3 months later to advise and assist the Iraqi security forces in the liberation of Mosul from the Islamic State made for a tumultuous tenure. But probably the toughest part was that it was my first “key developmental” job as a field grade leader – finding my leadership style as a Major was my biggest challenge.
