October 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
The Resonance of History: The Influence of Soviet-Era Mujahidin Networks in Eastern Afghanistan
By Dr. Brian R. Price
The author discusses the current situation regarding human terrain tools for working with local populations, providing two case studies on successful use of investigating local histories towards acquiring a comprehensive picture of social dynamics.
Article published on: October 25, 2016
“Dance With the One Who Brung Ya”: Using Informational Interviews to Enable Career Transition
Col. John Buckley, U.S. Army, Retired
The author uses strategic planning methods to explain how to leverage informational interviews as part of a successful transition to the civilian sector.
Article published on: October 21, 2016
Strategic Command: General David Petraeus and the Execution of Strategic Leadership
Maj. William J. Denn, U.S. Army
The author examines Gen. Petraeus’s career in order to show how Petraeus’s development and implementation created organizational change that the Army can continue to study and learn from.
Article published on: October 7, 2016
Big Data War Games Necessary for Winning Future Wars
Maj. Mark Van Horn, U.S. Army
The author argues that innovations in the information and cognitive sciences will pull war games into the era of big data and revolutionize how the Army prepares itself to win future wars.
Article published on: October 4, 2016
September 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Mandatory Education: A New Paradigm to Improve the NCO Corps
Staff Sergeant Timothy D. Couchman, U.S. Army
The author argues that making higher education mandatory for the NCO Corps will improve professionalism, career stability, moral behavior, and enhance national security preparedness.
Article published on: September 23, 2016
The Ironic Hindrances of Slaughter: A Case Study in Mission Command and Moral Autonomy
Lieutenant Colonel Peter D. Fromm, U.S. Army, Retired
The author argues that mission command must include an ongoing education in the principles of right action.
Article published on: September 23, 2016
Taking the Surge Global in the Age of Facebook
Capt. Robert Cohen
The author argues that in order to avoid continual repeats of recent disappointments in the Middle East, the U.S. and its allies must adopt a global counterinsurgency approach.
Article published on: September 16, 2016
Improving While Operating: The Paradox of Learning
Prof. Carey W. Walker and Professor Matthew J. Bonnot, Command and General Staff College
Organizations must master innovation and adaptability while simultaneously staying on top of day to day tasks. The authors walk through how to navigate organizational leadership and stay focused on success.
Article published on: September 2, 2016
August 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Embracing Complexity: Adjusting Processes to Meet the Challenges of the Contemporary Operating Environment
Lt. Col. Thomas Kopsch, German Army, and Maj. Amos Fox, U.S. Army
The authors argue that current planning processes under-develop their characterizations of problems. They suggest a framework to mitigate operational problems occurring from ill-structured problems.
Article published on: August 22, 2016
Muddling Leadership and Management in the United States Army
Capt. Charles R. Gallagher, U.S. Army
The author contends that too often the Army seeks to solve complex problems through management processes while underutilizing leadership due to the muddied overlap of the terms leadership and management.
Article published on: August 12, 2016
Managing Talent Before it Manages You—How Leaders Can Influence Performance at the Company Level
Capt. Daniel R. Reynolds and Capt. Thomas E. Meyer, U.S. Army
The authors argue that battalion and company-level leaders need to build intentional and dynamic talent management processes. They outline a strategy for recognizing and developing leaders.
Article published on: August 12, 2016
July 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Future Technology, Impending Security Threats
Lt. Col. John Nolan, U.S. Army Reserve
As the U.S. prepares to deal with terrorism and the rise of non-state actors, a need arises for understanding of the double-edged sword of rapid technological advancement. The author outlines trends and risks.
Article published on: July 22, 2016
Attritional War: The Neglected Phase of Modern Warfare
Thomas Neely
Having lost three modern wars due to inability to categorize and understand the phase of war that begins after conventional war is over, it is imperative that this be remedied. The author argues that conventional wars spin into attritional war, and attritional war cannot be won.
Article published on: July 22, 2016
Understanding Organizational Climate and Culture
Prof. Carey W. Walker and Professor Matthew J. Bonnot, Command and General Staff College
Organizations strive to solve problems and manage internal anxiety. Understanding how these challenges are affected by leader choices and collective understanding of why and how an organization does what it does provides leaders more options for overcoming internal stressors and meeting organizational goals. The authors analyze organizational climate and culture in easy to understand and practical terms.
Article published on: July 8, 2016
The Warrior Way for Building Partnerships
Lt. Col. Archambault, U.S. Army
As the U.S. continues to prioritize partnerships, it is important for those in the Army to discuss best practices for making the most out of working with other military entities. The author covers principles for partnership at the unit level.
Article published on: July 8, 2016
June 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Mission Command: Evolution of a WfF applied to Recruiting Operations
Sgt. 1st Class Alex Joy and Capt. Joseph Harmon, U.S. Army
Recruiting Command suffers a range of organizational issues as it strives to meet its commander’s intent. The authors explain how mission command can be used to improve recruiting efforts.
Article published on: June 24, 2016
Assessing the Decisive Action Fight
Col. Joe Roach and Maj. Clay White, U.S. Army
As the Army transitions away from COIN and continues training for the decisive action fight, assessment processes must follow suit. Currently, adapting the assessment procedure is not where it needs to be. The authors address some of the key issues.
Article published on: June 24, 2016
How Do We Deal with Russia?: The Status Quo and a Strategically Pragmatic Approach Forward
Lt. Col. Klaudius Robinson
As NATO prepared for its 2016 Summit, the U.S. needed to carefully consider their way forward in dealing with Russia. The author outlines priorities and key factors to ensure practical trumps paranoia in strategic planning.
Article published on: June 10, 2016
Ukraine’s Battle at Ilovaisk, August 2014: The Tyranny of Means
Maj. Michael Cohen, U.S. Army
The author sifts through the various, conflicting information on Ukraine’s military, militia, and government to paint a clearer picture of how, exactly, Ukraine directly contributed to the destruction at Ilovaisk.
Article published on: June 10, 2016
May 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Digital Natives, Media, and Learning: Implications for the Future of Army Training
Dr. Liston Bailey, Chief of the Learning Innovations and Initiatives Division
As the Army undergoes a generational shift, educators and trainers need to give greater attention to the digital capabilities of soldiers. Whatever their capability, what is most important is recognizing that learning is interactive and social in nature. The author argues for a cultural shift in the way that training is conducted.
Article published on: May 27, 2016
The Reality and Myths of Distance Learning
Lt. Col. Jack Judy, U.S. Army, Retired
Despite the rampant resistance to distance learning being an effective teaching method, it continues to exist and gain traction. The author lays out, in objective terms, the good, the bady, and the ugly of distance learning, in order to show it is going to be the most effective method of ensuring quality education across the Force.
Article published on: May 27, 2016
Bureaucracy and Mission Command: Reform the Army Personnel System to Embrace Mission Command
Maj. John Q. Bolton and Capt. Derek Merkler, U.S. Army
As the Army works to further integrate mission command, the authors note that a top priority needs to be reforming the personnel system. Talent management is fundamental to maintaining a strong fighting force.
Article published on: May 13, 2016
“Führen mit Auftrag”— Mission Command from a German Point of View
Lt. Col. Jens Küster, German Army
Mission command has continued to evolve in German military doctrine, in particular the doctrinal concept “Innere Fuehrung.” The author explores the differences in evolution of the concept in U.S. and German doctrine, in order to highlight salient features for U.S. military professionals to address as the concept continues to evolve in ADP 6-0.
Article published on: May 13, 2016
April 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
Periodic Financial Assessment
Maj. Karl Ludeman, U.S. Army
Current Army systems that work with soldiers and their finances do not solve the underlying problems. Soldiers continue to amass unhealthy debt. The author explains what is broken and provides a workable solution.
Article published on: April 29, 2016
Corbett and Air Sea Battle: How the Joint Force can Maintain Access using the “Fleet in Being” Concept
Maj. Matthew Prescott, U.S. Army
In order to protect American and allied interests, the author argues access to the global commons must be maintained.
Article published on: April 29, 2016
A Better Approach to Developing Leaders
Prof. Carey W. Walker and Professor Matthew J. Bonnot, Command and General Staff College
“Develops others” routinely received the lowest rating in CASAL surveys. The authors give a straightforward explanation of what is broken with leader development in the Army, and actionable steps on how to resolve the issue.
Article published on: April 15, 2016
CGSOC at a Distance
Prof. Dave Pierson, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Many believe that non-residential CGSOC can’t hold a candle to learning on post in Fort Leavenworth. The author counters this assumption.
Article published on: April 15, 2016
A New Theory to Avoid Operational Level Stagnation
Maj. James Schultz and Lt. Col. Michael Buchanan, U.S. Army
Changes to the operational environment are not always properly accounted for, particularly after tactical success. The authors offer new insights into effectively dealing with the rapidly changing operational environment of modern warfare.
Article published on: April 1, 2016
Incorporating the Law of Armed Conflict Training into Afghanistan’s Special Forces’ Curriculum
Lt. Col. Todd Burkhardt and Maj. Rob Williamson, U.S. Army
One of the U.S. Army’s greatest assets is international law. The authors discuss some recent history of working with Afghan National Army Special Operations Command towards their development as a professional fighting force.
Article published on: April 1, 2016
March 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
How to Win a Counterinsurgency Campaign
Michael J. Gurney, U.S. Army, Retired
Counterinsurgency success might need to be defined as “managing the condition.” The author outlines how to think through defining and assessing a counterinsurgency campaign.
Article published on: March 18, 2016
German Mission Orders—Their Doctrinal and Operational Development from 1866-1940 and Mission Order Combat Illustrations from the 187—71, 1914-18, and 1929-1945 Wars
David Shunk, U.S. Air Force, Retired
The author outlines key historical moments in order to provide insight into mission command’s historical and philosophical origins.
Article published on: March 18, 2016
Mission Command in Education
Paul Sanders, U.S. Army, Retired
The author explains how the adult education concept Andragogik as applied in Army Distance Education programs provides students with the foundations of the six principles of Mission Command.
Article published on: March 4, 2016
The 131A Talent Management Gap: An Example of Re-Thinking Promotion and Assignment Structure
CW3 Jesse Crifasi, U.S. Army
The author details how to re-organize the promotion and assignment process for Field Artillery Warrant Officers, providing an example for any officer thinking through holes and gaps in the talent management system.
Article published on: March 4, 2016
February 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
The Collapse of the Iraqi Army’s Will to Fight: A Lack of Motivation, Training, or Force Generation?
Maj. Adam Scher, U.S. Army
The author analyzes how the limits of conventional wisdom inhibit understanding of the Iraqi Army’s collapse in 2014 in order to provide a foundation for ensuring similar disaster does not happen again.
Article published on: February 19, 2016
The Army’s Mobility Solution to the Joint Forcible Entry Problem
Capt. Kyle Wolfley, U.S. Army
The author examines the issue of airborne forces successfully assaulting A2/AD environments. He argues that the Light Tactical All Terrain Vehicle offers the Joint Force the ability to conduct an operational envelopment, avoid the enemy’s principle air defenses, and seize ground objectives.
Article published on: February 19, 2016
The Challenge of the Paradoxical Vision: Innovating Where No Solution Seems Possible
Thomas P. Galvin and Prof. Charles D. Allen, U.S. Army War College
When leadership has a goal—a plan, a vision—in mind, it runs into inherent difficulties between opposing forces such as control/flexibility, continuity/change, and individual/collective. The authors explore these paradoxes in terms of fostering innovation in the Army.
Article published on: February 5, 2016
Realigning the Army’s Ethical Compass
Col. Michael B. Siegl, U.S. Army
The Army continues to re-evaluate its ethical boundaries. The author reminds readers that many decisions are not consciously made, and explores the implications in the domain of Army ethics.
Article published on: February 5, 2016
Leadership and Decontaminating a Toxic Team
Keith H. Ferguson
Toxic Teams harm a work place but they can be fixed. Effective leadership recognizes problems as they start and can make change to prevent this serious challenge.
Article published on: February 2, 2016
January 2016 Online Exclusive Articles
The Nature of War: Implications for the Debate on America’s Strategy Against ISIS
Maj. Ben Weakley, U.S. Army
The author argues that policy-makers need to be mindful of the nature of war before promising the American public quick, decisive solutions that come without cost, tradeoffs, or risk.
Article published on: January 28, 2016
Measuring the Immeasurable: Assessing the Effectiveness of Engineering Civic Assistance Projects
Maj. Orlando Craig
The Army has a long history of helping the infrastructure of underdeveloped regions. The author describes needed steps to improve assessment of infrastructure programs.
Article published on: January 22, 2016
Security Force Assistance and the Concept of Sustainable Training as a Role for the U.S. Military in Today’s World
Maj. Adam Brady and Capt. Terence L. Satchell, U.S. Army
Sustainable training programs are crucial for work with partner nations. The authors provide some lessons learned in this regard from the Joint Task Force—Horn of Africa.
Article published on: January 22, 2016
Overlooked Implementation Issues with Autonomous Operations
Maj. Scott E. Bruck, U.S. Army
The author calls attention to the need for the Army to determine how to handle accountability for when Army robots break or make mistakes.
Article published on: January 1, 2016
Atrocity Prevention and Response During Armed Conflict: Closing the Capability Gap
Maj. Alison F. Atkins, U.S. Army
Atrocity crimes happen most frequently during armed conflict. The author argues the military needs to re-organize to better minimize such unnecessary deaths.
Article published on: January 1, 2016