Leadership in Crisis: Service Chiefs in the Post-Vietnam World
Abstract
The core premise of this thesis is that the US military experienced a period of organizational crisis in the 1970s. This situation is, in some ways, similar to the potential crises facing the US military today. Therefore, it is useful to examine how American military leaders dealt with their crises to identify potential solutions for leaders today. From the end of WWII through the Korean War, the US military developed problems that would affect each service during and after the Vietnam War. The militarys retention problem decreased numbers in each service. Next, the services differing perceptions of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War resulted in increased parochialism and mission uncertainty. Also, each service needed modernization, but the budget could not support each services needs. Finally, although civil-military relations were improving, each service encountered difficulties in dealing with its civilian superiors. As CNO, Admiral Elmo Zumwalts leadership of the Navy following the Vietnam War set precedents for action in the face of adversity. Zumwalt used his unique style of leadership and communication to address the most critical problems he perceived in the Navy. Using this unique style, he often times leapt without considering each consequence and chose to discount some of the advice he did get. As Chief of Staff of the Army, General Creighton Abrams best lessons were his empathy with the soldier and his bias towards executive control. His practices and actions concentrated on improving the Army and preventing what he perceived was the misuse of its resources. From Abrams, the primary principle is that a leader must care for his troops, but a leader, especially a CoS, must keep the organizations larger picture in mind. As Chief of Staff of the USAF, General David Jones led the USAF through the organizational crisis by stressing education, integration, and subjugation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- AD1019426
Entities
People
- Scott C. Mills
Organizations
- Air University