Interoperability, Integration, and Interdependence Between the United States and Canadian Forces: Recreating the Devil's Brigade
Abstract
In today's complex security environment, the United States' need for allies is greater than ever. While the demands on American ground forces to defend allies and deter adversaries are significant and growing, the ability to provide strategic landpower due to fiscal and political constraints is decreasing. Clearly, a strategy is needed to balance the costs of war with the responsibility of deterring adversaries to win in a complex world. This monograph addresses Army Warfighting Challenge fourteen: How to integrate joint, interorganizational, and multinational partner capabilities and campaigns to ensure unity of effort and accomplish missions across the range of military operations. Specifically, to what degree should the Department of Defense develop more effective Canada-United States interoperability, integration, and interdependence to provide more rapid and agile responses to emerging threats and security challenges? During World War II (WWII), the First Special Service Force (FSSF), a unit consisting of Canadian and US soldiers, was an elite formation that produced a whole greater than the sum of its parts against Germany. During the Korean War, unlike in Italy and France during WWII with the FSSF, Canadians were unable to integrate effectively into the coalition effort. High-level political-military communications, planning, integration, and logistics were continual problems throughout operations. With the new Army Operating Concept and Army Vision 2025, there are opportunities for Canadian elements to "plug in" to US units. In the end, this could lead to more efficient, rapid, and better-employed forces for allied operations. By forming a permanently standing integrated brigade, the United States and Canadian armies can maximize independent comparative advantages and increase multinational interoperability, integration, and interdependence to ensure unity of effort and accomplish missions across the range of military operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 26, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1022066
Entities
People
- Jesse W. Lamarand
Organizations
- School of Advanced Military Studies