Beyond Managers of Violence: The Revolution in Military Roles and the Force of the Future
Abstract
The Hoover Institutions Kori Schake recently described the spectrum of near-term threats to the United States this way: Deterrence works. It certainly is working so far against great powersThe United States is so good at actual war that we have driven our adversaries to the polar extremes of the conflict scale.1 Foreign Policy Editor-in-Chief David Rothkopf offers that the United States currently faces fewer existential threats than at any other time in its history.2 Indeed, our prowess in conventional warfare and our credible nuclear deterrent provide two pillars of national defense which minimize the probability of large-scale conflictfor the time being. But military historian Michael Howard argued that the fog of peace can be even murkier than the fog of war, alluding to the daunting challenges of building, preparing, and equipping a military force for an uncertain future.3 Considering these viewpoints, the Department of Defense must maintain its conventional war-fighting capabilities and credible nuclear deterrent, yet prepare for an unpredictable future security environment. While we endeavor to marginalize our enemies options through our own traditional sources of military strength, we must also recognize that our alliances, and the security and values upheld by our democratic international order, provide the United States a third comparative advantage over rival states and non-state violent extremist organizations.4 To maintain this third pillar of Western international security, the DOD must build a force better prepared to engage with allies, old and new. The military must pursue security cooperation opportunities prudently, in ways that enhance our own strength. The military must also recruit, train, and retain a broader array of Americans, with proven talents, skills, and language proficiency, in order to leverage the full spectrum of American will, intellect, and ingenuity against any future enemies and challenges.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 17, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1054999
Entities
People
- Michael M. Trimble
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College