Mission Command Philosophy Within the British and American Armies; Differences and Implications for Interoperability
Abstract
This thesis examines differences between the command philosophies of the British and American armies in the light of the Anglo-American interoperability agenda, identifying points of difference between the philosophies and implications for interoperability. Both British and American armies adopted the German command philosophy of Auftragstaktik in establishing their own philosophies of mission command. Using the principles of Auftragstaktik as a lens, a doctrinal comparison of the two armies identifies several differences between the command philosophies, notably in their understanding of intent, approach to decision-making, and attitude to delegation. The result is that British subordinates have more freedom of action than their American counterparts. Through an examination of the military culture of the British and American armies, it is determined that the difference in command philosophy was driven by cultural differences; each command philosophy is a reflection and representation of its army's national military culture, and it is not possible to simply change doctrine without an concomitant cultural change. While it is possible to mitigate tensions in interoperability through an awareness of the other's differences, and by a degree of compromise, full interoperability could not be achieved without considerably greater alignment of both doctrine and culture.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 09, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1181112
Entities
People
- David T. Welford
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College