The Light Infantry Battalion: Facing the Dilemma of Warfighting and Operations Other Than War
Abstract
This study examines how U.S. light infantry battalions transition from warfighting to operations other than war. Within the last several decades, U.S. forces have been actively involved in missions ranging from combat operations to operations other than war. The dilemma occurs when units must focus on warfighting tasks and at the same time be prepared to deploy worldwide into an uncertain operations other than war mission. Even though there are inherent similarities between combat operations and operations other than war, the latter expose leaders and soldiers to a unique set of challenges that combat training alone will not mitigate. The purpose of this study is to determine how U.S. light infantry battalions can effectively transition from warfighting to operations other than war. The author examines three light infantry battalions through Operation Restore Hope, Operation Uphold Democracy, and Operation Joint Endeavor. The study reveals that battle focused training, while one of the key factors in preparing units for combat and operations other than war, alone will not completely mitigate the challenges of the latter. The study recommends integration of staff and leader trailing in operations other than war into unit training cycles. Additionally, the study strongly recommends mission focused predeployment training for units deploying into operations other than war.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 04, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA368256
Entities
People
- Viet X. Luong
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College