The War Fighter's Command and Control Reading List
Abstract
In today's military, few concepts are more overlooked than command and control. While a crucial topic, it is not always easily understood and many avoid it completely. But given the importance of this war fighting discipline, how does an officer interested in command and control know where to devote his or her time to develop an understanding of the subject? Without some kind of roadmap, exploration would at best be a hit or miss affair. This paper provides such a roadmap to explain key command and control concepts and recommends the seminal readings that best exemplify these concepts. Among these concepts is how command and control systems implement command and control processes that enable the command and control function. Then the paper explains two theoretical models that show the interactions between command and control elements. Next, it presents command and control implementation considerations. These include challenges of culture, organizational design, interoperability, and the dangers of micro-management. Finally, tracing command styles and looking at the battle of Gettysburg highlight the art of command and control in action. Most importantly, this paper identifies the seminal texts that a senior company grade or field grade military officer should read to get smart on command and control. Incorporated into a personal reading program, these books provide a guide for a professional reading journey that give a war fighter an excellent start to understanding the art and science of command and control.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA398868
Entities
People
- Roger D. Thrasher
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College