Army ROTC's Challenge: Providing Lieutenants for the Objective Force

Abstract

The 21st Century will force the Army to make perhaps the most dramatic changes to its structure, organization, and doctrine in its history. The junior leaders of this new organization, the Objective Force, will require skills, talents, and training to understand the world around them and to better see the entire bafflespace from all dimensions. The changing operating environment being shaped by both traditional threats and rising non-traditional threats will present significant challenges for the leaders of this new force. If the Army is going to successfully transition to the Objective Force, Army ROTC must lead the way in recruiting, retaining, and training the right type of Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers with the necessary characteristics to become the lieutenants of the Objective Force. Army ROTC has evolved into the largest producer of officers for the Army. ROTC officers have proven themselves in war and peace. Despite the outstanding record of producing quality officers, Cadet Command has not had the same level of success in producing lieutenants in the quantity that the Army requires. It has failed to meet its commissioning mission each of the past ten years. It is imperative to the success of the Army's transition to the Objective Force that this trend be reversed. Cadet Command must ensure that the organization, staffing, and training of Army ROTC will attract the right type of students to ensure a highly trained and properly manned officer corps. This is the major challenge facing Cadet Command and Army ROTC. It must provide the majority of lieutenants for the Objective Force. The purpose of this research paper is to look at challenges facing Cadet Command in successfully recruiting and training the new lieutenants with the necessary skills and attributes to assume leadership roles in the Objective Force and beyond.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 09, 2002
Accession Number
ADA404216

Entities

People

  • Mark H. Johnson

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

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  • C4I
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  • Civil War
  • Cold War
  • Command And Control
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  • Military Education
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  • Military Tactics
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  • United States Military Academy
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