The Objective Force: Patterns of Change?

Abstract

The bifurcation of global threats since the collapse of the bipolar paradigm, as well as technological proliferation has heightened uncertainty in US Army operations. This uncertainty has manifested in adversaries with broader capabilities to directly impact US dominance, lessening the advantages inherent in technology centric solutions. In 1999, the CSA proposed an Objective Force that would alter the patterns of organizational action through technological dominance. This monograph examines these patterns of alteration against the experiences of a deployed Legacy Force unit and suggests that the capabilities embedded in them do not require the creation of a new force. These pattern alterations exist in part in current forces and these forces are capable of rapidly adapting. This examination begins with an analysis of the origins that led the CSA toward the Objective Force. Based on the perceptions of senior leaders, the need and direction for change was clear. While the Objective Force concept has not been tested, the framework articulated by TRADOC is sufficient to analyze its theoretical and conceptual foundations. Viewed through complexity and systems theory, the monograph threads the ideas of the Objective Force through the prism of the complex adaptive system and identifies the patterns of alteration that seek to counter the perceived methodism of the Legacy Force. This analysis provides evaluation criteria to compare the proposed capabilities of the Objective force with those of a Legacy Force unit. This monograph concludes that the US Army does need to change but the course does not have to be the Objective Force. It recommends the creation of organic modular combined arms units at brigade and below composed of light/medium and heavy/medium forces to enhance capabilities, as well as staff reorganizations to mitigate the ad hoc nature of current staff processes. Coupled with these recommendations is a change in manning process to enhance cohesion

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 22, 2003
Accession Number
ADA419832

Entities

People

  • Michael J. Lawson

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Command And Control
  • Complex Adaptive Systems
  • Department Of State
  • Employment
  • Information Operations
  • Information Systems
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military History
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Minority Groups
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • United States
  • United States European Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.