The Abrams Doctrine: Total Force Foundation or Enduring Fallacy?
Abstract
The Laird Total Force policy referred to informally as the Abrams Doctrine has just exceeded thirty years as a fundamental aspect of Department of Defense force structure and manning policy. The Abrams Doctrine was principally driven by force structure considerations and constraints that General Abrams faced in the post-Vietnam era; General Abrams actual intention in advocating this policy was an attempt both to save force structure and to resource the Reserve Component forces appropriately. Despite this fact the two perceptions most often associated with the Total Force policy today are: the necessity of gaining popular support in committing U.S. forces to combat and a hidden intent of the AC-RC force structure to limit presidential powers. Both of these perceptions were adopted by various constituencies after the fact. and are actually fallacies. At the same time a third function - that of limiting prolonged combat - is a desired associated outcome. In December 2002 following the successful completion of Operation Enduring Freedom the Secretary of Defense stated that the Total Force policy (e.g. the existing Active Component/Reserve Component force balance) was hampering his ability to deploy forces and suggested that he would seek changes. Secretary Rumsfeld is correct that some aspects of the Abrams Doctrine should be discarded but it is important that the essential core should be retained in formulating a new Total Force policy. The original Abrams Doctrine was a landmark compromise marked by each constituency achieving some victories accepting some losses and the nation benefiting. The spirit of compromise that resulted in the first Abrams Doctrine must guide the development and serve as the enduring foundation for any future Abrams Doctrine. Any new Abrams Doctrine must arrive at a force structure appropriate to todays threat while ensuring the continued relevance of the Reserve Component.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 03, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA423689
Entities
People
- Brian D. Jones
Organizations
- United States Army War College