Organizing for Irregular Warfare: Implications for the Brigade Combat Team
Abstract
This study challenges the notion that the incremental steps being taken by the Army to transform itself into a more modular organization are bold enough to allow ground forces to properly conduct operations in 21st-century irregular environments. The author argues that Infantry Brigade Combat Teams would be better optimized for the challenges of irregular warfare through structural changes that decentralize resources; flatten the command structure; and increase the capacity and integration of intelligence personnel, mobility assets, and population-focused capabilities (e.g., civil affairs specialists, information operations specialists, military police, and civil engineers) at the battalion and company levels. Organizational theory, historical insights, Army doctrine, contemporary articles, presentations, and interviews are used to suggest further modifications to the force structure. These modified units -- named within this paper as security and development brigades to distinguish them from their predecessors -- would be focused on defeating guerrilla fighters, controlling (and protecting) populations, and conducting initial indigenous governance and economic capacity development. Chapter 2 describes changes to the U.S. threat environment and the evolving national security policies that are attempting to address these changes. Chapter 3 examines the obvious gap between the capabilities inherent in the Army's current force design and those directed by more recent policy documents. Chapter 4 explores a wide array of policy and structural alternatives from a variety of military analysts. Chapter 5 uses organizational theory to demonstrate that further specialization is needed within the force structure, and these specialists should be integrated into lower-level tactical units. Chapter 6 outlines a design proposal that is an alternative to the current modular-brigade design.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA475829
Entities
People
- Kenneth J. Burgess
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School