Rebalancing General Purpose Forces to Meet Expanding Worldwide Irregular Warfare Requirements
Abstract
THESIS: General Purpose Forces (GPF) must rebalance current capabilities to meet expanding worldwide Irregular Warfare (IW) requirements while maintaining or, in some cases, returning to Conventional Warfare (CW) requirements. DISCUSSION: The global scope and irregular nature of the Global War on Terror (GWOT) has created a capacity gap in Special Operations Forces. This gap illustrates the need for the United States (U.S.) to rebalance its GPF, especially those found in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. Historically, GPF has focused on major combat operations or "symmetrical" conflict capabilities and currently unmatched by any known threat. "US forces can overwhelm any standing adversary, establish and maintain air superiority, control sea lanes or littoral waters, and seize geographic territory." A logical solution to the capacity gap would be to increase the current GPF IW capabilities or to institutionalize the 'random acts of excellence The required solution must be a long-term, comprehensive approach in the application of the instruments of national power and influence. The best path is neither the creation of peace keeping units nor the quick return to heavy armored formations; prudence demands a blending of the two with the proposed creation of the Enhanced Mission Force (EMF). The critical question is how to train, equip, and certify these organizations to meet the planning and implementation requirements of a Geographic Combatant Command (GCC).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA508031
Entities
People
- Shannon S. Hume
Organizations
- Marine Corps University