Interservice Rivalry and Air Force Doctrine: Promise, Not Apology
Abstract
I recently attended a joint-service conference advertised by its war and staff college sponsors as a reasoned, nonparochial discussion of interservice rivalry. With some notable exceptions, the conference admirably attained this objective. In some cases, however, I witnessed an occurrence of an increasingly common phenomenon -- an attack on the U.S. Air Force and its core doctrinal beliefs by two of its own. Colonel Richard Szafranski's "Interservice Rivalry in Action: The Endless Roles and Missions Refrain?" was one of the presentations. The delivery of what I believe to be a fratricidal attack on the core beliefs and mission of the Air Force by two representatives of the service came as quite a surprise. This situation was particularly unpalatable because the Air Force was the only service to receive such harsh treatment during this two-day conference. Truly constructive criticism -- the kind that offers even-handed critiques accompanied by at least some attempt to present remedies -- was conspicuous by its absence from the two presentations. Their comments reminded me of others from presumably more parochial quarters. This article uses Colonel Szafranski's remarks as a springboard to address concerns larger than academic fratricide. It points to the promise of airpower doctrine rather than serving as an apologist for it. It seeks to counter such parochial arguments by emphasizing the need for Air Force leaders to understand the basics of their service's doctrine and to appreciate its historical, theoretical, and technological foundations. The gist of the two presentations at the conference on interservice rivalry is that past budget cuts and resulting interservice battles over roles, missions, and dollars are but a preview of what's coming as future budgets are cut to draconian levels. In this environment, Szafranski asserts, the Air Force will not be able to hold its own.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA527931
Entities
People
- Gene Myers