U.S. European Command and Transformation
Abstract
The United States is at war, but not the type of war we have trained, equipped, and planned for. Since it is not war in the traditional sense, it requires changes in the way we fight and think. It requires transformation. In the words of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, this "is about more than building new high-tech weapons.... It is also about new ways of thinking...and new ways of fighting." Transformation is all-encompassing, it is here, and U.S. European Command (EUCOM) is not just talking about it -- it is doing it. The command has been directed to transform to better exploit the Nation's advantages while defending its asymmetric vulnerabilities, thus maintaining its strategic position. According to the April 2003 Transformation Planning Guidance, we do that by developing and implementing innovative "combinations of concepts, capabilities, people, and organizations" across three broad areas: how we fight, how we do business inside the Department of Defense (DoD), and how we work with interagency and international partners. This article is divided into the following sections: Fighting the Cold War Legacy, Asymmetric Challenges and Asymmetric Answers, Holistic Approach to Defeating Terrorism, Partnering with Other Agencies, Partnering with Friends and Allies, Transforming the Command Structure, and Partnering with the Private Sector.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA530846
Entities
People
- Charles F. Wald