The Impact of a Decade at War
Abstract
Harvard University's Center for Public Leadership "National Leadership Index" for 2010 ranked the military as the U.S. institution in which the public had the most confidence in terms of leadership (continuing the trend since 2005), and in a similar Gallup poll, the military has been ranked at the top since 1998. While Americans may have doubts about current wars, they are supportive of their warriors. However, public support and confidence may indeed be irrelevant if America's Army does not adequately prepare for the future. Successive chiefs of staff have taken stock of the Army, establishing a vision and then charting a path to the future. Their methodology has been to commission a series of white papers to identify the issues that would serve as the basis for key initiatives during their tenure. From these white papers, the chiefs initiated a number of annual campaigns to redress shortfalls and professionalize a force that struggled with its identity and was attempting to redefine itself. Call them weak signals or signposts, there are several events that give cause for concern regarding the health of today's Army. Ponder this short list: Abu Ghraib, Walter Reed, the Fort Hood shootings, and service members' suicides. It is prudent to look at this collection of signals and question what senior leaders should garner from these incidents, especially as they relate to the health of the Army in an era of persistent conflict. Some other disturbing signals of the Army's health today are as follows: the lack of retention of young officers, the lack of basic core competencies among young officers, the Army's focus on tactical counterinsurgency while deferring requirements for professional military education, the lack of mentorship of Lt. Colonels, the reliefs from command of more than a dozen battalion and brigade commanders in the past year, the problem of "toxic leadership"; and the failure of numerous senior leaders in terms of professional competence and performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA569993
Entities
People
- Charles D. Allen
Organizations
- United States Army War College