21st Century Transformation: Has the Army Been Here Before?
Abstract
The purpose of the monograph is to determine whether or not the Army has previously transformed under the same conditions and for similar reasons. If the Army has faced a similar situation, the monograph seeks to highlight the mistakes to avoid and lessons learned that can be applied today in order to improve the 21st Century transformation process. Additionally this monograph seeks to educate the officer corps on the difficulties and complexities of institutional transformation and dispel the natural fear and traditional military resistance to change by articulating the logic of the current Army transformation and the necessity to adapt order to prepare for the uncertainties of the future. This monograph illustrates the nature and challenges of Army transformation since the Civil War. The monograph thoroughly researches and describes four periods of Army transformation. These are the post-Civil War, Pre-WW II, post-Vietnam, and post-Cold War eras. It examines each period's changing security environment, advances weapons technology, and the political and military culture and types of resistance. The monograph identifies the Army's basic problem or challenge of the period, and explains the Army's method and process implemented to adapt and solve the problem. The monograph also identifies the Army's key individuals that made significant contributions during each transformation. The monograph concludes that the 21st Century transformation is similar to the post Civil War period of change. The way the Army created and used the formal military school system after the Civil War as an intellectual vehicle for enlightenment in how to organize and fight in the Industrial Age is analogous to the 21st Century transformation creating and fielding the interim force in order to understand how to organize, equip, and prepare leaders for war in the Information Age. Both periods were also influenced by the defeat or dissolution of the only major threat to the United States.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA593949
Entities
People
- Scott T. Kendrick
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College