The King is Dead: Regaining the Throne -- The Current State of the Field Artillery, Core Competency Atrophy, and the Way Ahead
Abstract
The demand for "boots on the ground" supporting counterinsurgency operations (COIN) in Iraq and Afghanistan, 8 years of continuous in lieu of missions, and the U.S. Army's transformation/modularity has had negative unintended consequences on the Field Artillery branch. In conclusion, the once honed and trained field artillery that silenced the Iraqi Army in 2003, is losing its ability to attract and retain the best and brightest soldiers, NCOs, and Officers, train itself, and worst of all, has lost the confidence of many maneuver commanders. However, to regain the throne, the U.S. Army field artillery must regain its core competencies, work to increase the number of fire brigades to one per division for a total of 10 fires brigades, and work to restructure the MTOE, reconsolidating the fire support element back into the fires battalion. We must not forget that when states focus their armies on doing nothing but counterinsurgency and world constabulary missions, excluding conventional warfare, strategic failure can result, as did with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) in 2006. There is more at stake than losing the moniker "The King of Battle." What is really at stake is losing the ability to maneuver and fire, which in tum allows our Army to validate its existence, defending the American way of life and winning our nation's war. The American way of life does not depend on field artillery, but on the ability of the country to defend the American way of life.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 17, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA601899
Entities
People
- Julian T. Urquidez
Organizations
- Marine Corps University