Purple Reign: Ascent and Decline of Joint Behavior in the U.S. Military
Abstract
The U.S. military sends mixed messages about the degree to which it embraces and practices jointness. Official publications tend to reflect a high degree of inter-service cooperation and interdependence, though history and practical experience reveal frequent bouts of dysfunction and willful independence. There also seems to be disagreement about what constitutes the essence of jointness. Various experts argue that combined-arms success lies in the proper arrangement of forces under a commander with sweeping authority, which reduces squabbles about doctrine and command-and-control issues that periodically plague large operations. Others characterize jointness as the possession of compatible military hardware or the procurement of common equipment. The former allows interdependence on the battlefield; the latter can strengthen national defense by furthering both combined action and fiscal efficiency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA620991
Entities
People
- Paul R. Birch
Organizations
- Air University