The premise of this monograph is that the Elements of Operational Design are incapable of linking the tactical employment of forces to strategic objectives and that Systemic Operational Design is a viable alternative. This monograph introduces the...
This monograph began as an investigation to determine if either Effects-Based Operations (EBO) or Systemic Operational Design (SOD) should replace the traditional Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP). It soon became clear that the approaches do...
Sorrells, William T., Downing, Glen R., Blakesley, Paul J., Pendall, David W., Walk, Jason K., Wallwork, Richard D.
Systemic Operational Design (SOD) is an application of systems theory to operational art. It is an attempt to rationalize complexity through systemic logic employing a holistic approach that translates strategic direction and policy into...
This study examines the potential utilization of Special Operations Forces (SOF) in support of the strategic concept called "Peacetime Engagement”. Peacetime Engagement is the proposal of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations...
This study examines the adequacy of the Military Decision-Making Press (MDMP) for use by Special Forces (SF) staffs at the battalion/group level while planning multiple and simultaneous operations. The research is prefaced by stating the MDMP, in...
With the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the grip of
superpower strictures loosened resulting in an increase in complexity and dynamism that marks today's security environment. The rapidly changing and uncertain...
This study is an initial, country-level, analysis of the German government rationales for allowing the transfer of arms. The study divides arms transfer rationales into three distinct areas, political, economic and military. At present, there are...
"It is clear that we face major threats on the modern battlefield with a relatively small quantity of field artillery. It follows that we must optimize the use of all indirect fire support resources available."
Operational level commanders and their staffs require relevant and current joint doctrine that articulates the critical function of operational design and its role in the Joint Operation Planning Process (JOPP). Since operational design is the...
This monograph seeks to define what a Decision Support System (DSS) is to the military decision-maker, suggest some evaluation criteria, and propose a sample decision-making aid. It examines the current doctrinal or academic work in that arena. The...
The Armed Forces of the Netherlands are currently in a reorganization process in order to improve the balance between tasks and capabilities. Specific materiel is being disposed of and organizations are downsized to achieve this balance. The...
The purpose of this research was to determine whether there is a place for elite forces in the Canadian army. The genesis of the study is an observed disconnect between Canadian government expectations of a military capable of providing a wide...
This thesis investigates the utility of conventional military intervention by Western powers in achieving their short-term foreign policy aims. Through a survey of the literature of political-military coordination, case studies of contingency...
This study of military professionalism was conducted by the US Army War College at the direction of the Chief of Staff. The study began on 21 April 1970, and this report was submitted to the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel on 30...
After World War Two the United States moved into a position of global pre-eminence. The Bush doctrine of pre-emptive and preventive action, expressed in the 2002 and 2006 National Security Strategies, holds that this level of relative power...
This study focuses on an analysis of the revised final draft FM 22-100, Army Leadership and its usefulness for unit leaders in instilling the Army core values. Within this research effort, the investigator evaluated the doctrine presented to...
The procurement of medium and high altitude UAS has dramatically increased since 1988. The DOD now spends billions of dollars annually to research, test, develop and procure medium and high altitude UAS for all military services. In an effort to...
Current operations indicate that improvements are warranted within our Battle Command (BC) planning method to support complex and ill-structured problems. Several modified approaches have been reviewed and synthesized into a general theoretical...
Bias caused by organizational culture is a constant companion of military planning. Cognitive models dominated by Newtonian, mechanistic, and reductionist thinking, have all but entrenched bias at the operational level of war where contextual, or...
This study examines the development of US airpower theory and its major applications. The focus of the study is on offensive applications of airpower and on interdiction and strategic bombing in particular. The study reveals that a mature airpower...