Posted on May 17, 2015
Should ideology be rooted out of Leadership at the Pentagon?
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I know our current Active Duty members will have plenty to share on this subject.
DoD
Leadership
Political Correctness
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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I do not expect a maneuver commander to understand cultural effects and multiplications of combat power any more than he should expect me to know the vagaries of fires or aerial denial. That's what I get paid for, knowing how our operations will be received by the populace, leveraging that to positive effect, and mitigating negative effects so that the population does not become an impediment to the Commander's objectives.
My message to the rest of the Army:
Don't think you are expert because you read a book or the COIN manual. Do not be something other than what you are. Be an excellent Infantry Officer, we need those. Be an expert Logistician, we need those.
Leave population operations and IPB to those who know it and live it, Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, and Special Forces. We are good at it. Even better at it now that we learned it the hard way.
My message to the rest of the Army:
Don't think you are expert because you read a book or the COIN manual. Do not be something other than what you are. Be an excellent Infantry Officer, we need those. Be an expert Logistician, we need those.
Leave population operations and IPB to those who know it and live it, Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, and Special Forces. We are good at it. Even better at it now that we learned it the hard way.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG John Thornton
The Combat Commander DOES NOT lead the Human Terrain component of the COIN fight. That is my job. He gives me objectives and desired effects; I provide Civil Information and analysis, devise methods to accomplish desired effects, construct measures of effectiveness, and use my personal wiles to inform and influence key players (Spheres of Influence, in CA parlance) to support or at least not oppose US initiatives.
My commander provides me resources with which to accomplish that mission.
Aside from that, the combat commander does and supervises the other six warfighting functions under his command.
He needs to be on top of all of the actions of his Soldiers, but should micromanage none of them. That is why he has functional experts on his staff.
The Combat Commander DOES NOT lead the Human Terrain component of the COIN fight. That is my job. He gives me objectives and desired effects; I provide Civil Information and analysis, devise methods to accomplish desired effects, construct measures of effectiveness, and use my personal wiles to inform and influence key players (Spheres of Influence, in CA parlance) to support or at least not oppose US initiatives.
My commander provides me resources with which to accomplish that mission.
Aside from that, the combat commander does and supervises the other six warfighting functions under his command.
He needs to be on top of all of the actions of his Soldiers, but should micromanage none of them. That is why he has functional experts on his staff.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG John Thornton
Depends on the phase of operations. During decisive action (Phase I), maneuver and fires have primacy and Human Terrain is a shaping operation. During Consolidation Operations (Phase III), maneuver goes to defensive operations and HT takes on a lead role. During Stability/ Peacekeeping Operations (Phase 0), HT operations is the lead effort in conjunction with other US agencies, primarily State Dept, while maneuver does things like Military to Military Training and SOF does FID/UW.
Usually the senior commander of any JTF will be a Manuever guy. That means he is in charge, but doesn't necessarily mean that just because he is Armor that tanks are the solution.
Depends on the phase of operations. During decisive action (Phase I), maneuver and fires have primacy and Human Terrain is a shaping operation. During Consolidation Operations (Phase III), maneuver goes to defensive operations and HT takes on a lead role. During Stability/ Peacekeeping Operations (Phase 0), HT operations is the lead effort in conjunction with other US agencies, primarily State Dept, while maneuver does things like Military to Military Training and SOF does FID/UW.
Usually the senior commander of any JTF will be a Manuever guy. That means he is in charge, but doesn't necessarily mean that just because he is Armor that tanks are the solution.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG John Thornton
I am describing both doctrine and how things are supposed to be. Interagency cooperation is often the weak link in my observation, and it takes a deft and diplomatic commander to navigate in the JIIM environment.
I am describing both doctrine and how things are supposed to be. Interagency cooperation is often the weak link in my observation, and it takes a deft and diplomatic commander to navigate in the JIIM environment.
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Brett, ideology default is a requirement for that position. I have known individuals of all ranks that were reluctant to work there, so mostly default ended up there, but that is my opinion based on fact that others did not want to work there. As for manual writing I think the find the most gullible person and tell them to write then they sit back and enjoy the laugh.
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