Military Change & Transformation

Russia in Afghanistan and Chechnya: Military Strategic Culture and the Paradoxes of Asymmetric Conflict Major Robert M Cassidy Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, Major Robert Cassidy uses a detailed assessment of the Russian experience in Afghanistan and Chechnya to draw important conclusions about asymmetric warfare. He then uses this to provide recommendations for the U.S. military, particularly the Army. Major Cassidy points out that small wars are difficult for every great power, yet are the most common kind. Even in this era of asymmetry, the U.S. Army exhibits a cultural preference for the “big war” paradigm. He suggests that the U.S. military in general, including the Army, needs a cultural transformation to master the challenge of asymmetry fully. From this will grow doctrine and organizational change."

Shortening The Defense Acquisition Cycle: A Transformation Imperative Prof Bernard F Griffard Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "Today’s compelling need for all Services to respond rapidly and decisively across the full spectrum of military operations requires revolutionary, not evolutionary acquisition strategies. Initiatives must be taken to bring defense cycle times closer to those of the commercial sector."

Clausewitz's Center of Gravity: Changing Our Warfighting Doctrine--Again! Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The center of gravity has become one of today’s most popular military concepts despite the fact that its origins extend back to the early industrial-age. Clausewitz’s military center of gravity (CoG) and the CoG of the mechanical sciences share many of the same properties: neither is a strength or a source of strength, per se, but rather a focal point where physical (and psychological) forces come together. The U.S. military’s doctrinal publications—especially Joint Pub 3-0, Doctrine for Joint Operations, and Joint Pub 5-00.1, Joint Doctrine for Campaign Planning—should be revised to reflect a more accurate definition of the CoG."

The Future of Transcaspian Security Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph explores the unprecedented opportunities that are now before the United States and recommends actions that the Government and armed forces, especially, but not only the U.S. Army, should undertake to consolidate and extend the newly emerging military partnership and cooperative security regime that are now developing. Because the opportunities being presented to the United States and NATO were never possible before to this degree, the proper way to exploit them will become a subject of debate."

Business and Security in a Wired World Dennis M Murphy Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) Center for Strategic Leadership (CSL) con ducted a “Business Security in a Wired World” seminar in Rye, New York on 24-25 April 2002. Participants in the event included business executives representing critical infrastructure segments, government officials, and executives of two industry associations. The College’s objective in the session was to obtain a better understanding of private sector concerns for information assurance and homeland security."

Stifled Innovation? Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today Dr Leonard Wong Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Dr. Leonard Wong examines how, despite the need to develop and grow innovative leaders for the Army’s future forces, the current system in the Army seems to be working against that vision. He argues that current levels of directed training events, dictated training procedures, and disruptions originating from higher echelons are having a detrimental effect on the development of innovation in today’s company commanders."

Transforming Defense Dr Conrad C Crane Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This collection regroups papers and presentations from the conference into three categories: Historical Overviews of Transforming Defense, Transformation Plans and Barriers, and External Views of Transformation. Each section contains an introduction describing the essays that follow, as well as summarizing other relevant conference presentations and discussions bearing on the topic. If presenters did not produce a formal article for publication, their key arguments are still described in the introduction."

Rapid Decisive Operations: An Assumptions-Based Critique Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Technological innovation plays a paradoxical role in military transformation. With each problem it solves, technological innovation tends to introduce new challenges or complications. Operational concepts can partly reconcile these tensions by finding the optimal balance between technological strengths and weaknesses. In so doing, they perform two vital functions (integrating and stimulating) for military transformation."

AC/RC Integration: Today's Success and Transformation's Challenge Dr Dallas D Owens Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In the following monograph, Lieutenant Colonel Dallas Owens analyzes current integration programs and initiatives and evaluates them for their potential to resist transformation’s possible threat to AC/RC integration. His two-part analysis first addresses the continuity, logic, and effectiveness of the Army’s integration efforts and then turns to an examination of how historical experience with integration should direct future efforts."