Strategic Issues

Vincent A. Amerena Sr., Steven M. Clark, Andrew L. Heymann, Martin D. Lepak, John A. Urciuoli; Document from the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership; This document outlines a strategic framework for evolving the Army’s talent management approach to meet future demands. It identifies 12 critical elements necessary for a talent-based system, emphasizing the importance of a self-learning system, visibility of the total force, and expandable access to personnel across the Department of Defense. Additionally, the report addresses procedural and cultural impediments that could hinder the implementation of an agile system, such as mobile access to the talent marketplace and military compensation challenges. The report serves as a blueprint for transforming Army personnel management to align with emerging workforce trends and operational needs by 2035.

Ashraf S. Abdelhak, Jerry A. Brown, Rafael A. Duran, Russell V. Hoff, Samuel P. Smith; Document from the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership; This document meticulously evaluates the modernization plans and defense strategies of key global players, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, identifying 19 capabilities and 22 unique threat signatures that will likely evolve. The report emphasizes the necessity for the U.S. Army to develop sophisticated, integrated sensor systems capable of detecting both technical and non-technical signatures, as adversaries increasingly employ advanced technologies such as electronic warfare, cyber capabilities, and stealth to obscure their actions. As global powers continue to enhance their military capabilities, this analysis serves as a crucial guide for maintaining strategic superiority and ensuring national security.

Estimation of Technology Convergence Lt Col Nicholas Delcour (USAF), Lt Col Louis Duncan (USAF), Mr Stephen Frahm (DOS), CDR Patrick Lancaster (USN), Lt Col Lance Vann (USAF) Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The Team prepared this document as part of an Integrated Research Project as partial to complete the Master of Strategic Studies degree from the USAWC. The research, analysis, and production of this product occurred from Oct 2019 through Apr 2020 as part of the in-residence AWC Senior Service College program. The research question was: How, when, and where are artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum technology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology, autonomous technology, robotics, and information technology likely to converge in ways relevant to the US Army over the next 15 years?"

Likely Threat Signatures 2030-2040 Ashraf Abdelhak, Jerry Brown, Rafael Duran, Russell Hoff, Samuel Smith Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The USAWC Futures Seminar Team Sensing prepared this document for the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, G2 (Intelligence). The research, analysis, and production of this product occurred over a 28 week time frame from Oct 2019 to Apr 2020 at the USAWC. The research requirement was: What are likely future threat signatures in 2030-2040? What sensors and systems will the U.S. Army likely need in order to detect, recognize, analyze, and target future threat signatures?"

Talent Management After Next - Evolution of the People Strategy Vincent A. Amerena Sr. Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "This document was written by a research team at the USAWC as a part of the Futures Seminar for AY 2020. This report answers questions posed by Dr. Casey Wardynski, Asst. Sec. of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASA M&RA). The team's task was to analyze and synthesize an estimate from open-source information relevant to the questions posed: What are the elements of a talent-based approach to Army personnel management that will reveal market requirements while meeting Army demands in relative real-time and provide feedback through a self-learning system? Additionally, what procedural and cultural impediments likely stand in the way of an agile system that allows the Army to adapt to these new demands through acquisition avenues or modifications to the development of the Army's existing talent?"

How the Army Runs 2019-2020: A Senior Leader Reference Handbook Prof Louis G Yuenger Reference Handbook from the US Army War College, School of Strategic Landpower "Since the publication of the 2017-2018 How the Army Runs Reference Handbook, the U.S. Army is transitioning its concepts, doctrine, and capabilities to a new strategy. This new strategy switches the focus of Army forces from counterinsurgency to large scale combat operations (LSCO) against a peer, or near-peer competitor. The Army responds to this fundamental change in strategy by establishing two very clear objectives in achieving the new strategy. The intermediate objective is to establish a multi-domain operations capable force (at least selected formations) by 2028 and an ultimate objective to grow that force into a multi-domain operations ready Army by 2035..."

Campaign Planning Handbook AY20 COL Mark Haseman Publication from the US Army War College, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, School of Strategic Landpower "The purpose of this document is to assist United States Army War College students during the Military Strategy and Campaigning (MSC) course. It also serves to assist commanders, planners, and other staff officers in combatant commands (CCMD), joint task forces (JTF), and service component commands. It supplements joint doctrine and contains elements of emerging doctrine as practiced globally by joint force commanders (JFCs). It portrays a way to apply published doctrine and emerging doctrine at the higher levels of joint command, with a primary emphasis at the combatant command level."

Working Smarter - Considerations for the Army Installations of the Future Samuel R. White, Jr, Peter J. Whalen Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "In support of the ASA IEE effort to understand the capabilities for the Installation of the Future (IotF), the U.S. Army War College conducted an eight-month project employing faculty and student researchers to study the possible requirements and capabilities of the IotF and its implications to the Army's Multi-Domain Operations concept by the year 2035. Given the numerous considerations for the IotF across force design categories (DOTMLPF-P), the students were challenged to focus in certain key areas that they determined. Those key areas are: Infrastructure, Services, Security, and Enabling Capabilities."

Leading Change in Military Organizations: Experiential Activity Book Dr Thomas P. Galvin Activity book by the US Army War College, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, School of Strategic Landpower, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute "This text contains six activities representing six discrete actions in preparing for planned change. These are shown in Figure 1, and each one has an activity established for it. Each activity is presented in two forms – (1) full form for field use where all steps should be completed, and (2) short form for introductory use in educational settings. In the field, it is recommended that these activities be conducted in a facilitated setting or under the advice of a consultant who is familiar with the underlying literature..."