This monograph examines the application of special operations forces (SOF) as a means to achieve strategic ends across the operational continuum. In war, political constraints are minimal, and a theater commander-in-chief (CINC) is allowed to...
This monograph addresses the question: Do the planning staffs at the Unified Combatant Commands have the personnel resources and training to conduct crisis action planning for contingencies without augmentation from other organizations? The Unified...
The end of the cold war has resulted in renewed United States interest in the challenges of Third World countries that may require U.S. involvement. This monograph examines the role and capabilities of the unified CINC in nation assistance....
The CINC executes US operational war preparation through the design of operational plans (OPLAN) and contingency plans (CONPLAN). These plans provide the basis for tactical planning for tactical units likely to be assigned to the CINC for execution...
In August 1990, Iraq's brutal army invaded Kuwait, and threatened to de-stabilize the entire Persian Gulf region, the source of the industrial countries' major supply of oil to run their economies. To deter further Iraqi aggression, the United...
Our National Military Strategy is based on rapid introduction of overwhelming combat power to achieve decisive results with minimum casualties. Air power is a key component of this strategy. To effectively employ air power requires an inherent...
The joint force commander (JFC) and his staff are increasingly challenged with emerging complexities of the 21st Century security environment. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the joint force command environment, trying to assess the...
This monograph seeks to determine an optimal solution for the designation and establishment of a Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters for a contingency situation in an operations other than war (OOTW) environment. The principal aim of this study is...
The attached monograph seeks to analyze in general terms the economic dimension in war planning. It focuses on the causes and implications of the often inescapable incompatibility between political/economic objectives and military aims. Much of...
This monograph examines the interagency interoperability challenges faced by joint force commanders and planners during international humanitarian assistance operations (HAO). Three patterns or currents flow through the study. These currents...
This monograph highlights the lack of a doctrinal course of action development process for creating campaign plans. Such a process is needed due to the inexperience of both senior leaden and middle-grade staff officers with the operational level of...
This monograph examines whether or not a Combatant Command Training Program would improve Joint Task Force (JTF) synchronization in a resource constrained environment. Using historical examples, doctrinal analysis, and current combatant command...
A number of dramatic international events have significantly altered the strategic environment facing the U.S. These changes have led to a shift in operational focus away from Europe to a wider range of contingencies in other areas of the world....
This monograph examines the legacy that has been passed down from the personal recollections made by the Commanders-in-Chief, U.S. Southern Command regarding planning and/or execution of full spectrum operations in Panama. The focus of this paper...
The 1991 Coalition victory in Desert Storm exemplified the awesome capabilities of the U.S. Armed Forces weapons and doctrine. The Army's Air Land Battle doctrine was finally used in combat and proven effective. The short campaign ended with the...
Using the 1983 US invasion of Grenada and the 1992-3 military humanitarian intervention in Somalia as case studies, this monograph shows how post-Cold War operational planning can benefit from the experiences gained from recent deployments. The...
This monograph discusses the difference between both ground and air commanders who are subordinate to an overall theater commander. Although joint doctrine has evolved and improved, there are still differences between the two kinds of commanders...
As the 21st century emerges, the U.S. will face threats that are more ambiguous and regionally focused than those found in previous years. This monograph seeks to determine if the U.S. military would be better prepared to conduct contingency...
This monograph examines the exercise of staff control by the chiefs of staff at those headquarters either fighting or supporting warfare at the operational level. It is important for those commanders tasked to plan for warfare at the operational...
The geo-political environment of the world today is rapidly changing creating many diverse challenges for the United States. When military force is required in response to these challenges, the most readily available forces to employ are U.S. Army...