Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Command and Control
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Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Command and Control
Introduction
Flexible and rapid decision-making is effective for seizing the moment to overpower an adversary. Commanders empower the soldiers to make subordinate decisions that support the higher commander’s intent. The essay examines the training for mission and the role of subordinate decision-making. It examines the role of a healthy relationship between the commander and the soldiers in establishing trust and confidence. The essay explores the role of taking the soldiers outside their comfort zones. The purpose of the essay is to examine the command and control in the army’s decision-making.
Command and Control
The objective of training for the mission is to instill discipline in the soldiers and empower them to make critical decisions. Disciplined initiative is taking action in absence of orders in unforeseen opportunities or threats. Disciplined initiative is essential in mission command to allow the soldiers to make subordinate decisions when commands to not fit the unforeseen threat. It is essential to create opportunities for disciplined initiative through rigorous training and exposure to different terrains (Townsend et al., 2019). Commanders can allow the soldiers to make decisions that fit the situations to enhance their disciplined initiative.
Allowing subordinate decision-making and demanding it is a prerequisite for winning (Townsend et al., 2019). The army’s approach to command and control is to empower and encourage the soldiers to make subordinate decisions appropriate for any situation. Flexible and rapid decision-making is effective for seizing the moment to overpower an adversary. When the stipulated plan does not apply to the unfolding events, soldiers are not just permitted to make decisions but required to apply their knowledge to ensure successful intervention of the enemy (Townsend et al., 2019). Training for months and years means the soldiers know how to make the right decisions without constant leader interaction. Rapid adaptation is required in the event of unforeseen events and threats to maintain a tempo of operations.
Training for mission command involves carrying out tasks repetitively to sharpen the skills of the soldiers. Trainers have to appreciate that continuous training is necessary for successful subordinate decision-making (Townsend et al., 2019). During the training, soldiers have an opportunity to make mistakes to enhance their proficiency. Mistakes are platforms to promote successful learning. The relationship between the trainers and trainees promotes trust and confidence (Townsend et al., 2019). Developing mutual trust creates a healthy relationship between trainers and trainees and reduces the level of control.
A battalion commander has a responsibility to force the trainees outside their comfort zones. Training takes place in varying terrains and multiple tactical vignettes to prepare the team effectively for the actual combat with the enemy (Townsend et al., 2019). It is essential to allow the soldiers to learn to act using the best available information to counter the situation. The objective is to use the information delivered on radio or summary to make the best decision. Decision-making involves embracing the commander’s intent of having a shared understanding of responding to the threats of the enemy (Townsend et al., 2019). One of the measuring rods of whether the decision is accurate is whether it supports the higher commander’s intent. Building mutual trust and confidence in subordinate decision-making is critical in handling uncertain events that occur on the battlefield.
Conclusion
Allowing subordinate decision-making and demanding it is a prerequisite for winning. Trainers accept that battlegrounds present diverse situations that require subordinate decision-making. It is vital to embrace the commander’s intent of having a shared understanding of responding to the threats of the enemy. Training for a long time with the soldiers instills knowledge to make the right decisions without constant leader interaction. Developing a relationship of trust is critical in establishing trust. Developing mutual trust creates a healthy relationship between trainers and trainees and reduces the level of control.
References
Townsend, G. S., Brito, M. G. G., Crissman, M. G. D., & McCoy, M. K. (2019). Reinvigorating the Army’s Approach to Command and Control. Military Review, 2.
