Military Doctrine Characteristics

The purpose of this essay is to select two essential characteristics the United States Armed Forces must possess, in order to achieve operational success during war. Conversely, evidence substantiates that the Armed Forces rely on several characteristics, therefore, to lessen the complexity of war. According to the ADP 1, the military is organized, trained and equipped for winning the Nation’s wars. Nonetheless, United States maneuver forces are experiencing an historic seven-year phased reduction process totaling 562,000 Soldiers in 2010 to 450,000 Soldiers in 2017. Ultimately, the operational objective is ‘right sizing’ the force without eroding capabilities, preparing to face the unknown. As a career Soldier, with combat experience for

Ultimately, doctrine is the operational playbook that the Armed Forces uses for waging war, therefore, doctrine is not a strategy. Doctrine combines offensive, defensive, and stability or civil support operations simultaneously as part of an interdependent joint or combined force to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. Military leaders through mission command will exercise authority and direction using mission orders to enable the disciplined initiative within the commander's intent to empower agile and adaptive leaders in preparation to face the unknown. Leaders implement doctrine, thereby, creating a common operating picture in a joint environment in which, also focuses on the integration of various warfighting functions. Therefore, doctrine allows the Combatant Commander to transform complex problems into a simple document. As the military transition into the twenty-first century Soldier have the flexibility to access a publication via cell phones and personal computers. This innovation has aided in the reduction of an act of fratricide by the establishment of clear lines of effort, through the delineation of operational boundaries and a sector of fires. An example of effective doctrine, is cited during my first deployment in Bagram, Afghanistan. According to the forward Intelligence Reports, militant insurgent cells began emplacing IEDs alone the main and secondary ground supply routes from Kandahar, Bagram and Jalalabad. The Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) Commander, who is the senior Logistician within the Brigade ordered military personnel to cease movement on all road networks. He then ordered his staff to conduct mission analysis to develop courses of actions (COAs) in order to provide sustainment distribution via an alternative node. Additionally, he directed EOD assets sweep and clear