Of all the ethnic groups in the Middle East, the Kurds can best determine the success or failure of the US attempt to establish a democracy in Iraq. Since 1991, the Kurds, unlike any other ethnic nation, have experienced the best-protected...
One of the common practices of modern warfare is the development of new weapons based upon advances in technology. As these weapons evolved during the twentieth- century, the United States Army witnessed significant improvements in the accuracy of...
The weaponization of space is a long debated topic. So far, space-based assets have not been targeted, although the technology exists to permit this kind of attack. The central research question is: Should the U.S. develop and employ space-based...
The organization charged with producing three quarters of the Army's officer corps has failed to meet requirements for thirteen years running. In 1989, the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) produced over 8,000 new lieutenants, today it can't...
The United States Army is transforming into a lighter force while simultaneously becoming involved in a growing worldwide spectrum of joint operations. The problem is that future warfare may not permit the marshalling of large fixed-wing air...
There is an ongoing debate within the Special Forces community whether unconventional warfare and foreign internal defense are applicable in the contemporary and future Special Operations environments, based on current doctrinal definitions and...
On 28 March 2001, the United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory's embedded "think tank," the Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities, announced its intentions for developing a follow-on volume of the Small Wars Manual. This Small...
This study examines the planning, execution, and results of U.S. military involvement in the 1970 Cambodian incursions. Named Operation Rockcrusher, the attacks targeted North Vietnamese sanctuaries in officially neutral Cambodia. Strategic...
Throughout the history of close air support (CAS) there exists a consistent theme of friction and interservice rivalry. There are periods where close coordination and cooperation led to extremely effective CAS. Experiences in North Africa during...
This study examines the effectiveness of the Force XXI mechanized infantry platoon organization. The study first reviews similar historical mechanized platoon organizations. The purpose of the historical review is to determine the evolution of...
This thesis describes how field artillery fires should be planned and executed in a counterinsurgency fight. Based upon historical research, there are numerous missions that the field artillery community can and must be able to execute in a...
This project examines the military ramifications of the emerging revolution in military affairs and the changing strategic environment. Assessing two strategic approaches, Joint Vision 2010 (evolutionary force design) and a rising advocacy of...
This study examines the historical development of the landing craft and the roles and missions of the landing craft air cushion (LCAC). In examining the development of the modern landing craft from Gallipoli to Operation Desert Storm, a conclusion...
This study examined the historical role of traditional education, defined as education which results in the awarding of a degree, for line officers in the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The research question asked was: For the line officer corps, how has...
Large portions of recent Army budgets have been allocated for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), including more than two billion dollars from 1989 to 1995. These allocations have been made in anticipation of savings in annual operating costs,...
Maneuver in land warfare has been the subject of much study in modern times. The U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps in particular have devoted considerable emphasis to the examination of maneuver, as evidenced by the volumes of material produced on...
The Marine Corps relies on the fully-funded Special Education and Advanced Degree Programs to fill positions that require a master’s degree. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Marine Corps should offer a Cooperative Degree Program...
This thesis investigates the current code 4 shipping method used when moving household goods from the continental United States to overseas locations. The investigation includes a comparison with the commercial industry method. A review of the DOD...
The monograph discusses the described shift in Soviet Military Doctrine from the offense to the defense. Of particular emphasis is the impact of any such change at the operational level. Soviet history is first examined, beginning with the First...
The self-study report that follows represents the combined efforts of a great many people who collectively have sought, through more than a year's inquiry and deliberation, to assess objectively and to describe accurately the performance of their...