The ability to creatively solve problems is a critical skill for a military commander/manager. Creative problem-solving depends upon creative alternative generation or ideation. An often espoused method of improving ideation is the use of group...
Irving Janis introduced the theory of groupthink in his classic study Victims of Groupthink in 1972. He attempted to determine why groups, often consisting of individuals with exceptional intellect and talent, made irrational decisions. He...
Successful leadership requires clear communication between team members, yet globalization of our society has introduced the reality of directing teams who are often not co-located. In the military environment, distributed teams are increasingly...
As the ability of organizations to process information accelerates, and technological advances facilitate ever more rapid decision-making, organizational leaders sacrifice the time once available for careful reflection on the nature of problems and...
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...
Peter Senge introduces the subject of team learning in The Fifth Discipline as one of the necessary disciplines that a group must foster if it is to become a learning organization. It is the fifth "discipline" that organizations must master in...
This monograph directly addresses design, and incorporates elements of Engineering Design Theory to the codified, social act of campaign creation using art, science, and craft. The monograph gives a definition of design and discusses the...
This monograph investigates the art and science of problem solving and decision making in the operational planning environment. The Army's current problem solving and decision making doctrine found in FM 5-0 (101-5) Army Planning and Orders...
Operational design is an intellectual exercise that draws on the creative vision, experience, intuition, and judgment of commanders to provide a framework for development of detailed operation plans. Recently, a number of authors have questioned...
This newsletter contains a collection of previously published articles that focus on Afghan culture and provides insight into effectively communicating with Afghans in order to achieve positive results. More specifically, the articles contained in...
This study examines counterdeception capabilities in U.S. Army operational forces. The research question asks, “what should be the U.S. Army's capability to counter Soviet deception at the operationa1 level of war?” The study first examines...
One of the best ways to promote positive public relations and encourage support for an extended deployment is to ensure the community, spouses and soldiers are given ample opportunities to remain involved. When all parties become personally...
The purpose of this paper is to describe and outline my personal experience in the process of developing a Mentoring Model for the Army Chaplaincy. The concept of a mentoring initiative formulated during my assignment to the Army Chief of...
After socialism collapsed in Europe and Hungary too, we realized that our history is different that we had learnt before. I was 16 year old when Soviet troops redeployed home and left 44 years of lying.
We believed that the future will be peaceful...
Throughout history, the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) has played a major part in the development of the Army dating back to 1775 with the Continental Army. The American noncommissioned officer blended traditions of the French, British and the...
NCO History Papers: In 2003 the Sergeants Major course introduced a new NCO history lesson. The lesson requires each student to pick a topic relating to NCO history and develop it during the course. Each student delivers a number of short briefings...
Noncommissioned Officers have recited from memory, immortalized in script, and proudly displayed The Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer for many years. NCOs can remember reciting the Creed during their induction into the NCO Corps. Many of us...
The NCO induction ceremony is a celebration of the newly promoted Sergeants joining the ranks of a professional noncommissioned officer corps and emphasizes building on the pride we all share as members of such an elite corps. The ceremony also...