PREPARING ARMY LEADERS FOR FUTURE WAR
Cole Livieratos and Tyler Skidmore | 06.17.22
Preparing Army Leaders for Future War
Editor’s note: This article is the last article in a five-part series on educating Army leaders for future war. Read parts one, two, three, and four in the series.
Nearly four months into Russia’s escalated war in Ukraine, an astounding number of Russian generals have reportedly been killed in Ukraine. Western officials have confirmed at least seven of these deaths, while Ukraine claims to have killed twelve general officers—either of these figures would represent a historically high number. There is no singular explanation for why so many Russian generals have been killed in combat, with poor tactics and poor electronics and communications discipline each serving as contributing factors. But the larger reason likely lies in the Russian military’s overly centralized decision-making processes and lack of strong junior leaders—especially noncommissioned officers—in tactical formations. Because Russian generals do not delegate decisions to lower levels, they are often physically located with lower echelons and therefore vulnerable to enemy targeting. Viewed another way, the lack of trust between senior officers and subordinates created a culture of micromanagement, resulting in both operational failures and the death of senior Russian officers.
Battlefield leadership has traditionally been a strength for democratic militaries compared to more authoritarian ones. A subfield of security studies literature has examined this topic in depth, arguing that democratic militaries often display better wartime innovation and allow their junior leaders to exercise more initiative, contributing to battlefield success. The US Army in particular prides itself on strong leadership, with senior Army officials often describing the Army as a “people first” organization that employs the philosophy of “mission command.” Indeed, the US Army has a professional NCO corps unmatched in its capabilities and, compared to other militaries, the Army empowers its junior officers and takes their development seriously. Based on these principles and the scholarship on democratic military advantages, it would seem as if there were no cause for concern when it comes Army leadership.
https://mwi.usma.edu/preparing-army-leaders-for-future-war/
