Essay On Mission Command

During the past decade of war, we as soldiers have seen numerous styles of leadership and command. These leadership styles have been the result of mission commands reactive measures to best adapt to the operational environments currently face. Ongoing operations in Afghanistan and again in Iraq have been complex, involving constant interactions between civilians, enemy organizations, and friendly forces as well as interaction with other factors which affect the mission such as terrain, time, and local political dynamics. While on the battlefield, many commanders face challenges with making immediate decisions that drive and or turn the tides of conflict at the tactical and operational level. Simply giving subordinates task and purpose is not enough for effective mission command. The new doctrine explains that collaborative planning and feedback throughout the operations process is critical to developing and maintaining a common understanding of the situation and the mission. It also states that the philosophy of command requires an environment of mutual trust and shared understanding among commanders, staffs, and subordinates. For these purposes and more, mission command has seen adjustments through education, instruction, and implementation.
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Dempsey's in regards to educating the fundamental principles of mission command, seem to be broken down into a mental ranger school. I say this in response to his education method, "Students must be placed in situations of uncertainty where creative and critical thinking and effective rapid decision making are stressed. Training must replicate the chaotic and uncertain nature of military operations. Training must place leaders in situations where fleeting opportunities present themselves…" I believe his way ahead is sound and that exposure will allow leaders to train as they fight. Even if the fight is rapidly translating chaos into opportunities for