[Stand-To!] Army Capabilities to Dominate in Complex Environments - March 15, 2006

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Edition: Wed, March 15, 2006
Printable Version
TODAY'S FOCUS
Army Capabilities to Dominate in Complex Environments

What is it? Complex environments are multifaceted operational areas  
with physical, social (human) and informational dimensions.  
Individually and collectively, they pose significant challenges to  
Joint Force abilities to gain and maintain situational understanding  
and to dominate any adversary and any situation across the range of  
military operations. Examples of complex environments include urban  
areas, mountains, jungles, and littoral areas. These are further  
compounded by human terrain that includes ethnic, cultural, and  
religious differences as well as regional and political divisions.  
The Army must dominate complex battlespace environments through  
simultaneous, integrated operations in all three of these dimensions.

What has the Army done? The Army has assembled a team to analyze  
complex environments and provide a recommendation for further action.  
The RAND Corporation Arroyo Center is providing the Army with study,  
analysis, and recommendations. Two recommendations include how the  
Army can address capability gaps in the future, specifically in  
doctrine, training, leader development and materiel. Concurrently,  
the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command is examining the issue to  
provide recommendations. In support of these research projects, the  
Army has incorporated the challenges inherent to complex environments  
into its previous and future experiments and wargames.

What efforts does the Army plan to continue in the future? The Army  
is working to simultaneously address the three dimensions of complex  
environments, and provide Soldier-friendly capabilities that can be  
used in combat now, while continuing to prepare modular forces and  
future combat systems. The Army will continue to seek solutions that  
will enable it to dominate in all complex environments, anticipating  
evolving threat tactics, adaptations, and variations. This may  
require modifying Army equipping, manning, and acquisition processes.

Why is this important to the Army? Operations in Iraq make the  
current emphasis on urban operations understandable. Commanders can  
no longer bypass built-up areas to avoid bogging down in a difficult  
fight in complex physical terrain further complicated by the presence  
of civilians. Our enemies purposefully choose to fight among the  
civilian population (human terrain) in which it can blend in a manner  
similar to using camouflage to hide in wooded terrain. Their goal is  
to negate our ability to differentiate between friend and foe, and to  
create turbulence and turmoil among the population that negatively  
affects their perception of the U.S. Military and the United States  
in general. In the future, other adversaries may choose to confront  
the United States in other complex environments where they can reduce  
or eliminate our technical and/or tactical (or communications,  
intelligence, and firepower) advantages. When this happens, we must  
be prepared to operate in these environments since we may not have  
the time to develop solutions quickly while engaged in conflict.
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
March 20 - Terrorism Workshop - How Terror Groups End, featuring  
Chris Harmon, co-sponsored by the Army's Eisenhower National Security  
Series, Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars and the RAND Corporation,  
Noon-1:30 p.m., Washington, D.C. For more information: http:// 
www.eisenhowerseries.com.
NEWS ABOUT THE ARMY
Army Stands Up Asymmetric Warfare Group (ARNEWS)
Cavalry Returns to Bliss (AT)
Soldiers Made Game of Scaring Prisoners (Military.com)
Guantanamo Commander Prepares to Leave Post (NPR)
US Army Overhauls Education: Eating Soup With a Knife (LNL)
CACI Awarded Prime Contract on $19.25 Billion, Multiple-Award  
Services Program With U.S. Army (FZ)
WAR ON TERROR NEWS
More U.S. Troops Moving Into Iraq (CBS)
Police Gang Stopped by Iraqi Investigators (USAToday)
ISF Respond to Sadr City Attacks; U.S. Forces Focus on Improvised  
Explosive Devices (MNF-Iraq)
More Troops, Families Tapping Into DoD Counseling Services (DOD)
SOCOM Transforming to Lead Global War on Terrorism (DOD)
OF INTEREST
DoD May Have to Shift Funds to Pay for BRAC (NT)
Handover's Impact On The War Uncertain (EB)
Electricity Crisis at its Worst Point in Iraq (MSNBC)
Can Bush Rally US Public? (CSM)
US Army Modernization Could Cost $200 bln - GAO (Reuters)
WORLD VIEW
US 'May Want to Keep Iraq Bases' (ALjazeera | Story)
No Recognition for Illegal Occupation’ (AN | Story)
US Democracy Drive Counterproductive: Iranian Activists (IO | Story)
Iraqi Government Could Still be “Months Away” (KT | Story)
WHAT'S BEING SAID IN BLOGS
A Well-Oiled Army (BS)
Electricity Hits Three-Year Low in Iraq (TY)
Tragedy Narrowly Averted (CAR)
Why We're There (RP)


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