Avoiding Agincourt - Restructuring Command and Control for the 21st Century

The U.S. Army is on the brink of a revolution in military affairs (RMA). Significant advancements in informational technologies and precision warfare are providing unprecedented potential for future warfare. These changes challenge the appropriateness of traditional command and control (C2) forms. The current RMA will likely enable commanders to change the way they C2 units. Given an RMA, one might believe that future warfare can impose more certainty on the battlefield and thereby make the commander's job easier, suggesting a change in the C2 method. Through an examination of history and the application of lessons learned, the author reaffirms the role that uncertainty plays in defining the command structure. This monograph investigates Martin Van Creveld's three command forms (command by direction, command by plan, and command by influence) to propose a form for the Army of the 21st Century. The monograph focuses on how each form deals with uncertainty in battlespace. The author concludes that command by influence is the likely candidate for the command form of the 21st Century. Implications of this study suggest a necessary change in leader development and highlight the need for a more efficient method of C2 in the future battlespace. Army 2010 needs farsighted leadership now to write the doctrine, train and equip the force that will continue to deter enemy aggression in the 21st Century.