A Battalion Staff Prepared for War: The Key to Combined Arms Success on the Modern Tactical Battlefield,

Today's battlefield, much expanded and highly lethal, requires better staffs at lower levels than ever before. The ability of battalion commanders and staffs to combine arms effectively in order to gain an edge over the enemy in future engagements is essential. Their success or failure will have a major impact upon higher units and the Army altogether in the next war. Whether today's battalion staffs can meet the immense combined arms challenges likely to exist on the modern battlefield is the main issue of this monograph. This issue is addressed in three ways. First, the evolution of staff doctrine at battalion level is explored. Then, the paper analyzes two historical examples from World War II to access the effects of doctrine upon staff abilities to employ combined arms. Finally, using insights from history as a basis, the paper explores the abilities of today's staffs to effectively combine arms on the battlefield. This monograph finds today's staffs unable to effectively meet the combined arms challenges of the modern battlefield. Faults in doctrine, organization, and awareness provide too many barriers to effective staff training and performance. This shortcoming cannot be ignored. This study concludes with several recommendations to improve battalion staffs. First, an adjustment in battalion staff organization needs consideration. Second, the requirement for doctrinal improvement becomes apparent. Third, this paper recognizes the need for increased emphasis on the critical nature of battalion staffs. All these recommendations for the future will enhance our battalion staff preparedness for the employment of combined arms on the modern battlefield. This will improve the outlook for winning future engagements.