War Nerds

Let’s begin by separating planning from decision-making. Though clearly related and even intertwined, it helps to think of these as two distinct processes. Planning can be found in Troop Leading Procedure (TLP) and its parallel build, the Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP). Decision-making is also very much a part of these…

Contemporary battle staffs trace their lineage to Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grand Army. This staff concept is employed in a multitude of variations by every major military today. Battle staff officers are warfighters at the operational-level of conflict. They work on behalf of the commanding officer and employ a myriad of technical…

This article was originally published on odjournal.com (Olive Drab: the journal of tactics) and has been transferred here with permission.  

Commander’s Critical Information Requirements (CCIR) are defined by the Department of Defense as a comprehensive list of information requirements identified by the commander as being critical in facilitating timely information management and the decision making process that affect successful mission accomplishment. Huh. Well that’s a workable definition, though it creates…

Be willing to make decisions. That’s the most important quality in a good leader. Don’t fall victim to what I call the ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome. You must be willing to fire. — T. Boone Pickens I am quick to point out that while leadership and management are inextricably entwined, leadership is…