The Theater Army in the Competition Phase
“The Theater Army in the Competition Phase”
Speakers: Cantwell, G. (Joint Force Land Component Commander Course Center for Strategic Leadership, US Army War College); Mikolashek, P. (USAWC Highly Qualified Expert- Senior Mentor (HQE-SM))
Date: 24 April 2019
Speaker Session Preview
SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Gregory Cantwell (Joint Force Land Component Commander Course Center for Strategic Leadership, US Army War College) and LTG Paul Mikolashek (USAWC Highly Qualified Expert- Senior Mentor (HQE-SM)) as a part of its Future of Global Competition & Conflict Speaker Series. During this presentation, Dr. Cantwell and LTG Mikolashek argued that a forward deployed Theater Army or Field Army is essential to solving problems in the competition phase and setting conditions for success in combat operations.
Dr. Cantwell opened the presentation by stating that the actions taken to “set the theater” determine the strategic options that will be available to achieve our national objectives. He explained that those who are not involved in the processes which ensure that the right resources and agreements are in place prior to the start of an operation may not appreciate the effort that these actions require. At the tactical and operational levels, many of these activities are conducted by units assigned and echelons above brigades (EAB), which are invisible to many or are assumed to just make things appear like magic. This leads to a lack of understanding of the importance of these organizations and headquarters and, consequently, several theater army headquarters have been reduced, and collective efforts to set the theater have been severely limited.
LTG Mikolashek then discussed the essential roles of these organizations in identifying and addressing problems during the competition phase to set the conditions for the conflict phase to accomplish our national objectives. He also addressed what “setting the theater” entails, provided some of his insights as a former coalition land component commander (C/FLCC), and discussed implications for the Joint Force in multi-domain operations. He detailed several of his observations from OEF, highlighting its arcent mission (pre-9/11), the echelonment of the Third US Army, and what the US needed to do as a part of the mission. Some of the key observations that he identified were that relationships are critical, a logistics framework must be in place, and the US must assess how to harness the intellectual power that it has. He also spoke about the competition phase and asked “how do we successfully conduct an enduring IO campaign that disrupts threat’s efforts?” To conclude, LTG Mikolashek explained what is needed for the US to succeed in the competition phase.
Speaker Session Audio File
To access a recording of this session, please email Ms. Nicole Omundson (nomundson@nsiteam.com).
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