Lessons of Operation Iraq Freedom

1. Lessons of Operation Iraq Freedom • Highly-trained units, led by innovative and flexible leaders will defeat a larger enemy! • A smaller, professional force, supported by precision weaponry and good intelligence outmaneuvered dominated its adversary. • Tactical units, with sufficient training, performed superbly. • Balance of forces -SOF, light, heavy and air – optimized performance. • Still room for improvement! • Extraordinary measures required to create ready units • By default, “unit manning” replaced the Individual Replacement System-(peacetime personnel policies waived) • Extended, stealthy deployment (3ID brigades sequentially deployed for Operation Desert Winter/Spring, May 02-Jan 03) • Obsolete planning process required unnecessary force levels • Too many levels of command slow decision making • Might have reached Baghdad even faster!

2. Obstacles To Transformation • WW II / Cold War personnel systemoutmoded • IRS keeps units at low levels of training readiness • Turnover and turbulence require constant retraining • Army units in Korea the most unready in the Army • OPMS based on obsolete concepts • Constant movement prohibits true professionalism • Officers become careerists • WW II / Cold War philosophy dominates doctrine and force structure • Tiered readiness means some units are always second class citizens • Industrial approach to war (2nd Generation war) does not take advantage of highly professional units, synergy created by joint operations, and modern technology • ATLDP and other findings: “Army Culture is Out of Balance,” and it has become “a culture of micromanagement” [other services are the same]

3. What We Can Do Now! • Immediate actions (Fix Now!) • Embrace maneuver warfare doctrine as demonstrated in Iraq • Start restructuring as the Army returns from Iraq • Create battle groups • Replace individual replacement system with unit manning • Begin Home Basing personnel • Institute unit rotation to Korea and Europe • Streamline hierarchal organizations by eliminating needless headquarters • Phase out unnecessary capabilities that are irrelevant due to current conditions, e.g., Short range Air Defense (SHORAD) in an era of total air dominance • Evolutionary actions (Fix Over Time!) • Change DOPMA • Replace “Up or Out” with Up or Stay—All Ranks! • Reduce number of branches in officer corps • Downsize the officer corps • Create a rigorous officer accession system • Establish a core of highly educated civilian and military personnel, steeped in joint warfare & doctrine at the operational and strategic levels

4. Where to Begin? • Focus on personnel and unit transformation for immediate action • Create policies to make the Army more effective in the near term • We can do much better with what we have today! • Current 10 Divisions can transform into 24 battle groups using a unit manning system • Unit-manned formations are more capable than IRS-based units • Home-basing improves retention and performance • Start the process with the Personnel Transformation/21st Century Commission • Mission: provide a workable roadmap for personnel reform • Composed of military and civilian experts • Report directly to the Secretary of Defense • Provide recommendations for the FY05 Budget submission.