America's Army: A Model for Interagency Effectiveness

by Zeb B. Bradford Jr., Frederic J. Brown

Overview

The United States faces extraordinary challenges on both the strategic and operational levels. At the strategic level, the national security environment is in flux and many of the structures, concepts, and methods of the past no longer apply to the conditions we now face. Containment, the alliance system, our military doctrine, and many other elements of national security policy were not designed for prolonged struggle with militant Islam, an ascendant China, a Russia which is no longer a containable super power enemy but a rival for influence at America's expense, a decline in American influence, and a sharply divided American polity. Generals Zeb Bradford and Frederic Brown, co-authors of the highly influential book on the U.S. military in Vietnam, U.S. Army in Transition, have teamed up again to discuss the need for a new era of transition within the Armed Forces.

Bradford and Brown point to the current war in Iraq, a lack of interagency competence across the national government, and the botched disaster relief efforts of Katrina as glaring examples of the failure of America's Army to adapt to present-day challenges. Given the rapid and dramatic changes throughout the world, the authors stress how selective adaptation of specific programs and procedures can contribute to improving policy execution within and across all facets of government, including the armed forces. Yet this adaptation to change must be institutionalized, requiring the Army to become a constantly evolving learning organization. Only within this context can the army manage to act on the myriad demands of the day including taking the leadership in international cooperation, fighting the amorphous enemy of The Long War against terrorism, responding effectively to disaster scenarios, and engaging in stabilization and reconstruction efforts around the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313350245
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/30/2008
Series:	Praeger Security International
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

ZEB B. BRADFORD, JR. (Brig. Gen., U.S. Army, Retired) is a business consultant and national security analyst. A graduate of West Point, he taught politics and economics at the Military Academy. He is also a graduate of Harvard University's Graduate School of Government and of its Senior Executive Seminar on National and Intl Security. He was Senior Military Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Resident Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Intl Center for Scholars. A highly-decorated combat arms officer, he served in numerous command and staff positions in the United States, Vietnam, Korea, and Europe, including service as head of strategic planning at NATO headquarters in Belgium. He is a widely published author on national security affairs, co-authoring with Frederic Brown the influential United States Army in Transition on the rebuilding of the Army after Vietnam.

FREDERIC J. BROWN (Lt. Gen., U.S. Army, Retired) is currently Senior Mentor for establishing Knowledge Management in the U.S. European Command. He received his doctorate, as a West Point Olmsted Scholar, from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. As a military officer he commanded army units at virtually every level in the United States, Germany, and Vietnam, including as Chief of Armor and Cavalry where he was deeply involved in rebuilding the American armored forces prior to Desert Storm. He has also served in the Office of the Army Chief of Staff, the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Security Council Staff and the West Wing White House staff. He is co-author, with Zeb Bradford, of United States Army in Transition and author of the subsequent The United States Army in Transition II: Landpower in the Information Age.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Competence and Capability in National Security
Chapter I: National Security in a World Transformed
Chapter II: The Long War War
Chapter III: Americas Army Today
Chapter IV: Sustaining Excellence - The Volunteer Force
Chapter V: Improved Responsiveness as a Learning Organization
Chapter VI: Imperatives for Tomorrow Organizational Adaptation to Continuing Change
Chapter VII: Teams of Leaders An Implementation Force Multiplier
Chapter VIII: Homeland Defense First Responding
Chapter IX: Hedges Planning for the Contingent
Chapter X: Conclusions

What People are Saying About This

Lawrence KorbFormer Assistant Secretary of Defense

"In this comprehensive, insightful, and readable book, Rick Brown and Zeb Bradford lay out a realistic plan for transforming the Army and the entire U.S. government to deal with the current and future threats to our national security. It is a must read for our political military leaders."

David H. Petraeus General

"A timely, comprehensive, and thought-provoking examination of America's Army that celebrates individual, leader, and unit efforts to adapt and learn. Full of thoughtful and challenging recommendations for building teams and learning organizations—not just in the Army but in the greater national and international security arenas, as well. A must read for military and civilian leaders at all levels who are striving to ensure that our country is prepared for the challenges that lie ahead."

Lawrence Korb Former Assistant Secretary of Defense

"In this comprehensive, insightful, and readable book, Rick Brown and Zeb Bradford lay out a realistic plan for transforming the Army and the entire U.S. government to deal with the current and future threats to our national security. It is a must read for our political military leaders."

David H. PetraeusGeneral

"A timely, comprehensive, and thought-provoking examination of America's Army that celebrates individual, leader, and unit efforts to adapt and learn. Full of thoughtful and challenging recommendations for building teams and learning organizations—not just in the Army but in the greater national and international security arenas, as well. A must read for military and civilian leaders at all levels who are striving to ensure that our country is prepared for the challenges that lie ahead."

Newt Gingrich Former Speaker

"A serious study on a serious subject, which more than deserves serious consideration."

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf U.S. Army

"Much greater effectiveness in the execution of national security policy is one of the most urgent requirements facing the U.S. Bradford and Brown propose unique solutions to achieving this goal in the complex international environment we face. They offer compelling arguments for improving performance across the government at all levels by building upon the distinctive capabilities available in the active and reserve components of America's Army. This major contribution to deliberations on national security policy should be read by both military and civilian leaders throughout our security establishment, both intl and domestic."

John Abizaid General

"21st Century security issues will require 21st Century solutions and Bradford and Brown have done much to attack an issue that requires the nation's immediate attention. Interagency coordination and authorities, homeland security responsibilities, organization for internal and external defense, roles and missions for our reserve components and the all important aspect of leader training and education are examined in America's Army in a way that few have done before. This thoughtful work deserves the careful consideration of both soldiers and civilians who grapple with the difficult challenges ahead."

Gen. Wesley Clark

"There's no book like this in scope and insight. It is the fundamental starting-point for anyone seriously interested in the Army and national security today."

Newt GingrichFormer Speaker

"A serious study on a serious subject, which more than deserves serious consideration."

General H. Norman SchwarzkopfU.S. Army

"Much greater effectiveness in the execution of national security policy is one of the most urgent requirements facing the U.S. Bradford and Brown propose unique solutions to achieving this goal in the complex international environment we face. They offer compelling arguments for improving performance across the government at all levels by building upon the distinctive capabilities available in the active and reserve components of America's Army. This major contribution to deliberations on national security policy should be read by both military and civilian leaders throughout our security establishment, both intl and domestic."

General Barry McCaffrey

"Our nation faces new and complex challenges. Multiple agencies of our national government must be marshaled in an effective common effort if we are to succeed in meeting them. The nation as a whole can benefit from the existing strengths of the family of institutions of the Army. The proposals offered by these experienced public servants should be seriously considered by policymakers across the government."

Editorial Reviews

Twenty-five years after their 1973 collabortion, The U.S. Army in Transition, authors Zeb B. Bradford Jr. and Frederic J. Brown have teamed up again to present America's Army, an in-depth argument for the Army's cascade of excellence to be exploited and emulated within the cultures and practices of other. . . agencies of federal, state and local governance.” —ARMY

“[A] timely and relevant book. . . . Those involved in defense, management, and leadership will gain immensely from the book's holistic perspective and insightful examples.” —Military Review

“The book is well written and provides a ready reference to the evolution of the American Army in this new world. The detailed presentation of ongoing Army initiatives to achieve its strategic imperatives will inform military professionals and civilian readers alike. Both groups will no doubt benefit from reflection on the policy-strategy-execution recommendations provided by two well-thought leaders.” —Parameters

“America's Army is relevant to the Air Force community insofar as it details, in great depth, the perspective of land-power advocates in the national-security arena. It is important that airpower advocates understand such a perspective in the competition for resources and ideas.” —Air & Space Power Jourbanal

From the Publisher