Strategic Compression

[CR6]

As much as talk of 4GW makes me grind my teeth, all the responses are on the mark. As a former battle captain of a task force, I can confirm that the C4I networks available can at times drive an unrealistic "pull" of information from higher headquarters. Something along the lines of compression is occuring, because there is a never-ending need to "feed the machine", so to speak.

I think part of this can be traced to the fact that as commanders progress through the ranks to higher levels of repsonsibility, they do not receive corresponding training and education in how to exercise tactical patience and implement directive control over operations. You can read all you want about Leonhard's theories of maneuver warfare, or the decentralized handling of Combined Action Platoons in Vietnam at the Command and Staff or War Colleges, but if in your practical experiences handling small units you have succeeded through being a hands-on, "I make the decisions" kind of leader (which is the type of personality I have seen succeed more often than not in my career) you will continue to command like that as you advance. The stress of having units in contact and not knowing the situation can exacerbate a feeling of not being in control, thus leading higher to demand info NOW.

[Steve Blair]

Imbedding is a partial answer, but I think the biggest factor to consider with strategic compression is getting higher command levels to *not* use all their communication methods and let the lower level commanders do their jobs. Over control leads to paralysis on both the strategic and tactical levels. One reason that our advanced 3GW opponents can exploit this compression is that they have *no* higher command levels to report to in the traditional sense. They are acting as independent cells or strike units following a very general commander's intent statement. This lack of higher level accountability gives them a huge edge over us, because as the methods of control become more instant and more sophisticated, it's almost guaranteed that higher levels will use them to "help" lower level commanders.