Quote Originally Posted by jmm99 View Post
Attached is the 1944 version of the "Huddle" - 1/117-30ID. Mid-Nov 1944 planning session for Bn's attack on the "Paper Village" near Warden, Germany - after the Siegfried Breakthrough was successful. Guy with pointer is LTC Bob Frankland (retired as a MG), with his 5 company commanders.

Looking at the apparent age of the captains, I'd have to agree with Ron that the people are some of the new things under the sun - and that a lot of lessons learned have to be relearned by future generations.

PS: I'd also add army hair styling to the list of differences - then and now.
Excellent example. If you have a sound planning process, which aims at issuing orders and not just creating plans (something all too often forgotten), then this is an implicit part of the orders process. Orders require plans. Plans do not require orders.

If anyone can explain how separating the problem from the plan can lead to simpler plans resulting in faster and more useful sets of orders, then I'm all ears.