The Evolution of Concept, Planning, and Execution in US military Joint Operations - Coursework Example

The Evolution of concept, planning, and execution in US military Joint Operations Table of Contents Introduction 3 PART OPERATION JUST CAUSE 4 PART II: OPERATION DESERT STORM 5 PART III: OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 6 PART IV: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 8 Conclusion 9 Recommendations 9 Bibliography: 10 Introduction In the year 1863, a battle took place in Vicksburg, which was situated in an area, the today’s Mississippi, Warren County. This was an American civil war that marked the beginning of a major military achievement. This town was situated on a two hundred-foot cliff above the Mississippi river. It was a strategic position that had to be captured in order for the war between the army of the Tennessee, which was under the command of Maj. Gen. Ulysse S. Grant and the army of Vicksburg, which was commanded by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton. Since the beginning of the war, Ulysse had a lot of interest on Vicksburg.1 Abraham Lincoln was aware of its importance. He said, “We can be able to seize all the northern ports of the confederacy, and they can still resist us from Vicksburg”. Confederate President Jefferson Davis called it “the nailhead” that held the south’s two halves together. The general had to come up with a tactful way of taking control of this area, and this is where Joint Operations was originally used. It emerged as a group of minute clans that united to form a bigger community. Since the siege of Vicksburg on May 18 to 4 July 1863, many other civil wars have been fought. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyze the evolution concept, planning and executions of joint operations in U.S military in light of past joint operations since the turn of the century. Several knowledgeable military specialists had commented for years on the success of the military services to perform together in an effective and efficient manner.2 U.S military operation had experienced a big downfall from the inconsistency and insufficient harmonization within their services since World War II. At this point, most of the priorities and service programs, which were individual in nature, dominated the department of defense rather than the core function of the real joint military operation. Senator Barry Goldwater and Representative B. Nicholas sponsored the Act of 1986: Goldwater-Nichols Act of Department of Defense in order to progress the capability of U.S armed forces to accomplish most of the joint operations that were conducted in the field and resultantly to recover the DoD budget progression.3 More than a few analysts implemented the Act to ensure that the United State battle operations, in 1889-90, in panama and that of 1991 in the Persian Gulf War was successful. With such deliberations, it is correct to argue that after the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986, the US military operations when conducted jointly were successful. PART 1: OPERATION JUST CAUSE National military and security strategy explains the work of the military in the advancing the state’s course of action and policies. A link is offered to combine doctrine and input from other government agencies and transnational endeavors. This gives a basic foundation for the development of future concepts together with capabilities in view of the fact that, joint operations provide a means of addressing the future. The cooperative doctrine that is understood and accomplished across the world sets up for an effective employment of the forces. This places U.S for victory in combating the nation’s battles.4 The commanders must comprehend, educate and apply joint principles as the fighters are trained for the joined force employment. Successfully incorporated joint forces depict no points of disadvantage, and they skillfully find their enemy’s feeble points and frailty take on to them to realize their task.5 Analytically, Operation JUST CAUSE was only effective when they put into action, the Joint employment of forces. This is the operation that took place in panama during the summer of 1989. It brought some assessment to the US military control structure brought about by the Act of 1986-Goldwater Nichols Defense Reorganization. This operation was also put in place to keep away from re-doing the mistakes made in Grenada and Lebanon. President Bush was enthusiastic and determined, together with the superior authority of the chairman and CINC to attain the main purpose and effective authority. The operation of military attack of panama was a joint accomplishment. It was led by Lieutenant Gen. Carl W. Stiner, who was the commanding General of the Army’s premier XVIII. General Maxwell Thurman suggested that Lieutenant Gen. Carl W. Stiner, to be of assistance in panama, by taking responsibility of all plans of unforeseen event and to control any real war operations. General Thurman insisted on large number of forces to be massed and be steadfast in the preliminary physical attack to overpower the PDF in all of their area of operation. This operation was successful because of the joint forces that the armies formed in order to fight with the adversary. It shows that the act of 1986 sponsored by Barry Goldwater and Representative B. Nicholas- the Goldwater-Nicholas act, gave a basic, strong understanding in an effective way of conducting their military operations.6 PART II: OPERATION DESERT STORM The best way of conducting a battle is with combined forces and great support from the alliance. This is an effective way that gives any group of nations military an upper hand in winning its war. It is estimated that almost 50 nations combined all their forces and resources in operation desert storm to force Iraq out of Kuwait and ruthlessly destroy Saddam Hussein‘s opportunities to make up for the coming years. These two operations- operation desert shield and desert storm were able to succeed due to the expansive base of support. This became successful because the number of casualties was reduced and the period in which the war was held was shortened.7 United States of America deployed to the Persian Gulf more than 500 thousand armed forces. The desert consisted of the third army by the majority. Over 400 combat aircraft and 120 warships were in the hands of the Navy. In theater, they were two-thirds of the fleet Marine force. 1200 combat aircraft represented the ninth air force. In order to gain victory, there was concentration of the right forces and massing of combat power. This operation does display the importance of unity of command in any of the military battles and its effectiveness in gaining success over the enemy.8 PART III: OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM There were a number of operations that the United States Government, conducted in different parts of the world, which were at that time under the Great “war on Terror” (GWOT), which was a global operation. Operation enduring freedom is the battle conducted by US government in Afghanistan together with some few other armed forces exploits. At first, the operation was named operation infinite justice, which was most of the time misquoted to be operation ultimate justice. This had to be changed later because the phrases used here have been used by religions to give their God the best elite description. It was believed that the change came to avoid offending the Muslims who are many in number, in Afghanistan. Operation enduring freedom-Afghanistan is an operation that included United States of America, United Kingdom and Afghanistan. This came about after the attacks of 11 September on the United States of America. US military preliminary purpose of the operation enduring forever-Afghanistan as expressed by earlier president George W. Bush to the Joint session of congress was to destroy training camps of the terrorists, the communications systems, buildings , rail and road networks, take hold of al-Qaeda heads and the termination of rebellious activities in this country. In 2001, US government declared that a Leader of the Al-Qaida by the name Osama Bin Laden was the organizer of the September attacks. The Afghanistan’s were issued with an ultimatum to, send a the terrorist leaders to the US, set free imprisoned nationals from overseas nations, and to offer US government complete access to their terrorist training places for thorough check up. The deadline reached, and the Taliban refused to honor this request.9 The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia stopped their relations with Afghanistan. Then, in 2002, United Nations Security Council collectively established an artillery restriction, and also freezed the assets that Bin Laden owned, together with those of al-Qaeda. The bombing of the targeted Taliban forces began on the October of 2001. The Joined employment forces came into action to make sure maximum effect is felt on the Afghanistan rebellious group. This was shown when the alliance from the north aided by a united special operation group, which consisted of Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces group, members from the aircrew of the 160th special operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and together with the Air Force combat controllers, raised the battle against the Taliban.10 They United States government was able to suppress all the activities of the al-Qaida. Peace and control was brought over the land. The war that took place was effective in that, it was conducted in an orderly manner according to the set standards by the UN and other Humanitarian war Specialists. This operation was successful because of the joint employment of forces from the different parties. PART IV: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM This operation was launched on 2003, with US headed military operation in Iraq. It severed to do away with Saddam Hussein’s Regime and to obliterate its capability of using mass artilleries that are vicious. As time went by operation, Iraq freedom concentrated on giving the Iraq government ways of improving its security, setting up a secure system of authority and develops the economy of their country.11 The joined forces were effectuated on 2nd March when the first US Marine Division moved towards the Iraqi troops after crossing the border. Turkey government decided to permit the US military two designated areas to perform their flying of airspace missions. The US Maries took the side at the seaport town of Umm Qsar. Saddam Hussein did not anticipate a concurrent air and ground attack. The coalition did fight through the hundreds of big cities and headed for Baghdad. The Iraqi 51st Infantry Division’s commander together with 8000 fighters who were in his unit and as many as 200 tanks did submit to the US military. This operation was successful by the joint employment of forces and joint system of military operation from the two governments. Even thought the war was not kept dragging because it ended early, many people were affected, by the way, the operation was conducted. Many families were denied the freedom of movement and most of the time they ended up being the victims of the operations that took place.12 Conclusion In the year 1863, a battle took place in Vicksburg, the General that commanded the army which took control of the town employed a tactful system of operations that was by the use of uniting forces for a common mission. The joint operation was proved successful in the military operation within that very year and later on the war specialists have together come to one understanding that it is one of the best forms of operation to be enacted in the field of operation. This is through the experiences that the US Military has gone through in the many operations that it has undertaken around the world and they have all been successful. For example, in the Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraq Freedom-Afghanistan, Operation Urgent Fury and Operation Enduring Freedom. All these operations saw it through, with the wars and battles being fought and victory gained in the end. Most of the missions and the main agenda of the battles were effectively accomplished with fewer casualties and looses. The wars were not prolonged over the years. Recommendations Joint operation should continue in all military operation in order to come up with excellent achievements in a short period of time. Nations should pull resources and other assets in order to facilitate the act of unifying their military strategies in the hours of war. This aids in the act of reducing the time that the war or battle is fought and which later on minimizes on the chances of many casualties after the war. This system should be employed in nearly most of the operations that are to be undertaken. Bibliography: Anno, Stephen. Command and control and communications lessons learned: Iranian rescue, Falklands conflict, Grenada invasion, Libya raid. Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.: Air War College, Air University, 1988. CJCS. Joint Military Operations Historical Collection. Doctrine. Washington DC: CJCS, 1997. Cole, Ronald. Operation Just Cause: Planning and Execution of Joint Operations in Panama, February 1988-January 1990. Washington D.C: DIANE Publishing, 1996. Donnelly, Thomas. Operation Iraqi Freedom: a strategic assessment. Washington, DC: AEI Press, 2004. Gordon, Michael and Trainor, Bernard. The General’s War, the inside Story of the Conflict in the Gulf. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1995. Reilly, Jeffrey. Operational Design: Shaping Decision Analysis through Cognitive Vision. 3d Ed. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Air Command and Staff College, 2012. Stewart, Richard. War in the Persian Gulf: operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm: August 1990-March 1991. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, 2010. Winnefeld, James, and Dana, Johnson. Command and Control of Joint Air Operations, Lessons from Four Case Studies of an Enduring Issue. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 1991. Read More