Swapping Red for Battle-Ready: The Evolving Tactics of Warfare
Inequality Divide in the Future: Redesigning a Relevant Hierarchy for Upcoming Battles
The French Army, once clad in conspicuous red trousers, fiercely opposed any suggestion to abandon them, even in the face of mounting casualties. In war, tradition and heritage can blind us to the necessity of change. Fast-forward to today, and the American defense community grapples with its own "pantalon rouge" - outdated practices that cling tight despite the demand for progress.
In 2020, General Charles Q. Brown put forth a call to "accelerate, change, or lose" the upcoming battle, emphasizing the vital need for the Department of Defense to embrace transformation. Service chiefs have since embarked on bold reforms, revising force employment concepts, organization structures, and the integration of new technologies. Yet, one relic of the past remains entrenched: our divided officer-enlisted hierarchy.
Lauded military forces of the 18th century - British, French, and Prussian - modeled their class-based ranks on their feudal societies, with aristocrats commanding legions of conscripted peasants. Today, the military is far removed from this narrative, yet the officer-enlisted divide persists, an incongruity between the demands of the 21st-century battlefield and an antiquated rank system.
American soldiers today master sophisticated technology, from advanced fighter aircraft to precision artillery systems. Yet, the rank system we inherited from the monarchies of pre-modern Europe remains unchanged. It's time to recognize that our military professionals have evolved, and so should our system.
31% of Air Force senior noncommissioned officers hold a bachelor's degree or higher, yet they are deemed incapable of senior command. A talented young E-6 may find themselves reporting to a fresh, inexperienced O-1. It's no wonder that the noncommissioned officer is often seen as the true leader of the team. Our current system is yielding a justifiable, universally-held understanding that enlisted members are the real talents while officers hold prestigious but irrelevant titles.
Education, experience, and skill should be the determinant of promotions, yet time in grade remains the primary factor, promoting even those unprepared for leadership. This rigid system breeds mediocre leaders, selecting from siloed groups rather than the most talented.
The officer-enlisted divide is the elephant in the room, a bizarre anachronism we grudgingly accept out of habit. In war, such attitudes could cost lives and compromise missions. A unified military hierarchy and rank system would unlock the full leadership potential of the modern force, promoting meritocracy and eliminating artificial barriers to talent.
The US Foreign Service, security-focused organizations, and successful private-sector startups employ similar systems, balancing chain of command and merit-based promotion. These reforms recognize the leadership of enlisted members and the need for broader access to professional military education and education programs across all ranks. It's about challenging our sacred cows, embracing innovation, and waging war on unnecessary tradition.
As Captain Mike Cartier, a chief of staff of the Air Force PhD fellow at the Naval Postgraduate School, argues, real reform requires strategic imagination, not just incremental change or new gear. It demands uncomfortable thought experiments that challenge institutional assumptions, challenging our red trousers and pushing us to lead, not just follow tradition.
[1] "Thinking About the Thinking," Capstone Report, Captain Mike Cartier, Naval Postgraduate School, 11 Jan 2021, available at https://jscholarship.library.antioch.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1326&context=capstone
[2] Keegan, John. The First World War. Vintage Books, 2000.
[3] Zabecki, David T. A Military History of World War II. Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996.
[4] Fortescue, Sir John W. A History of the British Army, Vol. 3. Navy Books, 1913.
[5] Harambam, Romain. "150 Years of the Red Trousers (1859-2009)," Infantry Magazine, 1 Sept 2009, available at https://www.army-experience-online.com/en/news/two_yearsago/150-years-of-the-red-trousers-1859-2009.html
- The need for military innovation in warfare extends to the American defense community, which faces its own "pantalon rouge" - outdated practices that hinder progress, such as the persistent officer-enlisted hierarchy.
- In the 21st century, military education and experience should dictate promotions, not just time in grade, to foster meritocracy and eliminate artificial barriers to talent.
- As bold military reforms revise force employment concepts, organization structures, and the integration of new technologies, the officer-enlisted divide remains an entrenched relic of the past.
- The hiring practices of security-focused organizations, successful private-sector startups, and the US Foreign Service exemplify a balance between chain of command and merit-based promotion, recognizing the leadership potential of enlisted members.
- To drive real reform, we must challenge our sacred cows, embrace innovative thinking, and wage war on unnecessary traditions, akin to the strategic imagination advocated by Captain Mike Cartier.
- Service chiefs should prioritize investigating alternative financing models for military education programs, ensuring that military professionals, regardless of rank, have access to education that boosts their leadership potential in today's changing warfare landscape.
