The Future Profession of Arms Lt Gen (ret) Chris Miller
Disclaimers Work in progress; views my own About the Profession of Arms, not professionalism Not criticism of any Service, component, tribe, leader, hero, or person Not just about the Air Force or Airmen, it s about defense and defenders About the military side of civ-mil relations not the relationship per se This is an and not or set of issues Issues are in caricature more than nuance but words do matter If you re not uncomfortable, I ve failed to communicate
The Evolving Profession of Arms The phrase Profession of Arms is common--but its real meaning is increasingly unclear American views on the idea of a Profession of Arms were strongly shaped by Samuel Huntington, less so by Morris Janowitz, Charles Moskos and others, a half-century ago Recent PoA scholarship has focused on civ-mil relations and competing models for civ-mil decision-making and civilian control, rather than identity with exception of the US Army Decades of technological, organizational, societal, geopolitical change have fundamentally reshaped demands on the profession, yet......the way the PoA is commonly conceived--from outside or inside has changed little. 3
Points of Departure The distinguishing characteristics of a profession as a special type of vocation are its expertise, responsibility, and corporateness a distinct sphere of military competence does exist which is common to all, or almost all, officers and which distinguishes them from all, or almost all, civilians... perhaps best summed up [as] the management of violence. The function of a military force is successful armed combat. - Samuel P. Huntington The bearing of arms among men for the purpose of fighting other men is found as far back as we can see. It has become at some times and in some places a calling resembling the priesthood in its dedication. It has never ceased to display a strong element of the vocational......the function of the profession of arms is the ordered application of force in the resolution of a social problem. - Lt.-Gen Sir John Winthrop Hackett
Newton s 1 st Law
The power of language Language, like physical terrain, is patterned. It has repeating features: the conceptual equivalent of crests and draws, streams and roads that routinely channel thought in certain directions. In tactical scenarios, you get sucked in by the easy terrain. In strategic scenarios, you get seduced by linguistic habits...this is why, with Iraq, analysts have tended to ask second-order questions about ideology and war planning, but stop short of first-order questions, such as why we believed that war is a tool. - Tim Feist
Language we use
Historical lexicon
Contemporary lexicon
Contemporary lexicon
How we think
Why does this matter? 21 st Century Challenges Political Cultural Technical Operational Organizational
How we live
The Real Challenge
Expertise Huntington- The direction, operation, and control (management) of a human organization whose primary function is the application of violence Janowitz- The use of a constabulary force that is continuously prepared to act, committed to the minimum use of force, and seeks viable international relations rather than [military] victory Hackett- The ordered application of force in the resolution of a social or political problem, under an unlimited liability Feaver- The exercise of coercive power to defend the body politic Snider- The application of lethal force the killing & dying business
Responsibility Huntington- The military security of society, to the exclusion of all other ends Janowitz- The maintenance of viable international relations Feaver- The protection of the polity from its enemies Snider- The defense of the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people Schadlow- The application of military capabilities to national policy aims
Corporateness Huntington- The sense of organic unity and consciousness of themselves as a group apart Janowitz- The shared duty to society Hackett- More or less exclusive group coherence Snider- The moral motivation at the individual level to self-abnegation and self sacrifice, and a deep culture of trust
Membership In the Profession: Huntington Peace War
Army Definitions Army Profession: A unique vocation of experts certified in the ethical design, generation, support, and application of landpower, serving under civilian authority and entrusted to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people. Army Professional: A Soldier or Army Civilian who meets the Army Profession s certification criteria in character, competence, and commitment. 19
Membership In the Profession: Snider Peace War
USAF Definitions Air Force Profession: A vocation comprised of experts in the design, generation, support and application of global vigilance, global reach and global power serving under civilian authority, entrusted to defend the Constitution and accountable to the American people. Air Force Professional: A trusted servant to our Nation (Active Duty, Reserve, Guard or civilian) who demonstrates unquestionable competence, adheres to the highest ethical standards and is a steward of the future of the Air Force profession. Air Force professionals are distinguished by a willing commitment and loyalty to the Air Force Core Values. 21
Culture The culture of a group [is] a pattern of shared basic assumptions learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, which has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems...the concept of culture implies structural stability, depth, breadth, and patterning or integration. - Edgar H. Schein
Culture is Powerful
Culture Change is Complex
Issues in Play 1. Responsibility and competence: management of violence 2. The pivotal role of emotion etymology of a military ethos 3. Stability and permanence in organizations, ethos, decision-making 4. Evolution of military expertise 5. Acceleration of complexity 6. (Mis)alignment of missions, competence, ethos, understanding 7. Is the profession of arms outdated? 8. The profession of effects 9. Toward mastery of consequential (deadly?) competition
Key Questions What do ongoing and observed changes in the Profession s responsibility, corporateness and expertise imply for defining membership in the Profession of Arms? Has mastery of [potentially deadly] or [consequential] competition effectively replaced management of violence as the core competence of the Profession of Arms? Is management of better captured by responsibility for? Do changes in the nature of war and of the Profession of Arms necessitate a fundamental restructuring of American national security architecture? Has the Profession of Arms been effectively supplanted, subverted or simply confused by Service Professions? Is the entire concept of a Profession of Arms obsolete?
Backup Slides
Alternative Questions If the special competence of the PoA has expanded beyond management of violence in combat with an enemy, how do we describe that new competence? Does each military Service own its own profession, and if so, how is the idea of a Profession of Arms even relevant? Are traditional military virtues courage, valor, sacrifice relevant for those who accomplish nontraditional missions, and if so, how? Put differently, what is valor in cyber? What distinguishes members of the Profession of Arms from those in other bureaucracies who accomplish similar tasks? Who really is and is not part of the Profession of Arms? 30
Questions with unclear answers What is valor in cyberspace? What distinguishes a GPS contractor from a Space Ops Lieutenant or MSgt? Is defense of the software perimeter of the F-35 as important as defense of FOB Chapman in Afghanistan? Do we see them the same way? Are civilian DoD employees members of a Profession of Arms, or of something else? What expertise or ethos sustains our corporate identity?
Modern War at USMA Hmm it seems like when the Air Force was formed in 1947, we were the Modern War Institute. - C1C Grant Van Hoomissen
Aspects of culture Observed behavioral regularities: language, customs, traditions, rituals Group norms: implicit standards and values Espoused values: articulated publicly announced principles and values Formal philosophy: broad policies and ideological principles guiding action Rules of the game: implicit, unwritten rules for getting along Climate: feeling that is conveyed in a group by interactions Embedded Skills: special competencies displayed and passed on Habits of thinking, mental models, linguistic paradigms: cognitive frames Shared meanings: emergent understandings created during interactions Root metaphors: ways groups characterize themselves; physical artifacts Formal rituals and celebrations: ways the group celebrates key events
Culture is Powerful