Comparative Analysis of U.S. and Danish Army Leader Development Strategies.

摘要

The U.S. Army's Leader Development Strategy (ALDS) for the 21st Century Army acknowledges a gap between the 20th century officer's training and education and the challenges the 21st century operational environment poses to leaders of all ranks in the U.S. Army. The ALDS outlines an increasingly uncertain, complex, and competitive operational environment as hybrid threats challenge us across the full spectrum of operations. The U.S. Army and the Danish Armed Forces face similar challenges. In Denmark, though, no overarching leader development strategy exists. The leader development strategy must be inferred from several documents. This thesis compares the U.S. Army Leader Development Strategy with the Danish Armed Forces and Danish Army leader development systems, policies, and tools to draw lessons learned for the Danish Armed Forces, and the Danish Army in particular. Subsequently, the thesis applies a cultural applicability test to assess whether the identified lessons learned from the U.S. Army Leader Development Strategy are applicable in a Danish context. Four main lessons learned are identified. First, the Danish Armed Forces must develop an overarching strategic document that details ends, ways, and means for all services. Second, the Danish Armed Forces must redefine its perception of leadership and leader development and engage senior leadership in promoting leader development. Third, an element within Army Operational Command must be responsible for leader development and for being the link between the joint level and the Danish Army. Fourth, tools must be developed for leaders and commanders to assist and smooth the planning, preparation, execution, and assessment of leader development activities in units.