Planning for Success: Developing an Economic Planning Cell for the Operational Level Commander

摘要

At the operational level, the combatant commander and the supporting service components fail to fully utilize the economic element in operational planning. Either by choice or out of failure to understand what the economic element can provide, the operational level commander rarely incorporates economics as a primary planning factor in all phases of operations. To meet the challenges of today's operating environment, the combatant commander and the supporting service components must create economic analysis cells to provide constructive analysis, recommendations, economic program oversight, and direct support to operational planning. While the US military may not have the economic expertise of their interagency brethren, they must be able to plan for economic considerations at all planning levels. The economic analysis cell would not replace the Department of Treasury or personnel from USAID. Rather, they would provide the operational commander with an internal level of expertise capable of providing analysis and recommendations and integrating US departmental agencies throughout all phases of operations. By incorporating an economic analysis cell at the combatant commander level and at the service component level, the current capability gap that exists in operational level economic planning would be closed and the operational level commander would be better postured to handle the future challenges of the 21st century.