Bombs, Then Bandages. Preparing the War Fighter for the Sojourn to Peacekeeping

摘要

IN 1787, attendees at the Constitutional Convention first defined the purpose of the United States armed forces. This definition has undergone significant clarification and redefinition over the course of history. What began as the requirement to 'provide for the common Defence' has led, most recently, in the National Military Strategy of the United States of America to that of 'fighting' and 'winning' our Nation's wars whenever and wherever called upon.' To most people, that might not seem like such a large leap. There is little question that the writers of the Constitution foresaw that 'Defence' would inevitably lead to fighting wars. But what they may not have envisioned is the ever-growing handful of noncombat actions that the United States armed forces are currently being called upon to undertake on shores far distant from those of the original 13 states. In recent history, US military might has advanced in what some would argue is a direction diametrically opposed to that of war fighting. This new direction is known as 'military operations other than war' (MOOTW). Admittedly, the division between MOOTW and war becomes difficult to delineate at times; but generally speaking, such operations focus on deterring war and promoting peace, while war encompasses large-scale, sustained combat operations to achieve national objectives or to protect national interests. MOOTW are more politically sensitive, the military may not be the primary player, and they are almost always conducted outside the United States.