Does The Army Have an Effective Doctrine for the Conduct of Rear Area Securityand the Protection of Support Troops

摘要

This monograph examines US Army doctrine for the conduct of Area Security. Itconcludes that current doctrine is ineffective and should be changed to prevent needless casualties in future conflicts. The monograph examines the threat to US forces across the spectrum of conflict from MOOTW to High Intensity Conflict. It determines that the most likely threat to US forces will be small groups of light infantry operating against US Combat Support and Combat Service Support units. Next the monograph examines the current doctrine for conducting area security. It determines that the doctrine is inadequate in that it does not provide for building the required combat power to defeat the expected threat. The doctrine does not provide adequate mobility, firepower, protection or leadership to either the support units, the response forces or the tactical combat force. The monograph suggests possible methods of correcting these deficiencies. These methods include properly resourcing support units so that they can defend themselves and forming a dedicated Area Security Force. The Area Security Force would provide a single organization and chain of command to replace both the MP units which form the level II response force and the TCF which is the level TTI response force.