The U. S. Army Future Concept for the Human Dimension

1-5. The Future Environment and Unchanging Nature of Conflict

The Army has previously acknowledged the primacy of the human dimension as the decisive element of battles and campaigns; however, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme in recent times as discussed in the following paragraph.

Many well intentioned advocates insist more high-tech weapons systems will reduce the need for Soldiers on the battlefield. But history—including very recent operational experiences—does not substantiate that conclusion. Science and technology cannot account for the dynamic interactions of the physical and moral elements that often impact conflict in unpredictable ways. While conflict presents technical problems, it is not itself one. That is why the practice of war remains an art, “infused with will, creativity and judgment.¹
Responding to the ongoing operational challenges of the U.S. Army engaged globally in full spectrum operations, the Army must continue to focus on the Soldier. Interest in the human dimension and its interaction with the operational environment (OE) is increasing. To swing the pendulum back toward the Soldier, the Army must examine and discuss the broad range of human dimension considerations that influence recruiting, accessing, training, developing, and sustaining the force. This study considers holistically how to achieve the proper balance of Soldier and technology.
Soldiers are the heart of the Army and the foundation of its combat power. Soldiers serve with distinction in the most powerful and respected land force the world has ever seen. Strong in will, unyielding in spirit, serving in harm’s way—Soldiers are the essence of the Army. More than a slogan or catch phrase, “Soldiers, the centerpiece of all Army organizations,” recognizes that operations across the spectrum of conflict are essentially human endeavors. The Army’s experience, since the end of the cold war, is that the military will continue to wage war primarily within the human dimension in future full spectrum operations for the future concept period (2015-2024).
We will seek individuals ready and willing for warrior service. Bound to each other by integrity and trust, the young Americans we welcome to our ranks will learn that in the Army, every Soldier is a leader responsible for what happens in his or her presence regardless of rank. They will value learning and adaptability at every level, particularly as it contributes to initiative: creating situations for an adversary, rather than reacting to them. They will learn that the Army’s culture is one of selfless service, a warrior culture rather than a corporate one. As such, it is not important who gets the credit, either within the Army or within the joint team; what’s important is that the Nation is served.

Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee

Former Chief of Staff of the Army General Schoomaker

Serving a Nation at War
Describing the human dimension in terms of the moral, physical, and cognitive components is not unique to this study. Other theorists and practitioners of war have described the human dimension in similar terms. J.F.C. Fuller developed a similar framework to analyze war in his work, The Foundation of the Science of War.² His model included the moral, physical, and cognitive realms. The Greeks also used three terms that are equally instructive when dealing with the human dimension: (1) the Penuma (spirit), (2) the Psyche (mind), and (3) the Soma (body). These areas are interdependent and proficiency or deficiency in any one area affects the other two.³
From an organizational perspective, there must be logic to the developmental process. How Soldiers make sense of experiences and then to continue to serve honorably and competently depends to a large degree on unit esprit de corps and cohesion. These are a direct reflection of the command climate and organizational culture established by leaders. Leaders must inspire Soldiers to achieve individual and collective excellence and accomplish assigned tasks in a manner consistent with the oath they swear to uphold.

First and foremost, the Army is Soldiers. No matter how much the tools of warfare improve; it is Soldiers who use them to accomplish their mission. Soldiers committed to selfless service to the Nation are the centerpiece of Army organizations.
FM 1, The Army, June 2005



First and foremost, the Army is Soldiers. No matter how much the tools of warfare improve; it is Soldiers who use them to accomplish their mission. Soldiers committed to selfless service to the Nation are the centerpiece of Army organizations.
FM 1, The Army
The developmental process is part of the professional lifecycle of Soldiers in units within the operational Army. This cycle begins with the Army’s efforts to recruit quality people; it is then followed by initial training, education and acculturation; unit integration and training; employment; redeployment; and reset/train. It is cyclic in nature, continuously gaining and losing people who end their Army service or leave the operational Army for continuing professional education and development opportunities, joint assignments, and assignments within the Army’s generating force or other operating forces. Service in these other assignments continues professional growth and contributes significantly to the process of developing individual character and competence.
Army plans do not adequately address reintegration of Soldiers following operational missions. The Army must look beyond redeployment and into reintegration into society after the completion of Army service. Service in support of persistent conflict characterized by repeated deployments into dangerous and psychologically stressful environments expose many old and some new challenges for returning Soldiers and their families. Many of the emotional and psychological stresses associated with fighting an ill-defined enemy in a hostile environment in far away lands are similar to those that emerged from previous conflicts. Psychological and physical injury and illness are the tragic results of warfare. The Army must learn from the past and adapt these lessons to its current and future operating environment.
There is More to War than Warfare
The U.S. Army is unlikely to face future opponents of its own choosing who are willing to test America’s strengths. Inferiority in military power is unlikely to deter future adversaries. The global diffusion of technology offers opponents the opportunities to acquire alternative low cost w
Every war is going to astonish you in the way it occurred, and in the way it is carried out.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
eapons or develop military applications of commercial technology. This may be used to attack the U.S. asymmetrically and, in fact, there is a logic and economy in the idea that low cost techniques and tactics against enemies that attempt to counter with high cost methods. The proliferation and rapid turnover of information technology (IT) may not allow any combatant to acquire information dominance—a critical objective of U.S. transformation efforts.

Neither a nation nor an army is a mechanical contrivance, but a living thing, built of flesh and blood and not of iron and steel. . . .The more mechanical become the weapons with which we fight, the less mechanical must be the spirit which controls them.
J.F.C. Fuller

Generalship: Its Diseases and Their Cure
While unable to rule out conflict with western peer nations, the most likely future clashes will be against opponents that will approach warfare from radically different perspectives that do not conform to U.S. or Western practices. They will view American moral, political, and cultural values as vulnerabilities to exploit. Future conflict will remain savage and bloody with potential horrific attacks on the U.S. and its allies. The Army will face an unconstrained enemy empowered rather than limited by technology. Such adversaries’ objectives would not be to destroy or defeat U.S. or allied formations by force of arms, but to shatter political and popular will to continue protracted conflict.
Future conflict therefore is likely to usher in another era of small “savage wars of peace.” Rather than retreat, the U.S. and its military forces, often with allies and other interested nations, will remain engaged in complex power struggles worldwide in order to protect national interests. For Army forces, a strategy of engagement places a greater premium on understanding the human dimension.
The Art of War
While there have been recent and profound changes in the ways and means to conduct war, its essence will not change. Conflict will remain complex and chaotic, and human frailties and irrationality will continue to characterize war’s nature. Just as in the past, the root causes of future conflicts will arise from fear, hatred, greed, honor, and ambition. The human dimension of war defies simple logic. For that reason, understanding as much as possible about this dimension becomes critical to influencing and achieving favorable outcomes in future conflicts.
War will continue to be primarily a contest of opposing wills. Ambiguity, danger, physical exertion, friction, and chance, constitute the “climate of war” which contribute to the “fog of war” with which commanders must contend in future operations. Technology, intelligence, and operational design can reduce uncertainty; however, commanders still must make decisions based on incomplete, inaccurate, or contradictory information. These factors will continue to play a predominant role in the environment of future full spectrum operations.
The Face of Battle
The information age is already radically changing the conduct of war. There are no “silver bullets” guaranteeing low cost, military solutions to every complex political or strategic problem. There is also the danger that technological solutions address situations military planners prefer to solve rather than those they are likely to face from cunning or lucky opponents. Contemporary developments integrated into the Army’s transformation program will provide a major leap in capabilities that will be hugely significant in future operations, but, rather than a break with the past, technological change is simply occurring at a faster rate.⁴ History demonstrates that societies have always raced to discover and apply new technologies. Transformation efforts will be increasingly useful, even necessary, but insufficient by themselves. Army doctrine correctly recognizes that warfare remains a test of the human qualities of Soldiers: their will, courage, and skill.