Military Review English Edition January-February 2015 | Page 41

DIALOGUE AND TRUST

Disciplined initiative is action in the absence
of orders, when existing orders no longer fit
the situation, or when unforeseen opportunities or threats arise. Commanders rely on
subordinates to act. A subordinate’s disciplined initiative may be the starting point for
seizing the tactical initiative. This willingness
to act helps develop and maintain operational
initiative used by forces to set or dictate the
terms of action throughout an operation.22
Again, mission command demands nothing less
than trust and critical and creative thinking. How
does the Army institutionalize this principle? The
answer is for leaders to delegate and to trust.
Let us assume that a commander gives a highly
functioning staff, with a solid bedrock of trust, the
task to set up and run a rifle qualification range. The
commander trusts the staff to accomplish the mission
without telling them how to accomplish it. Being
familiar with their soldiers through ongoing dialogue
and professional development, the staff members
know who is capable of running the range and who
needs mentoring. Therefore, within the constraints
of this task, the staff issues the order with the critical
personnel assigned to their respective roles, while also
mentoring those soldiers who may not be as capa(Photo by Sgt. Juan F. Jimenez, 4th Brigade Combat Team PAO, 82nd Airborne Division)
ble or competent in range operations. The staff and
Paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne
Division, call for indirect fire during an airfield seizure 21 June 2013 at
subordinate leaders are able to use their judgment to
Sicily Drop Zone during Operation Fury Thunder at Fort Bragg, N.C.
exercise disciplined initiative in meeting the commander’s intent of rifle qualification in a way that best
Grant’s brevity of orders given to Lt. Gen. William T.
serves the unit and further develops leaders.
Sherman in his march to the sea during the Civil War.
Additionally, let us assume there is a problem at the
The minimal information in those orders illustrates a
desired range. Knowing the commander’s intent, the
high level of trust and competence between a comstaff can work within their constraints to achieve the
mander and a subordinate commander. Conversely,
desired end state. There is no need to return to the
a commander, at times, may feel compelled to issue
commander for further guidance unless some concern
more directive orders depending on the subordinate,
arises from unforeseen circumstances that could result
the level of trust, or the situation.
in a fundamental failure of the mission without further
However, due to the complexities of OEs and the
guidance or resources. Disciplined initiative is doing
speed of war, it is imperative that commanders issue orwhat is legal, moral, and ethical within the commander’s
ders reflective of the situation and their level of comfort
intent to accomplish the mission.
with their staff, while accepting prudent risk. Accepting
Here, the mission order was as simple as, “I would
prudent risk is the culmination point for the principles
like to get everyone qualified on his or her rifle no later
of the mission command philosophy:
than March 15th.” Is this enough information for a
Commanders focus on creating opportuniunit to complete the mission or task? In this case, yes.
ties rather than simply preventing defeat—
However, mission orders are not necessarily as short as
even when preventing defeat appears safer.
the one above. Much has been made of Gen. Ulysses S.
Reasonably estimating and intentionally
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