Sound Military Decision

by Naval War College

By contrast, the functions of the commander, as such, have to do with the necessary supervision of these special functions and, more especially, with the important duty of planning for the future employment of the command. The supervisory and planning activities may, for purposes of differentiation from the specialties noted above, be properly described as general functions. They relate more particularly to the duties performed personally by the commander or, where such duties become too onerous for performance by one person, by specifically designated members of his staff.

In our naval service, the higher commanders are provided, where appropriate, with a chief of staff, who coordinates and supervises the work of the entire staff. Provision is also made, where the nature and amount of the work to be done calls for such assignment, for the detail of additional staff officers to perform the important general functions mentioned above. Appropriate provision is also made for staff officers to care for the special functions inherent in the character of the particular command.

The important general functions referred to are those relating to intelligence duties, and to operations. Intelligence duties have to do with the collection of information as to the enemy and the theater of operations, the analysis of this information, its evaluation, its conversion into intelligence by the process of drawing conclusions, i.e., by interpretation, and, finally, its dissemination to the command or to other appropriate destinations ([page 161]). Intelligence estimates and plans have been discussed previously (Chapters VII and VIII).

Operations, in the sense in which the term is employed in this connection, relate to the strategical or tactical activities of the command, as distinguished from routine functions pertaining to such matters as administration and supply. Operations, therefore, as a term employed in contradistinction to intelligence activities, refer more especially to the performance of the commander's own force, while intelligence functions are oriented more particularly with respect to the activities of the enemy. Operation plans, which may include subsidiary intelligence plans, have been discussed previously (Chapters VII and VIII).

Further details in this connection are touched on hereafter with respect to rendition of reports and estimates.

Reports. The work-sheet facilitates the rendition, at any time, of such special reports as may be required by higher authority, or by the commander from his staff. The appropriate staff officer is prepared at all times to render a report, oral or written, informal or formal, brief or detailed, of the situation of the command and of other friendly forces, or of the situation with reference to the enemy.

No less important than rendition of reports to the commander and to higher authority is the duty of the staff, or of the commander if he lacks such staff assistance, to insure that subordinate commands receive pertinent information at the proper time. Cooperating friendly forces will also require such information. This need is sometimes met by the issue of periodical reports or bulletins. However, during the intervals between such reports, and at all times when such reports are lacking, it is a primary duty of the commander and staff to ensure that all concerned are informed as to the situation. The work sheet is a valuable aid for the performance of this duty.

Oral Estimates. When called for by higher authority, or by the commander from his staff, oral estimates of the situation can be rendered promptly and effectively by reference to the work sheet. Estimates called for by the commander are presented by the appropriate staff officers. Presentation is made to the commander or, if so directed, to the chief of staff, the latter being prepared to render, in turn, an estimate to the commander. Oral estimates desired by higher authority are made by the commander, or by the staff officer concerned, at the direction of his commander.

Partial estimates may be called for from time to time as to particular aspects of the situation.

In the larger staffs, the work is facilitated if each principal staff officer is prepared to present his appropriate portion of the estimate. In such case the intelligence officer deals with matters relating to the enemy; the operations officer deals with those relating to own forces, etc. The entire staff acts as a team in the presentation of a well-rounded estimate which will bring all pertinent matters to the attention of the commander so that he may arrive at a sound decision.