Logical Evolution of the MDMP

<p>This monograph explains the ability of the military decision-making process to inform the decision-maker in the current operational environment. A comparison of the operational environment as envisioned through the U.S. Army's doctrine before and after the end of the Cold War establishes the framework by which commanders makes decisions. Moreover this comparison highlights the critical changes in that environment that the MDMP has yet to account for. Next an analysis of naturalistic decision-making theory provides insight into how commanders inform the decisions they make. Subsequently the military decision-making process (MDMP) is analyzed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the process as compared to the current operational environment and the way experienced commanders naturally make decisions. This analysis establishes the logical evolutionary steps the MDMP must make in order to be a viable decision-making process in the current operational environment The fundamental dilemmas of decision-making within the U.S. Army are five fold. First there currently is little experience within the U.S. Army at the operational level. Yet since the end of the cold war the U.S. Army is increasingly becoming involved at the operational level of war as the shift in focus of the Army's doctrine indicates. Second Joint Doctrine does not prescribe a methodology for decision-making that is fundamentally different from the tactical MDMP contained in U.S. Army doctrine. Because of the deficiency in Joint Doctrine it is logical that a U.S. Army planner for example operating in a Joint Task Force (JTF) Headquarters will utilize the only decision-making process that the planner is familiar with-the MDMP. Yet the MDMP is a tactical process. Third the MDMP was a tactical decision-making process designed for the pre-cold war tactical U.S. Army. However the post-Cold War environment is more focused on the operational level. Fourth the MDMP was potentially time-consu</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>