Improving Army Planning for Future Multinational Coalition Operations

Military Review, May-June, 2003 by Vincent Lee Freeman, Jr.

Thomas S. Szayna, Frances M. Lussier, Krista Magras, Olga Oliker, Michele Zanini, Robert Howe, Rand, Santa Monica, CA, 2001, 346 pages, $25.00

In this book, the authors' thesis is that a more effective mechanism to manage Army resources for international activities (IA) is necessary to enable a more efficient prioritization of multinational force compatibility (MFC) efforts that contribute to the successful planning and conduct of combined operations. The study, conducted by Rand analysts, supports Department of the Army (DA) IA planning intended to enhance ground coalition operations. The authors identify better administrative mechanisms and processes with which to develop an empirically based, long-term MFC plan.

A large portion of the publication is dedicated to regionally organized, graphic and concisely worded country evaluations indicating each state's proclivity to participate with the United States in a multinational operation. The authors offer their analyses as a way to identify enduring coalition partnerships, to isolate interoperability shortcomings of potential partners, to match cooperative efforts to specific shortcomings, and to assess the cost effectiveness of IA programs. Ultimately, the Rand researchers posit that Army preparations for cooperation with other armies, based on knowledge of partner-state contribution capabilities, facilitate proper resourcing and effective execution of Title 10 requirements.

The authors highlight the trend toward coalition operations as a preface to the relevance of their research on MFC. Rand points to the importance of being able to accurately identify willing coalition partners and to prioritize focused programs to achieve operational compatibility at targeted levels of the mission spectrum. To perform this process effectively and globally with finite resources, DA should play a stronger role in the theater security cooperation planning process to achieve national-level goals for improving coalition readiness. The text notes that it is currently problematic to affect such a process because it is difficult to determine devoted IA funds and even more difficult to monitor and influence IA funding allotments since international activities are integrated within such a large part of Army operations. Rand advocates a more integrated system for planning Army MFC efforts and the subsequent development of a long-term MFC plan.

The authors convincingly support their theme of enhancing Army processes to effectively manage IA and MFC efforts with a methodical approach and a fairly well explained data set of 109 potential coalition partners. The authors' effectiveness is best exemplified by the combination of analytical rigor and logic applied in developing a prioritized, tiered list of potential contributors to coalition operations, which correlates multiple variables to measure states' propensity to offer compatible forces.

Sponsored by the Military Deputy to the Deputy Undersecretary of the Army for International Affairs (DUSA-IA). The study's value and credibility is enhanced by the cooperation of the DUSA-IA staff as well as that from other DA, Joint Staff, and Office of the Secretary of Defense personnel.

This study provides value to military and defense professionals concerned with U.S. Army operations at national and theater levels. The thorough, concise country data offers utility as a quick reference for those vested in the compatibility and interoperability of prospective coalition ground forces. Thus, the research is most germane to the Army, but it could also serve the interests of US. unified commands and the Joint Staff.

MAJ Vincent Lee Freeman, Jr., USA, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas