How Tactical Experience Affects Confidence About Combat Decision Making
Reilly, Gregory D.
Synopsis "How Tactical Experience Affects Confidence About Combat Decision Making"
This study examines how tactical experience affects confidence about combat decision making. Observations made at the nations 5 combat training centers indicate that maneuver battalion commanders fall short in making sound decisions once operations commence. Decision theory indicates that experience is central to decision making, and confidence is positively related to making rapid decisions under conditions of uncertainty. Two hypotheses were developed predicting a positive relationship between the amount of tactical experience that a combat arms officer has and his confidence about making combat decisions. Survey data enabled satisfactory testing of the hypotheses. Subjects included all Infantry and Armor officers attending Command and General Staff Officer Course, 1996-97. The survey captured all subjects' professional experience, in months, and measured confidence about decisions they made in response to three tactical vignettes. As predicted, analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between one's amount of tactical experience and his confidence about combat decision making. Increased tactical experience enhances a maneuver battalion commander's confidence about combat decision making, enabling him, perhaps, to make the speedier decisions that retain the initiative on the battlefield. Implications for professional development of combat arms officers are addressed, and issues requiring further research set forth.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.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.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.
