Paratus Papers - Up Front Thinking

Paratus Papers started in 1997, an initiative of the Commanding Officer of the 1st Armoured Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel (now Major General) Craig Orme. The Regiment has a long and proud history of excellence in officer training, and Paratus Papers sought to build on this tradition. Named after the unit’s motto, the Latin term for ‘prepared’, the Papers aim to inspire officers to ‘think up-front’, that is, ensure that the intellectual preparation for innovation and adaptation is done so that officers are better placed to fight and win on the modern battlefield. Since 1997, Paratus Papers have been produced annually and disseminated throughout the wider Army to encourage professional discussion and debate.

In 2011 I challenged the officers of the Regiment to get their heads ‘out of the turret’ and engage with the wider issues that make up our profession. As a result, Paratus Papers 2011 covers a broad range of contemporary topics. The results of these endeavours are contained in the pages of Paratus Papers 2011, of which a small selection are provided in the following pages.