This edition of the Australian Army Journal (AAJ) examines the foundations of professional mastery and doctrine, and reinforces the proposition that how we think inevitably affects how we perform. Opening with articles by Mark Gilchrist, Mark Mankowski and Nick Bosio, the journal considers how the ADF can maximise the effectiveness of joint operations, particularly in the context of Australia’s rapidly evolving strategic circumstances. Nicholas Mahr, Mark Sargent and James Casey challenge elements of …

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” George Washington Introduction The government’s recent political announcement to expand the Australian Defence Force by 20,000 personnel is welcomed. To be a significant ‘land power’ deterrent, the Army will need the capability to expand numbers quickly with trained soldiers.  Swiss history confirms the need for middle power nations to have a capable reserve force to mobilise in response to national security contingencies. The …

Global demographic trends and urbanisation are combining to increase the size and density of cities… Conflict will be fought underground, in jungles, swamps, deserts, mountains and wherever people are, and increasingly in urban and littoral areas, the electromagnetic spectrum and the cyber and information domains. Army’s Contribution to Defence Strategy , Edition 2, pages 18-20. Reflecting common consensus, empirical evidence and even vicarious experience (Mosul, Marawi), the Australia Army’s most recent …