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Abstract This article is an amended version of a paper first presented at the 2011 Chief of Army History Conference. The theme of the conference was ‘1911–Preliminary Moves’, therefore the paper examined the professionalisation of the officer corps via the prism of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. The article demonstrates that there were elements of professionalism present in the Australian military prior to RMC’s founding in 1911; in fact these foundations were crucial in the long-term development of …

Abstract Advisers working with the Afghan 205th Corps operate in a ‘twilight zone’ as they attempt to bridge the cultural and institutional gaps between the Afghans and their ISAF partners. Like the rest of the Afghan National Army, the Corps is grappling with numerous institutional development challenges while simultaneously fighting a difficult counterinsurgency war. Determining what might constitute ‘Afghan okay’, and how they can assist their Afghan colleagues to arrive at this state, demands …

Abstract Many armies today are learning institutions with outstanding lessons learnt processes that have saved soldiers’ lives on the battlefield. However, the body of intangible, experiential knowledge that combat arms leaders hold is difficult to capture and nearly impossible to pass on in formal courses or training scenarios. This article identifies ten critical command and leadership lessons, from time management to battle staff employment to dealing with casualties, garnered throughout operations in …

Listed below are a select group of books recently or soon to be published that either contribute to the discussions initiated in the articles in the Australian Army Journal  or on subjects that may be of interest in the near future. Some of these books may be reviewed in forthcoming editions of the Journal. Marcus Fielding, Red Zone Baghdad: My War in Iraq , Big Sky Publishing, 2011, ISBN 9781921941177, 288 pp, RRP AU$29.99. In Red Zone Baghdad Colonel Marcus Fielding presents his view of the last months …

Lieutenant General Sir Donald Beaumont Dunstan, AC, KBE, CB (1923–2011) Donald Beaumont Dunstan was born in Murray Bridge South Australia on 18 February 1923. In February 1940 he entered the Royal Military College Duntroon, graduating as part of a shortened wartime course in June 1942. Upon graduation he was posted as a platoon commander to the 27th Infantry Battalion where he served (except for a period in brigade headquarters as a liaison officer) for the remainder of the war in the South West Pacific …

Abstract This article examines the origins and implications for Australia of the US concept AirSea Battle. It argues that the US preparations for AirSea Battle will shape warfare in Australia’s region and will require a refocusing of the preparation of the ADF. Introduction In mid-2010, Washington-based think tank The Center of Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) published A irSea Battle: A Point-of-Departure Operational Concept , which prescribed an approach through which the United States should …

Abstract Counter-nation networks pose a serious threat to national sovereignty. How nations cope with these complex adaptive systems within the global system represents one of the most serious challenges faced by nation-states. This article will discuss the elements that comprise a complex adaptive system and suggest a counter-system approach through which they can be defeated as part of a national security strategy. A systems-based approach is the only effective way to manage and defeat these …

Abstract This article has been written to address the poor application of planning processes by junior commanders. Decision-making is explored through the biological functions of the human brain to understand what occurs at the fundamental level of decision. This will demonstrate how junior commanders can harness this knowledge to improve their military decisionmaking. The article explains the importance of both analytical and instinctive processes that occur during decision-making, concluding that …

Abstract This article explores what kind of ‘Swiss Army Knife’ Australia’s future land force should look like in relation to its foundation warfighting capability. This discussion is crucial amid ongoing debates about the ‘Army After Afghanistan’. In one respect, developing a niche specialisation in Army’s skill sets is appealing for the potential monetary, time and other resource-efficiency savings. Yet, given a future operating environment that is generally predicted to be complex, uncertain and varied …

Abstract The Australian Army is on the cusp of its most challenging period since the end of the Vietnam War. Following twelve years of unprecedented operational tempo, Army is steadily shifting towards a ‘peacetime army’. Its training focus has shifted from attaining expertise in counterinsurgency operations towards achieving mastery in combined arms warfare. It has entered a period of fiscal austerity. The future will not be easy. This article will argue that Army can readily, confidently and successfully …