Transforming the Army Division in an Era of Persistent Conflict

When the Army transformed to a brigade centric force, ground forces gained the tactical capabilities and flexibility promised. What the Army lost was the role and purpose of the division. Administrative, training, and expeditionary task executed by divisions throughout history identified shortcomings in divisional structure and encouraged change. Divisional structures flexible enough to synchronize subordinate elements and maximize adaptive behavior will be required in the era of persistent conflict. Unlike its roles in administration and training, the division is unfamiliar with the expeditionary requirements the current environment implies. The era of persistent conflict promises to require more adaptive behavior than demanded of divisions in previous eras. Due to the stability needed in administration and training but the flexibility needed for expeditionary deployment, the roles cannot be accomplished by the same staff. The division staff must be organized to readily absorb and integrate change. They must be as flexible as their subordinate structures. The modular division must transform to an appropriately sized and resourced joint organization. An expeditionary joint task force headquarters and staff that represent their modular components, synchronize assets, and exhibit adaptive behavior will lead the Army through the challenges of persistent conflict.