Mission Command and the Intelligence Commander - In Chaos Lies Opportunity: A Model for Creating Belief, Capability, and Driving Intelligence Operations
Abstract:
The Armys approach to mission command is more than good leadership it requires sound systems and processes to address the science of control. The intelligence commander is responsible for command and control. Commanders arrange people, processes, and networks into command posts to best facilitate their exercise of authority and direction to accomplish the mission. The commander owns the mission and underwrites risk. With the recent updates to ADP 6-0, the publication of the Army Intelligence Enterprise framework and Army Intelligence Plan 2019, and continued dialogue on mission command, now is the time to evolve intelligence doctrine, adapt leader development to grow future commanders not just 2s, and refine our training for the multi-domain environment. Current US Army Intelligence Center of Excellences leader development model focuses on building intelligence professionals that supplement the maneuver commanders operation process, the framework for exercising command and control. Todays Joint and US Army doctrine outlines the means to support mission command against all threats in MDO but limit discussion on how the intelligence commander conducts mission command for their organization. This research draws upon two qualitative sources to identify foundational principles of effective intelligence mission command interviews and my experience as the 202nd Military Intelligence Battalion Commander, and a qualitative assessment of leadership and mission command literature, doctrine, and policy documents. Ultimately, this research proposes a useful, flexible model that can be institutionalized across multiple intelligence organizations to replace a personality-driven model. Lastly, this paper offers six recommendations across the institutional, operational, and individual domains to help guide commanders in balancing the art of command and the science of control and ultimately drive intelligence operations.