Operational Functions of U.S. Army Contingency Headquarters -- Do They Meet the Requirements for the Operational Level of War?

As the U.S Army continues to refine its operational doctrine, the performance of higher headquarters in meeting the requirements of that doctrine becomes a critical factor in the successful prosecution of modern war. This study examines the operational functions of U.S. Army higher headquarters and their failure to keep pace with the dynamic doctrinal requirements created by FM 100-5, Operations, and the changing nature of the battlefield. Most significant, it analzes requirements for higher headquarters, the functions headquarters should perform, operational characteristics of historical U.S. headquarters, and the changes needed in two current contingency headquarters.