The Battalion XO's (Executive Officer's) Evolving Role during Continuous Combat Operations: Cybernetic Fix or Command Back Up

This monograph reviews the doctrinal duties of the maneuver battalion Executive Officer XO from World War I to the present. The role of the XO changed over time with different emphasis and priorities in respective eras. The purpose of this monograph is to focus attention on the XO during the late 1980s. The conduct of successful combat operations at battalion level requires timely action by the XO. Yet, a detailed picture of how his complex duties interact is not available. Recent training experience resurrects the chief of staff role with additional Combat Service Support CSS responsibilities and the second in command 2IC responsibility. Inconsistent priorities for the XO create a combination of missions critical to the battalion but difficult, if not impossible, to execute simultaneously. A look at this predicament is warranted. The XO requires detailed analysis by the Army or the smallest staff organization may find itself incapable of synchronizing the actions required for success in combat.