A successful defensive and security operation will solely rely on the ability of the commander in charge to make sense of the operational environment. In this regard, it is significant to anticipate the factors that will influence the operation whether positive or negative. Ideally, this demands an effective interaction with the local populations. According to Department of the Army Washington, DC (2015), an operational environment comprises of the circumstances, conditions, and influences that affect the application of capable strategies, which rely on the decisions of a commander. Anything related to the physical area such as land, air, and maritime or even cyberspace contains vital information that will influence the conditions of the neutral aspects, the friends, and enemies related to the operation. Therefore, the interconnection of these influences is vital for the commander to describe the current state of the operational environment, and how it would look like when the operation ends (Department of the Army Washington, DC, 2012). In this regard, actions are undertaken together with the team to bring about the required change in conditions. In essence, this involves devising an operational approach in the line of operation that will link the conditions to the desired state. The factors comprised in an operational environment will tend to pose a scenario of “wicked problem.” Notably, this implies that the factors offer a high-stake, complex problem that requires a definitive formulation due to the difficult and daunting challenge the problem presents to the commander and their team (Graves, & Stanley, 2018). Therefore, making sense of the operational environment needs a sense-making process that will involve three distinct dimensions, which are, information retrieval or fusion, interactive visualization, and modeling and simulation. The interconnection of the three dimensions reveals several important research gaps that need to be filled to provide a full understanding of the operational environment and the outcomes of the defense and security operations.
As an Operation Sergeant Major, I envision facilitating the process by mobilizing my team or staff to employ a system-thinking approach to assist in understanding the operational variables in a bid to visualize and describe the operational environment. In addition, I will be responsible for leading and directing, as well as assessing the operations (Menu, nd.). A clear determination of the operational variables, both military and non-military, will definitely differ from one environment to the other, hence affecting a particular operation. In this regard, this understanding will be significant as it will influence the success of the military operation. My functions as an Operation Sergeant Major will fundamentally be divided into two, where one process will involve the planning—which includes visualizing, understanding, and describing, while the other process involves execution, that is, directing, leading, and assessing to improve the understanding of the environment and modifying it accordingly (Department of the Army Washington, DC, 2015). Moreover, I will be required to work with the staff and other commanders to demonstrate a clear understanding of the operational environment and visualize the desired end state and the operational approach needed. Since my involvement in the whole process may be limited, which prevents continuous involvement in the process, my emphasis will be to lead a team while facilitating dialogue and to occasionally be involved at the various stages of the Army Design Methodology (ADM). Indeed, it is vital to understand that the operational process is not discrete, but comprises of recurring and overlapping circumstances that will require continuous planning. As the leader, I will need to revise and update the plan based on the changing circumstances. Therefore, with the assistance of the team and staff, I will be required to drive the operational process in understanding, making, implementing, controlling, and assessing the process.
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References
Department of the Army Washington, DC. (2012). the Operational Process: Army Doctrine Publication No. 5-0(FM 5-0)
Department of the Army Washington, DC. (2015). Army Design Methodology: Army Techniques Publication No. 5-0.1
Graves, T., & Stanley, B. E. (2018). Design and operational art: A practical approach to teaching the army design methodology. Military Review , 93 (4), 53.
Menu, H. Design Thinking: Important for the Development of Agile and Adaptable US Army Leaders Design Thinking: Important for the Development of Agile and Adaptable US Army Leaders.
