Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. - By stepping back in time, more than 40 senior staff from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command learned new lessons in leadership during a trip to the Gettysburg, Pa., battlefield last month.
Maj. Gen. Randolph P. Strong, CECOM commander, hosted a staff ride at the Gettysburg National Military Park April 26th-27th for a lesson in "Leading through Change." Leaders from Headquarters CECOM, the Software Engineering Center, and the Logistics Readiness Center, all from APG, participated as well as also those from Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pa.; the Central Technical Support Facility at Fort Hood, Texas; and the Information Systems Engineering Command at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
"Staff rides enable military leaders to retrace the course of a battle on the ground, deepening their understanding of the recurring fundamentals of military operations, as well as using the location as a source of inspiration. We use examples from the past so that today's leadership can apply those lessons learned in the future," said Susan Thompson, CECOM command historian.
Staff rides were originally used by the German Army in the late 1800's to train their general staff officers by studying the Napoleonic Wars. Now, using historic military encounters from all eras is a regular part of leadership training in the U.S. Army. Staff rides not only provide leader professional development and education, they also foster cohesion in organizations, according to Strong. He stressed that in a worldwide organization such as CECOM, where business is often conducted via video teleconference, it is still important to make time for face to face communications. This is especially important as CECOM conducts split-based operations due to the pending closure of Fort Monmouth and movement of the command to Aberdeen Proving Ground, he stated.
As one of the Army's major teaching devices, staff rides are particularly dependent on careful knowledge of military history. Dr. Stephen Carney, from the U.S. Army Center of Military History, led CECOM's staff ride. Carney is the Army's leading expert on the battle of Gettysburg and has led some 165 staff rides for military, Congressional and international officials.
"In fact," Thompson said, "Dr. Carney literally 'wrote the book' on the Gettysburg staff ride. He just completed work on a Battle of Gettysburg Staff Ride Guide for the Center of Military History."
Carney recommended the battle of Gettysburg for both its understandability and its relevance. He explained that historians know more about the logistics of both armies during that campaign and battle than just about any other Civil War battle.
"In addition, the battle of Gettysburg is extremely relevant for an organization like CECOM that is facing the challenges of moving and reorganizing as a result of BRAC. Just as the Army of the Potomac realized the benefits of a major reorganization under the previous leadership of Major General Joseph Hooker, CECOM leaders learned about the potential pitfalls and successes that arise when leading through change," Thompson said.
Fought over the first three days of July 1863, the battle of Gettysburg was one of the most critical battles of the Civil War, occurring at a time when the fate of the nation hung in the balance, according to Thompson. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion," it was the culmination of the second and most ambitious invasion of the North by General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. The Union's Army of the Potomac, now under the command of General George Meade for just a few days, met the Confederate invasion at the Pennsylvania crossroads town of Gettysburg.
Despite initial Confederate success, the battle turned against Lee on July 3rd, 1863. Decisively beaten on the battlefield for the first time, Lee ordered his army to retreat back to Virginia, ending the hopes of the Confederacy for major victory in the North that would lead to Southern independence. Roughly 51,000 Union and Confederate Soldiers died during these three days of intense fighting.
"Lessons of leadership during transformations in force structure, of the need for effective communication, of the value of reconnaissance, and of the importance of logistics are as applicable today as they were at Gettysburg in 1863," Thompson said.
For example, at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, Carney discussed foreign military sales of cannon by the British, who sold them to both the Confederates and the Union. Foreign military sales are a major function of CECOM's Logistics Readiness Center. Stops at Little Round Top and Pickett's Charge helped participants envision the events of the second and third days of the battle, and provided additional opportunities to discuss the effects of having the right leader in the right place at the right time, as well as the need for clear leader intent and communication.
CECOM leaders each took on the roles of key figures from the battle. They researched their roles in the battle and at each stop on the battlefield related that key figure's experiences to current CECOM issues. "It is easy to get caught up in the day to day issues of the command and lose sight of strategic leadership concerns but a staff ride like this allows us to look at leadership from a different perspective and from a historical context that allows us to apply those lessons learned in a broader way," said CECOM CSM Tyrone Johnson.
The after action review was held at the Soldiers' National Cemetery. The cemetery was dedicated in November 1863, at which time Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address and reminded the nation why it was fighting the Civil War.
Thompson said the somber setting of Soldiers' graves helped to remind the CECOM team that its one vision and one mission is the Warfighter. "This staff ride was more than just a history lesson. It was a team-building exercise and learning experience designed to highlight the enduring principles of war that apply to CECOM today.
As one participant said, "I learned a great deal about the Civil War, leading through change, and effective CECOM leadership during the BRAC transition. The importance of the Commander's intent along with clear and concise communications is timeless."
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