Levels of the Chain of Command Essay

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Chain of Command and ROE

Levels of the Chain of Command

The objective of this study is to discuss the views of the six levels in the chain of command from the perspective of each during the Vietnam War. The six levels of the chain of command includes: (1) the individual soldiers in the field; (2) battalion commanders; (3) division commanders; (4) General William Westmoreland; Secretary Of Defense Robert McNamara; and (6) President Lyndon Johnson.

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War resulted in conflict in the forum of public opinion. Under the 'Rules of Engagement', the directives and orders are of a design that focus on mission accomplishment and a maintaining of the relations with the civilian population. The 'Rules of Engagement' set out how operations should proceed during crisis and are such that when followed serves in the accounting for "policy and political sensitivities." (The Chain of Command and NCO Support Channel, FM 7-21-13, nd, p.5) Rules of engagement are purported to be tools that are of immense value for bridging "the gap between the political dimension and political operations." (Palmer, 1993, p. 5) As well the 'Rules of Engagement' are valuable in maintaining, "centralized control, and permitting decentralized execution." (The Chain of Command and NCO Support Channel, FM 7-21-13, nd, p. 6)

III. Levels within the Chain of Command

The rules of engagement however, are viewed different by the different levels within the chain of command and depending upon the proximity of each of these to the actions that are taken under the rules of engagement.

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For example, the U.S. President during the Vietnam War was able to issue directives from Washington that did not have the benefit of being informed by on-site experience and knowledge. Therefore, the Rules of Engagement from this view would be quite different from the individual soldiers on the battlefield who experienced young children strapped with bombs and their fellow soldiers falling for these traps and losing their lives. The commanders of battalions and division commanders did however, have the benefit of on-site knowledge, and were informed by experience in narratives of soldiers reporting from the battlefield. The fourth level or that of General William Westmoreland was an informed role in terms of the Rules of Engagement during the Vietnam War however, once again, just as in the case of President Lyndon Johnson, was set far enough apart from the daily occurrences in the battlefield viewed the battlefield in the Vietnam War from a more theoretical and strategic viewpoint that did the lower levels in the Chain of….....

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