FULLTEXT01

TACTICAL THOUGHT
2014 September 29 th
Two smaller groups consisted of Colleagues’ influences (1 reply, regarding
international colleagues) and operations (4 replies). Aspects of the officers’ Personal
experiences and Exercise activities go together, when primarily within the tactical
exercises from which experiences can be drawn.
These two aspects were emphasized by twenty-one officers, about twice as many than
for each of the aspects, Education / school activities and Literature / games and
Combination of influences.
Result summary; the question resulted in answers distributed relatively similarly into
the following five groups:
1. Education / school activities (9)
2. Personal experiences (11)
3. Literature / games (9/2)
4. Personal influences (senior officers, colleagues) (7)
5. Exercise activity (10)
6. Combination of the influences (11).
Aspects of the officers’ Personal experiences, Influences and Exercise activities connect
when primarily within these areas from where more practical experiences can be drawn.
These three aspects together were emphasized by twenty-eight officers, and dominate
clearly above each of the aspects Education / school activities and Literature / games
and Combination of influences. Clearly addressed educational influences are only stated
by nine officers as dominant. This result reveals that the structure and content of
exercises might be particularly important to analyse and implement, according to the
current form of tactical thinking that is normatively addressed.
Question 15. What do you think affects the development of tactics and tactical
thinking
The responses (34 of 43 possible) were divided into a large number of positions. Two
areas; Experiences and influences from past wars / interventions received the most
replies (8 each). Three areas; Schooling / training and External developments and Lack
of influences due to the low priority in the armed forces received five (5) responses
each. Exercises/training and Individual influences (strong commanders, people with
strong will and drive in general), Technological development, and the Swedish Armed
Forces organizational and material development then received four (4) replies each.
Personal experience, History (WW2) and Money received two (2) responses each.
Finally, one (1) reply each concerned the following aspects; Research / studies, Lack of
opponents to practice against, Time inhibitory processes and staff work, Current
workload on commanders, Social climate and Resource allocation, Past conflicts, War
experience, Doctrines, USA, Types of threat (existential threats or threat types in
international missions), Climate for discussion, Open-mind to new solutions, Swedish
ranger tactics/mind-set.
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