Military Operations Other than War Analysis Additional Skill Identifier

In order to keep pace with the post-Cold War military, the Army needs to formally recognize changes required in the analytical arena. New requirements to effectively analyze the economic, political, social and cultural, and religious influences on a population are now being levied upon analysts at every level. This type of analysis is critical when dealing with the now prevalent military operations other than war (MOOTW). The ability to readily identify soldiers with analytical backgrounds in MOOTW-specific areas is not currently inherent in the system. Thus the central research question is: Should the U.S. Army have an Additional Skill Identifier (ASI) for MOOTW analysts? An initial literature review of lessons learned from previous MOOTW deployments identified the need for specific analysis of economic, political, social and cultural, and religious aspects. The second phase, a review of current curricula, identified a lack of emphasis on MOOTW analysis training. The final phase, a survey of commanders and analysts involved in MOOTW deployments, resulted in all of the respondents concluding that the Army must emphasize MOOTW training to at least a moderate if not greater extent. Until all analysts are MOOTW trained and readily available to every commander, an interim ASI is necessary.