The Armys Training Revolution 1973 1990 PDF Download

Immediately following the Vietnam War, the United States Army began a two-decade period of revitalization and renewal including developments in equipment, doctrine, personnel policies and training. Based on oral histories, official studies, documents, manuals, and papers, this study examines the developments in Army training during the 1970s. These developments began with a new performance-oriented philosophy toward training that drove the production of training literature and new technologies. Together, these developments constituted a revolutionary new approach to preparing the Army for war. U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), established in 1973, stood at the center of the training revolution and key individuals within the command significantly influenced the training revolution's direction. TRADOC, which had no command authority over operational Army units, became the Army's intellectual source for changes to doctrine and training. The division of command responsibility and training developments led to conflicts between Army institutions. Developments in training reflected a tension between attempts to develop uniformed standards of training across the Army while allowing unit commanders the latitude to develop their units. Finally, the training reforms took place within a milieu of social changes that affected the Army's ability to focus on preparing for war. The 1970s constituted a decade of recovery, change, and foundation building that set the Army on a course to future combat excellence.