American Military Culture and Its Influence on Strategy

Abstract

This chapter reviews US military culture and how each service has a different tradition and ethos. These differences affect how soldiers, sailors, and airmen view war, and how they plan to fight. It is amazing how often the services disagree on fundamental concepts of military organization, doctrine, and the use of force. These deeply held differences of opinion were shaped by unique service cultures that have had a profound effect on American military strategy. The advent of “jointness” was an attempt to correct the short-sighted parochialism of previous generations and introduce a more holistic view of war.