Major, Usaf, Hugh S. Vest

Employee Warriors and the Future of the American Fighting Force: Fairchild Paper Major, Usaf, Hugh S. Vest

The rapid expansion of social democracy and technology, as well as changes in the social/political patterns of American society, has drawn the military closer to civilian society. One element of this dynamic relationship is the military?s adoption of commercial business paradigms and identities, resulting in the institutionalization of what one can describe as a business scientific/management-professional culture that surrounds the warrior of the 1990s. This culture seems to contrast and oftentimes openly conflict with the values and traditional culture that once embraced the professional military. This paper dedicates itself to a conceptual and practical exploration of selected elements of the new business-scientific/management professional culture within the American military and its conflict with and effect upon the traditional values and culture once associated with a successful fighting force. This practical analysis then proceeds to the question of whether the modern occupational military can consistently fulfill the demands of soldiers in the twenty-first century, or whether it is adversely affecting the development of the heroic leaders and followers we need for future military endeavors.