War is hell, digital hell. At least that is what Admiral Owens sees for the near future. He is well qualified to make judgment on the subject as he rose through the ranks of the Navy to become commander of the 6th Fleet during the Gulf War and ultimately became the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

His book, "Lifting the Fog of War", is a stark analysis of U. S. military capabilities at the dawn of the information age. In his capacity as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs he worked hard to implement a new paradigm in warfare which is known in military circles as the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA). The RMA basically involves the digitization of information processed by the various military services and integrating the services so that information can be efficiently put to use.

Combined arms tactics with advanced (near perfect) knowledge of the battlefield is the ultimate goal. With modern sensors, modern communications systems, modern display capabilities and modern weapons even a small force can project considerable power. He envisions a military that is light, fast, flexible and most importantly interconnected. He would flatten the chain of command structure and ensure the widest dissemination of real time information across the spectrum of military units. Joint commands would be set up. Training would be interservice rather than service specific. In fact, he lauds "synergy over specialization".

Admiral Owens points out that the RMA is vital to U. S. defense and foreign policy in the new millennium. As new threats arise and other nations move to modernize their forces, the United States must move quickly to maintain an advantage. For information will be the force multiplier of the future. Other nations, especially China, are on the road to implementing their own Revolution in Military Affairs. Should the United States fall behind, we could become vulnerable to coercion and bullying.

It is no secret that the various military services, Navy, Air Force, Army and Marine Corps, are jealous of their combat rolls, budgets, organizational structures, traditions, etc. Admiral Owens believes this to be the greatest obstacle to implementation of the RMA. Severe budget cuts to the military mandate a leaner force that must concentrate its efforts on the new organizations, sensors and weapons systems necessary. In his book he makes proposals that he feels would upgrade our military power to a level that would allow us an adequate defense and an effective foreign policy instrument far into the future.

Admiral Owens, with Ed Offley, has laid out a challenge to our military to create the elite force of the future. The book is well-written and organized. It demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the military. The work looks at current problems, probes the history of recent military struggles (back to WWII) and explains in layman's terms the Revolution in Military Affairs.

The book is also an indictment of recent administrations, illustrating degradation of U. S. military power, and illustrates how far we need to go to realize the RMA.

Admiral Owens labels his recalcitrant opponents in the various military branches as "conservative". Indeed, he is correct in this assessment; for the basic tenet of conservatism is that "revolutionary" change is likely to do more harm than good. This is because radical change is generally untested. Evolutionary change is best because it can be wratcheted back more easily when mistakes are made. Yet it would seem that many of the changes that he suggests are not as revolutionary as they appear on first blush. The armed services have been working for a long time to integrate their redundant support elements. While I was in the Navy as far back as 1985 I participated in a Joint Navy/Army exercise called Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) which was an effort to establish procedures for supplying Army and Marine beach heads without the need for port facilities, using pontoons, barges and other Navy assets. The Marine corps has been operating with the Navy for over two hundred years. There are other examples of joint operations and training.

The efficient use of information, sensors, weapons systems, et al is not a new concept. Intelligence, recon and supply have been integral functions in armies ever since man could place a head on a spear. A truly revolutionary change in military affairs, and a step Admiral Owens stops short of advocating (for obvious political reasons), is a true integration of the four military services into ONE service. Many of the goals he advocates, such as integrated communications and weapons systems would be much simpler within the confines of a single chain of command rather than four chains of command. Procurement, task assignment, weapon design and all other facets of military support could be done more efficiently and intelligently. As the simple, practical approach is also a tenet of conservatism, the combining of all services into one might be the most conservative, radical and effective approach to modernization.

"Lifting the Fog of War" is a must read for anyone who wants to understand military affairs and is engaged in the current debate over where the military is heading. Far from the dry jumble of technical jargon this book could have been, Admiral Owens' gives us a fascinating look at what the U. S. military is and what it could be. It certainly lays the groundwork for changes that must come in order for the U. S. military to remain viable.****

Purchase this book!