Maj. Gen. Randy A. George, left, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, asks Gen. David G. Perkins, right, commanding general, Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, a question Dec. 8, 2017, during a leader professional development session about new doctrine and concepts found in the updated Field Manual 3.0 Operations. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell)
By Staff Sgt. Diandra J. Harrell
4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office
Gen. David G. Perkins, commanding general, Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Eustis, Virginia, and Director of Mission Command Center of Excellence Maj. Gen. James J. Mingus, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, talked new doctrine with 4th Infantry Division command teams Dec. 8, 2017.
Former 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers, Perkins and Mingus traveled to the Mountain Post to share the concepts in the new Field Manual 3.0 Operations and to celebrate the division’s centennial Dec. 10, 2017.
“The purpose of today was not to make anyone an expert, but to introduce the big ideas associated with the doctrine in FM 3.0 that was released a few months ago, and to garner feedback from the field and the force on portions we may have gotten right or wrong,” Mingus said.
The new Field Manual 3.0 Operations provides doctrine on how Army forces, as part of a joint team, conduct sustained, large-scale combat operations with current force structure and capabilities against a regional adversary.
“We also hope the leaders here today appreciate the change in the environment and the complexities for the future threats,” Mingus said. “It’s an intellectual shift. … we can’t lose what we’ve done over the last 15 years, but we also must ensure we are ready for the next fight.”
Doctrine describes how the Army operates, while concepts change the service for the future. FM 3.0 connects Army doctrine to the developing multi-domain battle concept.
“For a long time I was only used to ground combat but, as the battlefield expands from land, air and sea to cyberattacks, we must be able to attrite the enemy in any environment,” Mingus said. “This new FM with these new concepts will help prepare us for any type (of) countermeasure the enemy tries to use against us,” Mingus said.
As the session ended, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson Commanding General Maj. Gen. Randy A. George expressed his gratitude for the information shared.
“I speak on behalf of every command team here when I say thanks for sharing this new doctrine with us,” George said. “The battlefield is very complex. Our enemy is constantly developing, and the new concepts will give leaders the tools needed to fight and win.”