Title: Raising the Bar: The School of Advanced Military Studies and the Introduction of Operational Art into U.S. Army Doctrine, 1983?1994
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Publication Date: 2026
Language: English
ISBN 10: 1636246311
ISBN 13: 9781636246314
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This is the story of the first ten years of SAMS and the remarkable reputation quickly acquired by its graduates, educated in a pre-World War II horse cavalry stable at Fort Leavenworth. It is also the story of the doctrinal revolution in which SAMS played an important role—a doctrinal shift that energized how the U.S. Army thought about and fought its wars. It may be claimed that the combination of a new, offensively oriented doctrine and educated practitioners significantly raised the level of tactical and operational understanding in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1994. The book explores the interrelationship between the School of Advanced Military Studies, the introduction of operational art into U.S. Army doctrine, and how graduates of the school sought to translate education and doctrine into action. It begins with the decisions that led to the founding of SAMS and reviews the conditions at the end of the Vietnam War and the challenges the Army faced at that time. It then examines the development of operational-level war as the essential bridge between tactical actions on the battlefield and strategic objectives derived from national security policy. The narrative continues with a close look at the school in the years leading up to Operations Just Cause and Desert Shield/Storm, and how it was evolving to meet emerging demands. It then analyzes how SAMS graduates approached these early combat operations, using operational-level doctrine to frame and guide the conduct of war. The story also includes three key events from the turbulent period following Operation Desert Storm, as graduates applied doctrine in an era shaped by the collapse of the Soviet Union and shifting global realities. The book concludes with a study of how the school changed in response to both internal dynamics and external pressures, particularly those arising from combat operations and missions other than war. It contrasts the visions of the school’s first and sixth directors to illuminate how SAMS adapted over its first decade. Central to the narrative is the argument that, despite these changes, the school’s fundamental purpose remained constant—and understanding why offers insight into how SAMS and its graduates contributed to the Army’s evolution in tactical and operational thought.

About the Author

Kevin Benson served in the U.S. Army as a commander and general staff officer for 30 years. He was the Director of Plans for the Third U.S. Army and the Combined Forces Land Component Command at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, from July 2002 to July 2003. His final assignment in the U.S. Army was Director, School of Advanced Military Studies, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He writes for professional journals and websites ranging from Parameters, Military Review, and ARMY magazine to Strategy Bridge and the Modern War Institute. Kevin also reviews books for ARMY magazine.

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