The evolution of the Armor and Infantry branches into a single functional branch is occurring due to several factors - business efficiencies, tactical integration of movement, maneuver, fires and engagement on the GWOT battlefields, formalization of the Army warfighting functions into the operations process, concept development and the need for Army integration with the Joint Force Application function, and the need for adaptive and tailorable formations in the present and future security environment. The 2005 BRAC legislation mandated the creation of an Army Maneuver Center at Fort Benning, Georgia, bringing together the Armor and Infantry into a common institutional center. Two interdependent schools will continue to develop and evolve within this center of excellence, so that the requirements for Army maneuver capabilities, balancing maneuver and engagement, can be satisfied to form the nucleus of land domain Force Application formations. This branch will be responsive to the needs of the joint force in Unified Action by adjusting the institutional inputs to force development of Army Maneuver Forces (within strategic guidance for the right mix of maneuver and direct engagement BCTs dependent upon the needs of the national security environment). Centralized control of the DOTMLPF domains using the ARFORGEN model of unit life cycle management and mission orientation, as well as applying TRADOC Capabilities Managers' Unit of Action Integrated Concept Teams for mission preparation will allow the Army Maneuver Branch to anticipate and meet these requirements and develop a more agile and tactically dominant force. A greater understanding of the maneuver system (task organized for mission orientation), as well as systems of maneuver (forms of maneuver warfare through force tailoring to achieve specific operational defeat effects) will be achieved within the Army and the joint force. Ultimately this will allow for maximum effectiveness within higher degrees of efficiency - a goal for the BRAC legislation as well as a necessity for the mounted and dismounted warriors fighting on the near future battlefields in adaptive systemic warfare. This is the future of a common Army Maneuver Branch fielding adaptive and mission-oriented Maneuver Forces.

ADA450728 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)