In this Land Warfare Paper, Donald Vandergriff elucidates that when Mission Command functions ideally, once subordinates understand the intentions of their commanders, they are responsible for using their creativity and initiative to adapt to changing circumstances and accomplish their missions within the guidelines of those initial intentions. He questions the degree to which modern technology allows for too much oversight in mission execution and argues that unless the Army seriously examines its personnel system and the current force structure and implements necessary improvements, the vital principal of Mission Command will continue to be lost. With this necessity in mind, Vandergriff suggests the widespread use of Outcomes-Based Training and Education, as it provides a solution for how best to teach Mission Command in our 21st century world.

"February 2013"--T.p.

Introduction -- What are Auftragstaktik and mission command? -- How the United States interprets Auftragstaktik into mission command -- Rhetoric does not match reality -- German integration of the telegraph and railroad within mission command -- Practicing mission command in the institutional setting -- The future is now -- Not invented here: the challenges -- Difficult, but not insuperable.