The U.S. Army Research Institute (ARI) Research Unit at Fort Leavenworth and the School for Command Preparation (SCP) of the Command and General Staff College have a long history of mutual support which dates back to the inception of the Tactical Commanders Development Course (TCDC) in 1988. Since then, ARI has periodically conducted interviews and surveys of numerous SCP graduates in a continuing effort to maintain the high quality of TCDC and more recently to support the development of the Battle Commanders Development Course (BCDC). One finding that has consistently emerged from these studies is the unsolicited praise for the exchange of stories and personal maxims that occurs during TCDC and BCDC. As we have found in our studies of other aspects of tacit knowledge, the military tradition of instruction through experience and historical example has a sound foundation in psychological theory. SCP seminars and exercises regularly prompt battle commanders to relate personal accounts that illustrate battlefield concepts. These practical anecdotes have a clear motivational value and also provide a lasting source of easily recalled tactical knowledge. The current project was initiated to collect stories from experienced commanders. These stories will supplement the BCDC curriculum by providing a common pool of anecdotes to successive classes. They will also provide a basis for a broader discussion of requirements for future battle command. The candor and commitment of the experienced commanders who shared their stories is greatly appreciated; they have made a significant contribution to the next generation.

School for Command Preparation, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas presents 66 stories of battle command.

Introduction / Fred Franks, Jr. ; Company team knows its sector -- Misreading the effects of terrain -- Mentally preparing for the mission -- See yourself / William S. Wallace ; Orchestration and synchronization -- Clear objectives for clear intent -- Enriching experience / Russel L. Honore ; Carousel of deception / Huba Wass de Czege ; Follow your heart -- Picture of the obstacle -- Simultaneous attack / George Bowers ; Leave OPFOR tactics to the OPFOR -- Shaping the battlefield for a flexible defense / Joseph Fil ; See the terrain to assess the terrain -- Critical forward check / Benjamin Freakley ; Leadership in a composite BCT -- Pressure to decide -- Seize the initiative -- Conditions for attack dissolve in bad weather -- Huddle on the battlefield -- Two MICLICs delay breach / Tead Kostich ; Pick up the red pen first -- Everything takes longer than you think -- Tactical patience and managing battle tempo -- New news is bad news -- Survivability on the move / Rick Lynch ; Air-ground planning -- JSTARS missing link -- Aviation BCT challenges -- Safety and fratricide at live fire -- Apaches in every valley -- Rock drills for a common picture / Craig Madden ; Sensing the battle -- Stop and fuel or go without -- Too many changes of mission / Douglas Boone ; Engineers in the TOC - Unknown avenues of approach along the south wall -- Accelerated decision making process -- Engineers at the point of attack -- Integrated countermobility destroys enemy -- Hell bent on breaching -- Up the furlong / David Hansen ; Launch me early -- Aviation company lessons, developing engagement area -- Nothing in the north / Dyfierd A. Harris ; Quick correction in the bowl -- Washboard attack -- Moving cautiously to contact / Orley H. Johns ; FASCAM kills -- Trusting your "eyes" / Stephen Mitchell ; Fighting digital, fighting analog -- Hounds from hell racing across Germany -- Unknowns of digital doctrine / Joe Moore ; Seventy-two hour guard mission -- Too bold for day one -- From parts to a whole at NTC / Joe Moore ; Scatterable mines, force of the future -- In the dirt -- Beat the breach / John Peabody ; Remnants of the FSE -- Fighting dirty -- OPFOR deceived in the fog / Frederick Rudesheim ; Coalition forces / Thomas R. Ruh ; Brute force and ignorance -- S3 on the battlefield -- Battle command team / Christopher Tucker.