Liaison Officer

This monograph asks the question, "How can the command and control system best support the AirLand Battle commander, i.e., what mix of technology and people is appropriate?" By tracing the historical evidence of liaison and liaison officers, and some of the current and proposed technological command and control aids, the study presents examples of how a commander has been successfully supported by his command and control system, and what some of the problems have been with both human and technological command and control aids. This monograph proposes a solution to the continuing problem facing commanders - how to have a clear picture of the battlefield and simultaneously transmit his intent to his subordinates. Liaison officers equipped with high technology equipment can serve the commander as a directed telescope system on the AirLand Battlefield. This monograph concludes that the best commanders have been the ones who made the command and control system work for them, and did not become slaves to the system. The study also concludes that its proposed solution - liaison officers equipped with high technology equipment - can improve the command and control system. By doing so, the commander can make his will and intent both informed and clearly transmitted.