Introduction

Why should the professional soldier invest in the study of the past? This question is often asked, especially considering that history does not repeat itself nor does it necessarily teach any infallible lessons. In answering the question, therefore, it is important to note the true aim of the staff ride. Leaving aside for a moment the value of the subject for its own sake, the study of war, campaigns, operations and even operations and activities other than war offers a familiar topic that can be used to help soldiers improve their critical thinking through discovery, research, analysis, participation, evaluation and interpretation. As well, staff rides can improve a soldier’s ability to communicate ideas concisely, logically and coherently and effectively. This is relevant because the ability to express oneself with purpose through speaking or through operational writing is paramount to becoming a successful leader at all levels. This activity must therefore receive the same disciplined attention in a soldier’s life as other essential activities.

As a valuable pedagogical tool for promoting the skills mentioned above, this guide offers ideas for engaging with the past to foster an understanding of the present and the near future. By focusing the mind on military matters that need thinking about, historical examples often reveal trends, signals and signposts that offer warnings about what constitutes poorly conceived plans, actions or solutions. By the same token, those examples may also offer examples of what works well when certain conditions exist or are met. And while the study of those subjects may not necessarily provide perfect solutions to future problems, they will help the soldier understand the origins and evolution of the army’s identified best practices and assist them in knowing what questions need to be asked or what problems may need to be addressed in any given situation. In essence, staff riding provides a never-ending resource in the soldier’s mind which they may find themselves needing to quickly draw upon to make the difference between mission success and failure.

Developing historical mindedness is important to the professional soldier, as military history is quite literally the sole source of evidence for considering current strategic, operational and tactical art. Since we are unable to accurately predict the future, what often separates good military decision making from baseless opinion and conjecture is the soldier’s mature understanding of how they arrived at the present situation. Those who do not know their history are more likely to promote panacea solutions that brief well but result in little meaningful contribution to overall mission success. Soldiers need to know better so that they can do better. This guide offers ideas to help them get there.

Thus, the purpose of this guide is to provide a solid reference tool designed to assist commanders and their staffs in the planning and execution of their own Professional Military Education (PME) programs. Specifically, it describes how to employ the physical and virtual staff ride as a means to encourage critical thought through the integration of historical awareness and to foster critical analysis through the study of cause and effect. In-depth study of past events enables leaders and their subordinates to rise above the problems of the day, and the study of events in context enables them to avoid generalizations that might otherwise lead them to failure. That said, one must keep in mind that studying military history typically does not offer definitive proof, but it does offer insight into and understanding of the lasting challenges every generation of the profession of arms faces. The staff ride, therefore, offers a readily available means to bridge the gap between the unknown and understanding.