How Critical Thinking Shapes the Military Decision Making Process

Abstract

Usry, Naval War College, 2004 A lack of Combatant Commander (COCOM) critical thinking in the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) is a causal factor in military failure at the operational level. However, critical thinking can improve the MDMP of the COCOM. This paper analyzes the effects of critical thinking on the combatant commander's decision making process by: defining critical thinking, illustrating its impact on intuitive and analytical decisions, demonstrating barriers to critical thinking and proposing practical ways to use critical thinking in the MDMP.