The Mattis Way of War: an Examination of Operational Art ...

Art of War Papers

The Mattis Way of War: an Examination of Operational Art in Task Force 58 and 1st Marine Division

Michael L. Valenti Major, USMC

US Army Command and General Staff College Press US Army Combined Arms Center Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Cover image: A Marine from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit moves to a security position at Forward Operating Base Rhino, Afghanistan, 25 November 2001. Photo by Sgt. Joseph R. Chenelly. (DVIC DMSD-06-03033).

The Mattis Way of War: an Examination of Operational Art in Task Force 58 and 1st Marine Division

Michael L. Valenti, Major, USMC M.M.A.S., Command and General Staff College,

Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 2014

US Army Command and General Staff College Press US Army Combined Arms Center Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Valenti, Michael L., author. Title: The Mattis way of war : an examination of operational art in Task

Force 58 and 1st Marine Division / Michael L. Valenti, Major, USMC. Other titles: Examination of operational art in Task Force 58 and 1st Marine

Division Description: Fort Leavenworth, Kansas : US Army Command and General Staff

College Press, an imprint of the Combat Studies Institute Press, [2014] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2015034147 | ISBN 9781940804057 (alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Mattis, James N., 1950---Military leadership. | Operational art (Military science)--Case studies. | Command of troops--Case studies. | United States. Navy. Task Force 58--History--21st century. | United States. Marine Corps. Marine Division, 1st--History--21st century. | Iraq War, 2003-2011--Campaigns--Case studies. | Afghan War, 2001---Campaigns--Case studies. Classification: LCC U162 .V28 2015 | DDC 956.7044/345--dc23 LC record available at Caution-

First Printing September 2016 Layout and Design by Elizabeth J. Brown Combat Studies Institute Press

US Army Command and General Staff College Press publications cover a wide variety of military topics. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.

The seal of the US Army Command and General Staff College authenticates this document as an official publication of the US Army Command and General Staff College Press. It is prohibited to use this official seal on any republication without the express written permission of the US Army Command and General Staff College Press.

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Abstract The generalship, leadership, and operational art of General James N. Mattis, US Marine Corps is examined by using Task Force 58 in Afghanistan as a formative base and then comparing elements of operational art to the conduct of the 1st Marine Division in Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003. Mattis draws upon many historical influences that shape his operational design in both campaigns. He puts great effort and focus on ensuring that his commander's intent is understood by all his subordinates and uses a preference for a small staff in the planning and execution of his intent. He makes heavy use of personally selected liaison officers to form and sustain habitual relationships with higher and adjacent units. Through the use of historical examples and a refusal to be constrained by doctrine and popular thought he uses innovative approaches in his design. These innovative approaches often constitute paradigm shifts with contemporary thought and doctrine. A "Mattis Way of War" is postulated in the conclusion which draws from his use of history, commander's intent, and leadership to build up a capacity, or potential energy, for action in his unit. Once built up, he unleashes this energy utilizing explicit trust in his staff and subordinates.

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