Book Review - The Army after Next

What will the Army look like in the future? How will technology be integrated with soldiers?

The Army after Next: The First Postindustrial Army
Thomas K. Adams
UA 25 .A67 2006

Adams lays out the agenda of his book in its introduction. He explains that the Department of Defense is attempting to move toward a smaller, but more deadly fighting force. In this process, they are reorganizing, integrating technological advances to improve information gathering and communication, and shifting toward air power-driven strategies and tactics to minimize their own loss of life. At the same time, the necessities of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated that the Army's traditionally large, heavily armed ground force has seen successes against the guerilla warfare of the insurgents where air-centric tactics would be inappropriate. Adams believes that it is this conflict that lies at the root of military "transformation." His detailed and heavily documented study examines the roots and visions behind military transformation, the integration of technology, the role that war in Iraq has played in altering both vision and reality of military activities, and possible outcomes for the future American fighting force.