"To hell with the paperwork:" deciphering the culture of the Air Commandos
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Authors
Hoffman, Justin
Subjects
Advisors
Tucker, David
Date of Issue
2008-12
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The title of this thesis refers to a quote attributed to General "Hap" Arnold as he parted ways with the two commanders of a newly created unit that would soon become designated the 1st Air Commando Group. Having already coined the force as his "air commandos," General Arnold's parting words to John Alison and Phil Cochran were, "To hell with the paperwork; go out and fight" (in Kelly, 1996, p. 15). Perhaps no statement better captures the essence of what it meant to be an Air Commando. This thesis adopts an organizational design framework proposed by Vijay Sathe in order to explore the culture of the historic Air Commandos. The organizational culture of the Air Commandos is important because it nurtures the attributes that help define today's Air Force special operations forces. Throughout this thesis, three overwhelming themes emerge regarding the basic assumptions and beliefs (the organizational culture) of the Air Commandos. Each of the themes provides insight into the internal integration of the Air Commandos and suggests how they negotiated their external environment. The shared beliefs and basic assumptions of the Air Commandos include: Humans are the most critical resources in an organization; innovation, improvisation, and adaptation are more important than advanced technology; successful mission accomplishment is more important than adherence to standard military conventions.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
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NPS Report Number
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Format
xii, 81 p. ill. ;
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.