The survival of the company man in Iraq

Abstract

This thesis describes the decision-making processes for company grade officers operating in combat roles in Iraq and seeks to determine if innovation largely originates among lower ranking officers. It analyzes the incentives structure and the command climate of the U.S. Army in Iraq and how officers operate within this environment. Interviews with officers who served in Iraq illuminate motivations for innovation. The thesis identifies the many obstacles that officers encounter in attempting to 'innovate from below."