Total Quality Management And Army Planning

4 Pages 1014 Words

Although their applications vary greatly, the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach to problem solving closely resembles the approach used by military personnel while planning rapid response missions. These missions entail service personnel conducting specialized military operations from US. Army units; a good example of one such mission was the rescue of pilot Mike Durant, whose Blackhawk was shot down over Mogadishu in 1997 (Bowden 108).
A great strength of TQM is its focus on a structured approach to problem solving and decision making. A disciplined approach is also employed by Army personnel as they plan rapid response rescue missions–missions that are inherently complicated and involve a great deal of coordination among many people. Although having a structured approach to problem solving or mission planning is not a novel concept, the power of both TQM and rapid response rescue planning is that by adhering to established procedure, each procedure minimizes the time spent in the process while, more importantly, maximizing the yield of the results (Army vol. 1).
Soldiers who plan and execute rapid response rescue missions are typically on board helicopters underway in a theater of operations–for example, Southwest Asia or the African nations. Primarily, these soldiers make up a forward-deployed conventional force that enhances regional stability. In addition, these personnel comprise a variety of rapid response forces that answer a need for immediate small-scale military and humanitarian operations. In this vein, they have the mandate of being able to commence the execution of a given mission within six hours from initial notification (Army vol.1). The type and scope of missions can vary considerably and, although the soldiers continually train, being able to plan and execute any mission successfully within only six hours is challenging.
To this end, the leaders have developed a set of standard planning procedures calle...