Profile of the 2014
Army Strategic Planning Guide
Quantified Perception
If you are
planning to sell new product and services to the U.S. Army in FY16, you should
begin with an overall understanding of what is important to the Army.
Time to do
your homework.
For an overall perspective, read the 2014
Army Strategic Planning Guidance. The Secretary and the Chief of Staff said
this document “… reminds us of the Army's purpose and details
our vision , direction, and strategic objectives.” The ASPG details the five strategic priorities for the Army and
is essential reading for an Army sales strategy.
Quantified Perception has done a textual profile and analysis of
the ASPG.
There are some vocabulary nuances in the ASPG. QPL suggests
that an Army strategy be cognizant and sensitive to the language of the Army,
to align your messaging to their psyche. One new word and uncommon word in the
ASPG vernacular is “compellence”, not seen any common usage (including the 2013
ASPG) but appearing in a half dozen places in the 2014 document. “Compellence”
is a seldom used noun form of “compel” and has its antecedents within nuclear
strategy analysis. Use it judiciously.
More conventional language from the ASPG is in the table
below, which shows the frequency of significant words and phrases in found in
the ASPG. QPL weights multi-word phrases to normalize for the carrying length
of the phrases and allow comparison to single words. Highlights indicate the
vocabulary of the ASPG, while the other phrases represent themes and concepts
that are emphasized by repetition in the ASPG. “Total Army,” for example, is an
inclusive global collective that markets the concept of a “big tent” for Army that
includes civilians and families. “Force(s)” more specifically refer to
operational (and reserve) military assets. “Mission tailored forces” appeared
in the 2013 ASPG four times, and has ten occurrences in the 2014 plan. This is
a trend in Army organization, structure, and philosophy to be attended to.
Similarly, “Force 2025 and beyond” signals upcoming changes in Army philosophy.
“Expeditionary strategically
adaptive and campaign-quality,” another new catchphrase, confirms the emergence
of a post-Iraq Army leadership determined to adapt to the lessons of a new
worldview.
The Budget Control Act, shorthand for sequestration of
funding, is cited seven times. While not an Army catchphrase, repeated
reference confirms that Army leadership has not missed the point that spending
cuts are mandated as far out as 2023 budgets.
Army Strategic
Planning Guide 2014
Phrase Frequency
Table
Phrase
|
Occurs
|
Weighted
Value
|
force(s)
|
226
|
226
|
range of military operations
|
16
|
160
|
countering weapons of mass destruction
|
6
|
90
|
force 2025 and beyond
|
8
|
80
|
weapons of mass destruction
|
8
|
80
|
total army
|
26
|
78
|
globally responsive and regionally engaged
|
5
|
75
|
joint force
|
21
|
63
|
under
the budget control act
|
4
|
60
|
expeditionary strategically adaptive and campaign-quality
|
4
|
60
|
readiness modernization and end strength
|
4
|
60
|
full range of military operations
|
4
|
60
|
mission tailored forces
|
10
|
60
|
with the capability and capacity
|
4
|
60
|
leaders for a complex world
|
4
|
60
|
joint
|
51
|
51
|
training and leader development
|
5
|
50
|
globally responsive and regionally
|
5
|
50
|
support
|
49
|
49
|
partners and allies
|
8
|
48
|
budget
control act
|
7
|
42
|
The ASPG has
a profile of ESFJ, which indicates more accommodating language than the typical
ESTJ. Words like “inform,” “contemporary,” “talent,” and “versatility,” and phrases
like “fighting spirit” suggest that the Army is searching for its feminine
side, at least in terms of the language in the ASPG. This is an additional
harbinger of change in senior level philosophy, if not psyche.
