Strategic Planning & Principles of War in Business: June 11, 2021
Title: The Operational Art of War and its Application (as it may or may not) to the Business Community
Presented By: PJ Dermer, Colonel, US Army 
(Ret.); One of the Army’s Foremost Middle East Regional Experts; Former Senior Advisor, Office of the Vice President of the USA, 2002 – 2003; Advised, Mentored and Wrote Extensively for the Nation’s Senior Military and Civilian Leadership; Operationalized National Level Strategy in the Middle East.
Description: In traditional military education and study, the operational level (or art) of war is the level of military activity between Strategy and Tactics. Though simply placed in the doctrinal hierarchy, I will argue it is the least understood level in both study and application.
The term and doctrine published in support was developed under the rubric of conventional or large scale conflict, using primarily relevant influence from 19th century European campaigns and the European theater in WWII. It is also the "newest" concept in the contemporary hierarchy of study. It did not enter the Army's formal military doctrine and lexicon until publication in 1986.
While the terms strategy and tactics are well known to most, and are thrown about with relative ease of understanding (whether correct or not), the operational level is still a product of much debate. I will argue that little has been done to adjust or refer its relevance to wars not in the vein of WWII, i.e. Iraq or Afghanistan. But I will also argue that it is the most important level to understand and execute, through analysis, professional examples, and personal experience. Ultimately I define operational art as "the how to" between big ideas in a corporate level headquarters to actual realization on the ground.
The thesis I will present has been developed through years of studious study and personal participation from the cold war to the present, while serving and working forward on the ground in all levels of our nation's national security hierarchy.
Learning Outcomes:
- Participants will be able to examine an introduction to the operational level (or art) of war concept in addition to a short history and development of the military's modern use of the term
- Participants will be able to explore the relevance and application of the operational level of war in the political realm - Run-up to Iraq, Middle East Peace, Rebuilding conflict societies
- Participants will be able to examine its application in other than large scale conventional conflict - Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan etc.
- Participants will be able to identify how to define and apply the concept today in other than a military venue.
- Participants will be able to explore its application and relevance to the business community
Biography: Colonel (retired) P.J. Dermer is one of the Army’s foremost Middle East regional experts. His career spanned over 30 years of experience. It includes military and civilian arenas spread over a wealth and breadth of challenging spectrums including national levels of the U.S. government and vital international venues. He has extensive coalition-building experience working with international counterparts to foster the Middle East Peace Process as well as the rebuilding of Iraq’s critical national security institutions. He has advised, mentored and written extensively for the nation’s senior military and civilian leadership. In the conduct of his duties, Colonel Dermer had the unique opportunity to operationalize national level strategy on the ground in the Middle East’s extremely complicated social, cultural and religious environment. Countries of expertise include Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, North Africa and the Persian Gulf.
