The Significance of Theory in Operational Art

Season 1 Episode 4 of the Operational Arch is the second in a limited series examining the pillars of operational art. In this episode, we dive into the role theory plays in conducting operational art and training operational artists. Our guest, Dr. Scott Gorman, provides insights on how planners can leverage theory to understand how the world works and frame options to achieve desired endstates. Dr. Gorman is the Director of the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program (ASLSP) at the School of Advanced Military Studies. He is a retired USAF Colonel, a career pilot, whose last assignment before retiring from active duty was Commandant and Dean, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He holds a B.S. in Engineering from the USAF Academy, an M.A. in Russian History from Indiana University, an M.M.A.S. from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

MAJs Josh Bedingfield, Dan Warner, and Kelsey Kurtz are the hosts for this episode. You can contact them at operationalarch@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

School of Advanced Military Studies: https://armyuniversity.edu/CGSC/SAMS/SAMS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/us_sams
Intro and Outro Music: "On and On" by Christian Bedingfield