Innere Fuehrung: A Superior Concept of Leadership?

This study describes the inner design of military forces in a German democracy¿Innere Fuehrung¿in the face of new challenges. ¿Transformation¿ and its various manifestations, including EBAO and NCW/NCO are contrasted with Innere Fuehrung. Differences of contemporary NATO, U.S., and German concepts are discussed and possible connection points for Innere Fuehrung are highlighted. Some of the approaches examined are dominated by the extensive use of technology. The analysis is focused on a possible contradiction between technology and Innere Fuehrung as an enabler of successful interagency cooperation. The study concludes that Innere Fuehrung is a guiding principle based on the application of the German constitution, the Basic Law, to the reality of soldierly service. In contrast to Transformation or RMA, Innere Fuehrung emphasizes the human being as a citizen rather than technology as tools of war. Innere Fuehrung constitutes the heart of the Bundeswehr¿s institutional culture and remains applicable in the present. Citizens in uniform at home in the pluralism of state and society are best able to adapt to the security and defense challenges of the present¿in contrast to an exclusive military caste or an outsourced mercenary horde.