ABSTRACT
A government’s overarching goals are contained in its grand strategy and, if a government’s efforts are properly marshalled, all sub-strategies should work toward those goals during peace and war. Here in the United States, national military strategy serves the national security strategy, which in turn serves the national grand strategy. For this reason, each of the armed services – along with other government agencies – should work toward achieving national goals at all times. During peacetime, the military trains, refines tactics, rewrites doctrine, and rethinks force structure requirements. During wartime, the military protects national interests and attempts to defeat the adversary in order to achieve political or diplomatic objectives. Each of the military services and subordinate commands supports the entire military strategy through its individual actions and contributions. In the end, however, all their efforts are ultimately subservient to the strategy and guidance as laid out by their national leaders.
