Is it important for military professionals to take time out of their busy schedules to study military history? If so, why? If not, why not?

The Importance of Studying Military History

Military education and training has been greatly focused on the development of the physical , technical , and psychological capabilities of the sevicemembers . The ability of these individuals to physically and psychologically endure the tasks that may be assigned to them are mostly assessed through drills on the body , the mind and also on equipment that may be used for certain assignments . The emphasis has been , therefore on combat training and on service orientation

The study of military history has been , on the whole , downplayed in military

training . Military history comprises events in the history of humanity directly related to conflicts . These conflicts may be small in scale , such as melees between tribes or between militaries , or large in scope , such as in wars between entire nations . Military history may be kept via different means such as writing , video recordings , photographs and other such pertinent tools that aid in the perpetuation of the particular events of the military timeline

The present day Army , however , is undergoing changes to fit its current needs needs that are no longer met by past procedures and protocols These changes should be based on the history passed down from previous military experiences . The more information known about lessons learned from the past makes the military better equipped to assist in the transformation the Army is undergoing . As senior enlisted advisors and noncommissioned officers , there is a responsibility vested that practical and historical knowledge be utilized to advise and aid commissioned officers when encountering new and novel challenges . There is , therefore , a need for military history to be studied . However , this need is not only seen in the implementation of change but in other aspects as well . This aims to show potent reasons pointing to the importance of studying military history through a presentation of various events in military history from which important insights for present use have been derived

Reasons for Studying Military History

The Victorio Campaign

The Victorio Campaign refers to the United States Army 's efforts to track down the infamous Victorio , an Apache chief who indiscriminately raided large areas of New Mexico and Texas during 1879 . The violent and uncontrolled rampage of Victorio and his small irregular group of men terrorized the region and the US Army found themselves facing the challenge of solving the problem . They were tasked with tracking stopping , capturing or killing the small group that inhabited unfamiliar and unwelcoming terrain and surrounded by a culture that was alien to their own

The techniques and strategies used by the men of the 9th and 10th US Cavalry Regiments who were involved in the Victorio campaign remain highly relevant even to this day . They were faced with an antagonist that employed unconventional techniques and who made use of a region that was unknown to the regiments . Victorio and his men also often made use of international bs for sanctuary (Gott , 2004 ) The setting of the Victorio campaign may ring familiar with many of the commanders...