SUBJECT: FM 1-0, The Army

1. PURPOSE. The purpose of this information paper is to provide seminar students an overview of Field
Manual 1-0, The Army and in particular, the Army forces in unified action.

2. MAIN POINTS. The below mentioned points highlight the major aspects of the manual.

• Defines the Army and the profession of Arms (1-1)

• Discusses the strategic environment and Army organization (2-1)
• Explains the Army forces in unified action (3-1)
• Highlights the way ahead for the Army (4-1)

3. BACKGROUND. FM 1-0 is one of the Army’s two capstone doctrinal manuals. The Army Chief of
Staff provides oversight and direction for its development. The manual covers what the Army is, what the
Army does, how the Army does it, and where the Army is going (iii). General Peter Schoomaker signed
the most recent version of FM 1-0, The Army in June 2005. The intended audience of FM 1-0 includes the
Executive branch, the Congress, Office of the Secretary of Defense; Joint Staff; combatant commanders;
other Services; officers, noncommissioned officers, and enlisted Soldiers of all Army components; and
Army civilians (iii). The US Training and Doctrine Command is the proponent for this manual.

4. DISCUSSION.

a. The focus of this paper is on the Army forces in unified action. Unified action is defined as “a
broad generic term that describes the wide scope of actions (including the synchronization of activities
with governmental and nongovernmental agencies) taking place within unified commands, subordinate
unified commands, or joint task forces under the overall direction of commanders of those commands”
(FM 1-02). The Army supports unified action in how it fights and the basis for this is the operational
concept.

b. The operational concept is constantly evolving and shaped by three elements: the nation’s
requirements, the operational environment, and emerging capabilities. As the nation’s main landpower
provider the Army must remain ready, relevant and capable regardless of the task or nature of the threat.
In remaining ready and capable, four fundamentals underlie the Army’s operational concept – combined
arms, joint interdependence, full spectrum operations, and mission command (3-3). These fundamentals
define the way the Army executes operations for the commander (3-4). The operational concept is
described as seizing, retaining, and exploiting the initiative with speed, shock, surprise, depth,
simultaneity, and endurance. Operational performance is dependent on the flexible combinations of the
Army (combined arms), integration of joint capabilities (joint interdependence) through mission
command across the spectrum of operations (3-4).

c. Understanding the operational construct is vital for planners to employ properly Army forces in
support of unified action. The operational construct, its characteristics and fundamentals serve as the
foundation for all Army doctrine.

5. RECOMMENDATION. None - Information only.

6. REFERENCES. Field Manual 1-0, The Army, Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, Department of the
Army, June 2005. FM 1-02, Operational Terms and Graphics, Washington, D.C.: Headquarters,
Department of the Army, September 2004.

Prepared by: MAJ John M. Bushman, USA

AMSP 10-01, Seminar VII