Perry D Rearick

Relationship Between Force Protection and Mission Accomplishment in Bosnia and Herzegovina Perry D Rearick

Publisher Marketing: Currently, there is a perception among military leaders that Americans view casualties as an unacceptable aspect of military operations. This perception has influenced the way peace operations have been conducted and some have argued that avoiding casualties was more important than the mission for US forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the relationship between force protection and mission accomplishment for US forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Evidence shows that US force protection measures hindered certain aspects of the mission there. First, protecting the force was a stated mission for US forces in Task Force Eagle during the first rotation as part of the Implementation Force. Second, force protection measures hindered the American soldier's ability to foster a rapport with the local people, as the changing environment demanded more civil-military cooperation. Third, the disparity between the force protection measures of US and non-US forces eroded the mutual confidence necessary for the success of multinational operations. Finally, US forces developed force protection measures using an approach that strove to balance protection with the mission, rather than viewing protection as an element of combat power that enhances a unit's ability to accomplish the mission.