Professional publication of the RD & A community.

The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) is proud to present the 28th Edition of How the Army Runs: A Senior Leader Reference Handbook, 2011-2012. Publication of this text at this time, when the Army has been at war for almost a decade, has almost completed restructuring of its operating force, and is addressing the structure of the generating force, as well as completing formidable base closure and restationing actions, gives credence to the enduring truth that in order to be successful the Army must sustain and improve itself while it is fully committed to the Nation's bidding. The systems and processes documented and explained in this work are designed to do just that. This text was prepared under the direction of the faculty of the Department of Command, Leadership, and Management. It is intended to be used in an academic environment during the study of the systems and processes used to develop and sustain trained and ready combat forces to be used by the Combatant Commanders.

This text explains and synthesizes the functioning and relationships of numerous Defense, Joint, and Army organizations, systems, and processes involved in the development and sustainment of trained and ready forces for the Combatant Commanders. It is designed to be used by the faculty and students at the U.S. Army War College (as well as other training and educational institutions) as they improve their knowledge and understanding of "How the Army Runs." We are proud of the value that senior commanders and staffs place in this text and are pleased to continue to provide this reference.