From Ineptitude to Expertise: General DePuy’s Reforms

In “Forging a New Army,” former General Robert Scales outlines how General William DePuy’s training experiences during World War II influenced the reforms he would enact during his time in command. DePuy instituted significant reforms during his time with the United States Army, many of which were a direct result of the poor training he received during World War II.

Dismay was an adjective DePuy when recalling his training, with soldiers focusing more on firing rounds of ammunition than learning to engage in ground combat against a skilled opponent. As a result, thousands of soldiers died on the battlefield due to what DePuy described as inept leaders who did not know how to penetrate soft spots in an enemy’s defense (Scales, 11). He also claimed it was hard for officers to learn how to perform on the battlefield when their training was conducted in a classroom.

Learning from the mistakes he witnessed his commanding officers make during his military tenure, General DePuy would enact many reforms after he gained more influence, with one of the first changes being the issuance of Field Manual 100-5. The manual was written in plain English for all to understand and was a definitive guide to counterintelligence and land warfare (Scales 13). FM 100-5 was updated throughout the years as new ground initiatives were developed.  

Noting the success of the Navy’s Top Gun program – which guaranteed the first three flights would be risk-free – DePuy hoped to enact a similar program for the Army. To do so, he worked to help establish the Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES), a program that would help train troops for ground combat by attaching lasers to guns to record hits (Scales 21). MILES pitted soldiers against one another to simulate combat and recorded data such as deaths.  

Ultimately, DePuy realized it was impossible to simulate a battlefield while sitting in a classroom. His innovations helped to better prepare soldiers for ground combat by instituting reforms such as FM 100-5 and MILES. Drawing from the mistakes his superiors made during World War II, DePuy made reforms that would help better prepare soldiers for combat and reduce battlefield casualties. 

Reference

Scales, Robert H. (1993). Certain victory: The US Army in the Gulf War. New York: Simon & Schuster.