HBR.ORG What Ever Happened To Accountability

The history of the Australian Army tends to neglect the development of ‘officership’, particularly during both world wars. The development of officers in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), for instance, presents an excellent opportunity to examine the evolution of the professional Australian combat officer, particularly in terms of battalion command, and to explore the role of structured training and education in the development of command. This progressed in three broad stages. The first generation comprised the older officers of the Australia militia who provided a firm foundation for AIF infantry battalions but lacked the physical and mental toughness to cope with the rigours of combat. The second generation consisted of those junior officers who assumed battalion commands once the first generation had moved on. Although there were many excellent officers in this generation, their rise to command owed much to their natural ability over professional development. The third generation of Australian commanding officers were those who had completed formal command training and demonstrated their competence while serving as battalion second-in-commands. These men were some of the most professionally capable officers Australia had produced to that