| Summary: | Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. === The U.S. military currently utilizes a unit-rotational model to provide forces to geographic combatant commanders waging ground wars. This model has its roots in policy and historical perception, not strategy and tactics. When applied to counterinsurgency, weaknesses that undermine long-term effectiveness become apparent. Through an examination of the basis of the current model, its performance in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and current and historical case studies, this thesis explores alternatives to the rotational model. This thesis finds that a hybrid model that combines the advantages of the current system with historical and current examples from other nations could increase the effectiveness of units in long-term counterinsurgency campaigns.
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