The Prussian Baron von Steuben, being a newcomer to the Revolutionary cause in America, was in a position to see many of the deficiencies in military discipline and their causes. The reasons for his unique insight may have been due to the fact that he was distanced from the revolutionary ideals in America, and as a result, was able to better observe and understand them; and ultimately use them to shape his new and successful form of discipline in the Continental Army.
Most of the commanders of the Continental Army, from the commander in chief to the lower officers had subscribed to the traditional European method that relied on fear to achieve discipline. This method of fear was probably not essential, and had little if any effect in the early days of the war because the soldiers were mostly fighting for their own ideologies. To the soldiers, the commanders were of little importance. The soldiers were going to fight their own fight, and leave the battle when they felt it necessary. The soldier saw himself as a volunteer, a citizen fighting in a group of citizens, and as a result did not respond well to the traditional forms of discipline. The soldier knew it wasn't necessary for him to serve, and he knew that he would not be looked down upon for not serving or leaving the army by his fellow revolutionaries. He had the freedom to chose how he wished to serve the revolution, and military service was not an obligation.
One aspect of the traditional European system that Baron von Steuben felt needed change was the relationship between the officers and the soldiers. Officers in the Continental Army felt it was necessary to distance themselves from the common soldiers, as an officer had an obligation as a gentleman as well. This division was along social lines, and by separation, the officers felt the common soldiers would show even greater respect. Royster describes this accurately by saying that the officers tried "to make themselves haughty objects of the soldiers' awe."
Steuben did several things to put the officers and the soldiers on common ground. First, sergeants were no longer to do the training and drilling of soldiers. Officers were encouraged to train, drill, and march with their soldiers. They were also encouraged to eat with the common soldiers as well, whenever possible. The officers needed to show love of the soldiers to earn their respect, and in doing this the officers needed to set themselves as an example to the soldiers by overachieving, rather than distancing themselves and underachieving in the eyes of the soldier.
Before Steuben arrived, the forms of drills, training, and discipline in the Continental Army were mainly achieved at the discretion of each particular officer. There was no set standard for drills and training, and each battalion, company, and regiment had different methods. Baron von Steuben set a standard that became universal in the army and all soldiers and officers were to follow it. Through constant repetition of these rather simplified drills and training methods, coupled with the newly evident compassion and caring being shown by the officers, soldiers soon began to show a level of pride and professionalism in doing their duties in the Continental Army.
Steuben catered to the needs and ideologies of the men in the Continental Army. He knew that soldiers who felt that military service was not a necessity, would often question authority. When given an order many soldiers would ask 'Why?' This was what Steuben realized and built his form of discipline around. If a soldier asked why, and there was a good reason for it, then the soldier would ultimately obey the order. This is why the uniformity and simplicity of Steuben's system was so successful in the Continental Army.
Steuben's method of discipline and training was so successful for one main reason, it was catered to the soldier and not to the officer. It had the ultimate result of making the soldier feel like a soldier and not like a volunteer. It established a sense of pride in the soldiers and in the job they did. By the later years of the war, native courage, virtue, and liberty were not enough to encourage soldiers. Steuben method created a professionalism in the Continental Army which, along with the ideologies of the men, was enough to keep the moral of the soldier high despite the many hardships of winter camps like Valley Forge and Morristown.
Additional Sources: homepages.rootsweb.com/~george
deseretbook.com
www.cyberessays.com
www.cr.nps.gov
www.americanrevwar.homestead.com
philadelphia.about.com
www.postage.dk
www.sar.org
www.happyones.com
www.lombardmaps.com
www.fhsclassmates.com
www.mjdtools.com
www.jim-frizzell.com
www.pasocietyofthecincinnati.org
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Air Power
Lockheed S-3B Viking
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The S-3B Aircraft was originally developed with Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) as its primary mission. Now, the S-3B Aircraft’s role in Carrier Aviation is changing focus. The S-3B Aircraft’s ASW and Mining Warfare missions were deleted by Chief of Naval Operations Message in December 1999. Deconfiguration of aircraft, in compliance with removal of ASW specific equipment, was accomplished in accordance with AFC 284, this change was completed in FY00. The S-3B Aircraft continues to perform a myriad of functions which include, but are not limited to, Anti-Air Warfare, Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW), Amphibious Warfare, Counter-Targeting, Over-the-Horizon Targeting, Airborne Reconnaissance, and Command and Control. S-3B Aircraft are tasked by the Carrier Battle Group Commanders to provide surface surveillance and intelligence collection, electronic warfare, mine warfare, coordinated search and rescue, and fleet support missions, including air wing tanking.
The sound of its engines are often compared to that of a vacuum cleaner, hence its nickname, the "Hoover." The S-3B Viking is an extremely versatile aircraft, capable of carrying out several missions vital to the carrier battlegroup. The S-3 has a tremendous fuel capacity and efficient engines, which enable it to stay on station extremely long periods of time.
Its impressive surveillance capability consists of a sophisticated ESM (electronic surveillance measures) suite and an inverse-synthetic aperture radar (ISAR). Both of these tools allow the S-3 to collect electronic intelligence invaluable to the battle group. In addition, S-3B "War Hoovers" have also been cleared to carry the AGM-84D Harpoon and AGM-65F Maverick missiles, giving the Viking an anti-surface capability to match its sensors. Finally, because of their high endurance, S-3's are used as tankers, carrying "buddy stores" that enable them to transfer jet fuel in-flight to other aircraft.
The upgrades for the "S3-B Strike Viking"
AN/AGM-32(V2) Maverick Plus System [ECP - NADEP NORIS S3B/008-00] is a new system which will introduce loading, control, targeting and launching capabilities for Maverick Missile delivery to the S-3B aircraft. It will also provide the S-3B with full capability for in-flight control and targeting of the SLAM-ER Missile after it has been launched from another platform. Terminal phase control of the SLAM-ER Missile is through data link with the AN/AWW-13 Extended Range Data Link Pod carried by S-3B targeting and control aircraft. The MPS system will add a new offensive capability to the aircraft. The S-3B "Strike Viking" combines advanced sensors and proven weapon systems to provide a force multiplier to the battle group. With the addition of the Harpoon anti-ship missile, the Viking now has a long range strike capability in the anti surface role. The S-3B is projected to serve the carrier battle group into the year 2015.
Upgrades to the radar, mission computer, communications and navigation suite will support organic reconnaissance capabilities in the littoral regions. Added to the planned airframe structural enhancements, these upgrades will curb obsolescence and ensure an adequate inventory of this essential platform well into the 21st century.
Capabilities being tested provide real time tactical data to units on the ground or onboard ships. In the summer of 1999, Commander Sea Control Wing Atlantic (CSCWL) and Commander Sea Control Wing Pacific (CSCWP) embarked on a joint demonstration of the Viking Surveillance System Upgrade (SSU). The Pacific Wing aircraft was fitted with Ultra High Resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (UHR/SAR) imagery, Joint Tactical Information distribution System (JTIDS) Link-16, Real Time Sensor Data Link (RTSDL) and the AN/AYK-23 Digital Computer. A long range Electro Optical/Infra Red (EO/IR) sensor capable of real time data link to ground and airborne stations was placed in an Atlantic Wing aircraft. The modifications were done at Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), Patuxent River by Veridian contract personnel at Force Aircraft Test Squadron and Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida. This joint effort minimized installation time and cost and maximized visibility.
The prototype S-3B Surface Surveillance Upgrade (SSU) represents years of collaboration between the Sea Control community and the defense industry to provide carrier battle groups an organic, all weather, real-time targeting asset. To a casual observer, it appears identical to every other S-3B Viking in service, but a look inside reveals cutting edge technology at the heart of Time Critical Strike. The new SSU incorporates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), capable of producing detailed images of land objectives at great distances. Additionally, it has an information systems suite which enables instantaneous information access to warfare commanders, imagery analysts, and strike aircrew. Because the S-3B is carrier based, the SSU alleviates the complexity and time delay of a battle group having to task a national imagery asset to gain targeting information.
US Naval strike warfare relies heavily upon the effective use of precision guided, air-delivered munitions in all environmental conditions. The evolution of the Global Positioning System has yielded accurate and reliable weapons like the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW), which are unaffected by adverse weather conditions and allow aircrew to deliver their payloads at safer distances and altitudes. These weapons, however, are only as accurate as their assigned attack coordinates. The development of platforms that can precisely target enemies on land and pass these target coordinates to airborne strike aircraft in a timely manner is of great interest to the Navy.
During FY97 and FY98, four S-3B Aircraft were modified to employ the AGM-65F Infrared (IR) Maverick Missile. The Maverick modification kits were installed for fleet demonstration project purposes, and presently the IR Maverick Missile is in the Research and Development (R&D) process.
The SSU aircraft's first deployment was with the Abraham Lincoln Battle Group and the Blue Wolves of VS-35. It was flown from the deck of the Lincoln on a journey halfway around the world to NAS Jacksonville by members of VS-24 and VS-35. VS-24 aircrew participated in intense ground training in preparation for flying the SSU in combat operations and are anxious to employ its capabilities. After undergoing some refits and minor maintenance, the jet became an important asset during Carrier Air Wing Eight’s combined COMPTUEX and JTFEX aboard USS Enterprise. The SSU deployed with VS-24 to the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf in 2001.
In FY-00, a new program was begun to develop and integrate a system for the S-3B using information learned from the original proof of concept for aircraft equipment with Maverick Missile systems. This program, identified as the Maverick Plus System (MPS), began initial engineering efforts in the third quarter CY-00 with TECHEVAL conducted during the first quarter of CY01. OPEVAL began during the second quarter CY01 with integration into fleet aircraft begining in the late summer of CY01. Once installed the system is designated as AN/AGM-32B(V2).
Specifications:
Primary Function: Antisubmarine Warfare and Sea Surveillance
Contractor: Lockheed-California Company
Unit Cost: $27 million
Powerplants: Two General Electric TF-34-GE-400B turbofan engines (9,275 pounds of thrust each)
Crew: Four
Dimensions:
Length: 53 feet 4 inches (16 meters)
Wingspan: 68 feet 8 inches (20.6 meters)
Height: 22 feet 9 inches (6.9 meters)
Weight: Max design gross take-off: 52,539 pounds (23,643 kg)
Performance:
Speed: 450 knots (518 mph, 828.8 kph)
Ceiling: 40,000 feet
Range: 2,300+ nautical miles (2,645 statute miles, 4232 km)
Armaments:
Up to 3,958 pounds (1,781 kg) including
AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick missiles, torpedoes, mines, rockets and bombs.
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