Introduction
The main goal of military Human Resource Management is to support the military to reach its goals. According to Careers in the Military (2022, para.1), “HRM relates to all the personnel associated things. It involves a variety of activities, including preparing human resource forecasts, recruitment, screening of prospective employees, the study of training needs, the development of compensation systems, performance appraisal, and rewards and recognition.” HR support is essential for the military in the same way as it is for any other company. The key HR competencies are Man the Force, Providing HR Services, Coordinate Personnel Support, and Conducting HR Planning and Operations. It enables the military to successfully manage the personnel because the personnel is the most important position within the military forces. As the military organization looks more and more like a business organization, the application of the alternatives borrowed from the business world will lead to developments in terms of rewards, flexibility, and organizational culture. Thus, HR managers in the military will be responsible for policy implementations, training, determining performance requirements, keeping the morale levels, counseling, and establishing promotion systems.
Discussion
The key HR competencies in the army are aimed at personnel improvement. For example, one of the key competencies in conducting HR planning and operations involves planning activities and gathering information, and mission analysis. Consequently, the key HR activities to shaping operations will include home station training, concept plan refinement, RSOI coordination, transition planning, and replacement planning. According to FM 1-0 (2021, ch. 7), “shape operations consist of various long-term military engagements, security cooperation, and deterrence missions, tasks, and actions intended to assure friends, build partner capacity and capability, and promote regional stability.” Thus, the HR practices in this instance are based on the long-term perspective. The objective of HR support is to maximize operational effectiveness by forestalling, staffing, and sustaining military operations. Sustainment plays a key role in shaping operations and planning (FM 1-0, 2021). The main goal of the competency is to support the geographic combatant commander’s theater campaign plan.
Moreover, human resources planning requires an understanding of how to deliver HR support in the operational environment during Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO). According to FM 1-0 (2021, ch. 7), “During large-scale combat operations, the Army must anticipate peer threat capabilities extending across the battlefield throughout all domains (land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace), from the strategic support area to the deep area.” HR planning during the LSCO may include coordination of soldier readiness processing, training and planning of preparations for disconnected operations, development of casualty estimates, and determining personnel replacement flow (FM 1-0, 2021). Thus, the HR activities during the LSCO are focused on actions directly related to the combat operation. During LSCO, HR components focus on precise and timely personnel accounting, information, and readiness management to rapidly generate and sustain combat power. These activities have to be planned and estimated accurately to ensure the smooth completion of the operation.
Conclusion
Everyday HR practices in the military are considered basic day-to-day activities only aimed at long-term goals. Other opinions consider LSCO planning as a short-term-oriented approach. Although it might be true to some extent because LSCO HR operations are aimed at soldier readiness and training, as well as preparation for casualties and replacement numbers. Even though these opinions might be conflicting, they both reflect the general goal of HR military management.
References
Careers in the Military (2022). Human Resources Managers. Web.
United States Government US Army. Field Manual FM 1-0 Human Resources Support August 2021. Independently published.