The pentomic experience

The Pentomic experience is presented in outline form. The subject is discussed under the following topics: context, objectives, description, assessment, and lessons. The context included President Eisenhower's open-quotes new lookclose quotes strategy and service rivalry for nuclear share. The objectives for the Pentomic Division included dual capability with nuclear emphasis, strategic mobility, smaller, and major organizational changes. The Pentomic Division is described as a separate division in which the infantry battle group is a basic building block. The Pentomic Division was designed to be dual-capable in both conventional and nuclear warfare and was assessed or perceived to be neither. The possible reasons for the failure of the concept were: problem too hard, wrong solution, premature solution, weak implementation, and overambitious goals