Warfare under scrutiny: British public perspectives of soldiers, and tactical behaviours in operation HERRICK

The importance of civil society to the military is well documented in UK Defence and Army policy, doctrine, and concepts. Civilian and military analyses commonly focus on the policy dimensions of the relationship whereby British civil society is deemed important for the legitimacy of campaigns. This research paper draws together less-common references from across the literature about a more direct impact that societal perspectives can have on deployed land operations and extends them through new archival research. It uses the military’s experience in Helmand to propose a model of “societal operational influence.” In this model tactical behaviours across the conceptual, physical, and moral components of Task Force Helmand’s fighting power altered in response to the military’s interpretation of public opinion about soldiers, which arguably resulted in changes to its culture.