In the following film, we will meet Swedish officers who face complex situations in their profession. This means, among other things, that they operate in environments where their actions are met by another’s independent actions. Hence, in a complex situation, there is rarely a self-evident answer to how to act but rather a number of alternatives to consider. There is an indeterminacy, and solutions to a problem are often a product of the circumstances rather than of a set of rules or principles. The information available is often insufficient, and the people on whom the soldier is dependent do not necessarily share the latter’s perception of reality. Planning has to be gradual and decisions and actions re-evaluated constantly. An important conclusion is that the military profession needs a deeper understanding of how complex situations differ from complicated, simple, or chaotic ones.
It´s all about learning to live with your decisions. Now and in the future. It´s also most likely about breaking a number of rules. What will my relatives think about me? What will my colleagues think about me? Why do I take the risks I sometimes take? And what do I want to achive?
Mj Bo Rahmström SAF
Peter Tillberg
Director at The Swedish Centre for Studies of Armed Forces and Society, SE
