Lieutenant Colonel Clarence Bouchat conceived this paper while teaching
theater strategy on the Distance Education faculty at the U.S. Army War
College. As an adjunct member of the resident course teaching team, he
also observed resident students wrestle with the subject. While the
Strategic Studies Institute does not normally publish curricular
materials, this is the second time a subject has been deemed of
sufficient importance and utility that it is now offered to our wider
audience. Theater strategy and theater security cooperation (TSC) are
two of the most important tools available in attaining national
security. They offer an effective means for geographic Combatant
Commanders to engage other countries, deter aggression, or resolve
crises. Despite their importance, however, little current, concise, and
comprehensive guidance is available on how they are planned and
implemented.