Every military commander, from Caesar to Westmoreland, Shinga to Ridgeway, and Alexander to Rommel, has depended upon a small, ill-treated group of men to act as his eyes, ears, and hands in the fury of battle and the deceptive calm of peace. This group of men is called the "Staff" and this article is a tribute to the staffs of the great and near-great generals who have marched their troops through, around, and under history.

A staff is defined by the Manual of War as "the group of men assisting a commander in gathering information needed to give a complete, over-all picture of the situation and a total view of command."

The staff is divided into 4 parts:

1. Personnel
2. Intelligence
3. Operations
4. Supply

Each part of the staff is a separate unit, yet they are entwined and interrelated so that they form a smooth system of advisory command, each part cooperating with another, and providing the commander with a complete view of the situation at any given moment. However, this is not to be confused with the fact that each of the four units composing the staff are separate and have a basic task to fulfill. Personnel advises the commander on administrative problems and other real and potential trouble spots. Intelligence informs him about the enemy - his strength, his weaknesses, and his capabilities. Operations plans and organizes the attack itself, down to the last minute detail, and presents the final plan to the commander for his final approval. Last, but not least, we have Supply which informs the commander about the quality and effect of supply upon the battle.

The staff is a somewhat unique military decision-making unit. For, while many of the normal facets of military decision-making have been equipped with the electronic wonders of our age, replacing man, the staff still stands as the longest surviving humanized combat decision-making aid. Which goes to show that you can't computerize everything!