13.2 Resources and Organizational Structure (AFH-1 Section 13B)
Key Takeaways
- Section 13B is ADTC B for TSgt and, like the rest of Chapter 13, is E6/TSgt PFE only on the 2026 catalogs.
- Effective organizational change requires redesign or coordination on five interrelated fronts: organization and people, technology, policies/legislation/regulations, physical infrastructure, and process.
- DOTMLPF is Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities — a DoD thought process and mnemonic for staff planners; M is Materiel, not manpower.
- Organizational design balances precision (order, less ambiguity, direction followed) against flexibility (adapt quickly and encourage innovation), considering mission, strategy, environment, size, and pace of technology.
- In a matrix design, the functional boss writes the performance report and schedules duty hours, and the project boss ensures the task is accomplished; the weakness is confusion over who is in charge.
13.2 Resources and Organizational Structure (AFH-1 Section 13B)
E6/TSgt PFE only — ADTC B. Still Chapter 13: 2026 TSgt catalog (chapters 11–20), not the 2026 SSgt PFE list.
Quick Answer: Improving performance takes planning and execution across five interrelated fronts. DOTMLPF is the DoD mnemonic for considering Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leadership and Education, Personnel, and Facilities together. Structure then balances precision against flexibility: mechanistic, organic, diverse, or a short-lived matrix team with two bosses.
Five Interrelated Fronts (Paragraph 13.6)
Improving performance requires both planning and execution. For organizational change to be effective, planning and execution generally must include redesign or coordination on five interrelated fronts. You cannot redesign a process without also considering the people, technology, rules, and facilities that carry it.
| Front | What AFH 1 says |
|---|---|
| Organization and People | Human resources are the key to future viability and organizational growth in a continuous learning environment. Even when other fronts change, provide workers appropriate knowledge, skills, experiences, and tools |
| Technology | A crucial enabling factor that compresses cycles, lead time, and distance, widens access to information and knowledge assets, and eliminates barriers between customers and suppliers |
| Policies, Legislation, and Regulations | Changing existing policies, regulations, and legislation may be required for new processes |
| Physical Infrastructure | Facilities, equipment, and tools should support and maximize changes in workflow, information technology, and human resources |
| Process | The flow of work and information into and throughout the organization must be redesigned using standard continuous process improvement methodologies |
On Process, AFH 1 points to DoDD 5010.42 and DoDI 5010.43 (DoD-wide CPI / Lean Six Sigma). The four named CI methodologies are taught in Section 13C.
DOTMLPF (Paragraph 13.7)
DOTMLPF is a DoD thought process that considers a broad spectrum of elements to generate informed solutions to problems, future requirements, strategic direction, and performance improvement. Solutions may involve any combination of the elements. It is a valuable mnemonic for staff planners before new efforts.
Because combatant commanders define requirements in consultation with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, they can consider gaps in the context of strategic direction and influence requirements earlier in the acquisition process.
| Letter | Element | AFH 1's military interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| D | Doctrine | The way we fight (maneuver warfare, combined air-ground campaigns) |
| O | Organization | How we organize the fight (divisions, air wings, task forces) |
| T | Training | How we prepare to fight tactically (BMT, advanced individual training, unit training, joint exercises) |
| M | Materiel | All the "stuff" necessary to equip the forces (weapons, spares) |
| L | Leadership and Education | How we prepare leaders to lead the fight, from squad leaders to four stars |
| P | Personnel | Availability of qualified people for peacetime, wartime, and contingencies |
| F | Facilities | Real property, installations, and industrial facilities (example: government-owned ammunition production) |
M is Materiel, not manpower (people belong under Personnel). L is Leadership and Education, not leadership alone. The 13.7 heading prints "Material" in the title and Materiel in the expansion — test items follow the expansion.
Balancing Precision with Flexibility (Paragraph 13.8)
Organizational design should follow mission and strategy, considering environment, size, and pace of technology. Balance precision (maintain order, decrease ambiguity, ensure direction is followed) with flexibility (adapt quickly and encourage innovation).
Mechanistic (bureaucratic). Vertically arranged; communication and decision-making begin at the top and filter downward. Little low-level involvement in decisions; teams by task specialty; heavy reliance on rules. Fits efficiency, tasks that must be done quickly and accurately, a stable environment, and intermediate-to-large size. Cost: job satisfaction suffers because subordinates do as they are told with little contribution to how things are done.
Organic. Horizontal and vertical communication — up, down, and across without bureaucratic lines. Cross-talk and opinions are encouraged. Flexibility facilitates technological advancements. Strategy is often innovativeness and creativity; AFH 1's example is the computer software industry. Environment is unstable, with change the norm. Usually small to moderate; technology through adaptation rather than compliance; R&D that is creative rather than restrictive. Increases worker satisfaction and well-rounded decisions. Cost: may slow implementation, lead to low efficiency, and reduce standards.
Diverse. Incorporates both mechanistic and organic structures when some areas need rigidity and others need flexibility. Example: administrative sections processing performance reports, decorations, and orders fit a mechanistic system; a training section in the same unit would be hindered by a rigid mechanistic system, so organic delivery allows more frequent innovation.
Matrix. A team within a mechanistic, organic, or diverse organization. Usually best for a temporary need; short-lived; the overall structure remains intact. It brings workers from different sections together for a particular function.
| Boss | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Functional boss | Writes the performance report and schedules normal duty hours |
| Project boss / team leader | Ensures the task at hand is accomplished appropriately |
Strength: pooling of expertise and resources. Weakness: confusion of who is in charge.
| Structure | Communication | Fits | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanistic | Top-down | Stable, efficiency, larger | Low job satisfaction |
| Organic | Horizontal and vertical | Unstable, innovation, smaller | Slow implementation, low efficiency, reduced standards |
| Diverse | Both, by area | Mixed needs in one organization | Judgment about which area gets which model |
| Matrix | Cross-cutting team | Temporary need | Confusion over who is in charge |
Official source: AFH 1, 15 February 2025, Section 13B.
For organizational change to be effective, AFH 1 says planning and execution generally must include redesign or coordination on which five interrelated fronts?
Which organizational structure does AFH 1 associate with an unstable environment where change is the norm, and what is its main weakness?
In the DOTMLPF construct, what does the M stand for and what does it cover?
In a matrix organizational design, how does AFH 1 divide supervisory duties between the two bosses?