--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have learned the need to be flexible…" description: "\"We have learned the need to be flexible or to have flexible forces, agile forces, who can move quickly, secure themselves when they arrive in a locatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg" --- # We have learned the need to be flexible or to have… ![“We have learned the need to be flexible or to have flexible forces, agile forces, who can move quickly, secure themselves when they arrive in a location, assess the needs of a given mission, and move to that mission.” quote by Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg) > “We have learned the need to be flexible or to have flexible forces, agile forces, who can move quickly, secure themselves when they arrive in a location, assess the needs of a given mission, and move to that mission.” [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective missions require adaptable, rapid‑response forces that can assess and act on evolving needs. **In simple terms:** Flexibility wins in conflict. Key Takeaway Build agile, responsive teams. Themes military flexibility agility operations strategy Mood pragmatic strategic Type tactical motivational When to use this quote - disaster relief - peacekeeping - special operations Key Concepts adaptive leadership rapid deployment mission planning Questions to Reflect On - What structures hinder rapid response? - How can training improve adaptability? A Different Perspective Flexibility may be limited by bureaucracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flexibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexibility/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission/) ## Related quotes > [Secretary Rumsfeld used to represent parts of our district in the 1960s. 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I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-always-assess-what-s-my-fault-but-i-don-t-dwell-on-mistakes-i-never/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [Augustine says that you don't understand a nation by the throw weight of its military or the strength of its research universities or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/augustine-says-that-you-don-t-understand-a-nation-by-the-throw-weight/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [School districts around the country, and the taxpayers that support them, have a moral right to the information the NFL might have concerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/school-districts-around-the-country-and-the-taxpayers-that-support/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [It's hard for me to assess what I brought because each time you pick up a camera and point it at a person, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/it-s-hard-for-me-to-assess-what-i-brought-because-each-time-you-pick/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Mortal experiences give us the opportunity to assess what we are doing with our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/mortal-experiences-give-us-the-opportunity-to-assess-what-we-are/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [At the end of every season, I try to assess what I did well and what I didn't do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-redick/at-the-end-of-every-season-i-try-to-assess-what-i-did-well-and-what-i/) [J. J. Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [Our championship committee pledged to review entry conditions and to assess how women golfers might compete on equal terms with men for a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dawson/our-championship-committee-pledged-to-review-entry-conditions-and-to/) Peter Dawson > [“An insipid voice message or an incongruent emergence from the “other” world may disrupt our whole thinking system. 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This budget adds a real estate manager position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lynch/did-you-know-that-the-state-is-the-proud-owner-of-a-condo-complex-in/) [John Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lynch/) > [My mum passing away wasn't funny, but that funeral and what I went through, the things that happened, looking back at it, there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/my-mum-passing-away-wasn-t-funny-but-that-funeral-and-what-i-went/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [If I'm preparing for something and I've got a huge day the next day, I have to get into character the night before to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/if-i-m-preparing-for-something-and-i-ve-got-a-huge-day-the-next-day-i/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [“To assess the quality of thoughts of people, don't listen to their words, but watch their actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-assess-the-quality-of-thoughts-of-people-don-t-listen-to-their/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Tommy Franks > [The military infrastructure grew me. My faith in God is important, my belief in my country is important, my relationship to my family is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/the-military-infrastructure-grew-me-my-faith-in-god-is-important-my/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [Probably we'll think of Bush in years to come as an American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/probably-we-ll-think-of-bush-in-years-to-come-as-an-american-hero/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [We have learned that precision munitions go precisely where they're targeted to go. We've learned that the introduction of human beings in the equation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-have-learned-that-precision-munitions-go-precisely-where-they-re/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [America decided we were going to stand by and let Americans die at the hands of terrorists a long time ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/america-decided-we-were-going-to-stand-by-and-let-americans-die-at/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I remember when I was a private soldier. I remember the days when I was taken care of and when I was not taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/i-remember-when-i-was-a-private-soldier-i-remember-the-days-when-i/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [The only time a dead certainty applies is in a dream world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/the-only-time-a-dead-certainty-applies-is-in-a-dream-world/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [We're interested in it because it would provide a land bridge up to Uzbekistan, which provides us, among other things, a humanitarian pathway for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-re-interested-in-it-because-it-would-provide-a-land-bridge-up-to/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I think any time we lose people, it's a hard moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/i-think-any-time-we-lose-people-it-s-a-hard-moment/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [Courage has to do with controlling fear and it seems to me that focus has a way of overcoming anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/courage-has-to-do-with-controlling-fear-and-it-seems-to-me-that-focus/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I have said a lot in the past and now I think it is best that I do not comment on what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/i-have-said-a-lot-in-the-past-and-now-i-think-it-is-best-that-i-do/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I, for one, begin with intent. There is no question that, Saddam Hussein had intent to do harm to the Western alliance and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/i-for-one-begin-with-intent-there-is-no-question-that-saddam-hussein/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [There is no doubt that the regime of Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. As this operation continues, those weapons will be identified,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/there-is-no-doubt-that-the-regime-of-saddam-hussein-possesses-weapons/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [Gen. Tommy Franks Says That If The United States Is Hit With A Weapon Of Mass Destruction That Inflicts Large Casualties, The Constitution Will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/gen-tommy-franks-says-that-if-the-united-states-is-hit-with-a-weapon/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [I'm a pretty serious Independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/i-m-a-pretty-serious-independent/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [No one hates war like a soldier hates war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/no-one-hates-war-like-a-soldier-hates-war/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) [Explore all 27 Tommy Franks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) ## More Agile quotes > [“Agile is a response to the need for more continuous software repair. Its central strategy is to reduce the size and increase the frequency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sussna/agile-is-a-response-to-the-need-for-more-continuous-software-repair/) Jeff Sussna > [There is no one-size-fits-all process. It differs from character to character and priority to priority. Every project has a different priority, and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-massey/there-is-no-one-size-fits-all-process-it-differs-from-character-to/) [Vikrant Massey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-massey/) > [“Half, Not Half-Assed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/37signals/half-not-half-assed/) 37signals > [“With agile retrospectives the team drives their own actions!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-linders/with-agile-retrospectives-the-team-drives-their-own-actions/) [Ben Linders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-linders/) > [The key idea of agile is that teams essentially manage themselves. ... It works in software, and it turns out that it works with kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/the-key-idea-of-agile-is-that-teams-essentially-manage-themselves-it/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) > [This is all about having great leaders who can drive agile innovation and agile decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/this-is-all-about-having-great-leaders-who-can-drive-agile-innovation/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [There's a historical view that adding process into a scrappy start-up kills innovation, but I'm a firm believer that you need process at some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-johnson/there-s-a-historical-view-that-adding-process-into-a-scrappy-start-up/) [Belinda Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-johnson/) > [“Celebrate Successes, but Don't Declare Victory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-guckenheimer/celebrate-successes-but-don-t-declare-victory/) Sam Guckenheimer > [“agility is relative and time-based. If your software team can’t deliver software and keep pace with changes in the environment, your team is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/agility-is-relative-and-time-based-if-your-software-team-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It appears evident that, for the average team, insisting on writing tests first, before functional coding, improves quality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-anderson/it-appears-evident-that-for-the-average-team-insisting-on-writing/) [David J. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-anderson/) > [“The increasing complexity and pace of change demand more agile and collaborative organizational structures.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/the-increasing-complexity-and-pace-of-change-demand-more-agile-and/) [Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hendrith-vanlon-smith-jr/) > [“I noticed a bumper sticker that said, simply, "gravity works." yes it does. Rock climbers know this and plan for it. So do agile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyssa-adkins/i-noticed-a-bumper-sticker-that-said-simply-gravity-works-yes-it-does/) [Lyssa Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyssa-adkins/) > [I never allow my mind to run dry of ideas like the ocean which never runs dry of water. An idle mind leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/i-never-allow-my-mind-to-run-dry-of-ideas-like-the-ocean-which-never/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [So I hope I’ve made clear that imposing agile methods is a very red flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-fowler/so-i-hope-i-ve-made-clear-that-imposing-agile-methods-is-a-very-red/) [Martin Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-fowler/) > [Agile leaders encourage their teams to adjust and experiment constantly. In today's age of oversharing, the best leaders also have to be more open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/agile-leaders-encourage-their-teams-to-adjust-and-experiment/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) Browse all 69 Agile quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have learned the need to be flexible or to have flexible forces, agile forces, who can move quickly, secure themselves when they arrive in a location, assess the needs of a given mission, and move to that mission.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tommy Franks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible-or-to-have-flexible-forces/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agile" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible-or-to-have-flexible-forces/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da6/tommy-franks-22346_agile_we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible_2969448.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have learned the need to be flexible or to have flexible forces, agile forces, who can move quickly…” — Tommy Franks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tommy Franks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have learned the need to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible-or-to-have-flexible-forces/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/we-have-learned-the-need-to-be-flexible-or-to-have-flexible-forces/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```