The purpose of this article is to discuss and make conclusions from more than 15 years research within the field of C 2 and what possible impact that has been accomplished. The point of departure is accordingly a paper presented just after the shift of the millennium where the possible impact of novel ideas and technologies for command and control (C2), such as the network centric approach and radical views on the design of command posts were in focus. Some of the fundamental ideas of what was in vogue at the time was questioned and the “old” was put in contrast with the “new.” Looking back, our thoughts as well as other contributors from that time, and the progression of theory within the field of C2, we suggest that we are at a status quo. What actually has been achieved, may be the worst of the two straw men worlds that where suggested at the time. We suggest that it is necessary to: 1) further develop adaptive approaches to the organization and conduct of military operations, 2) develop enabling instead of controlling technologies, 3) switch focus from structure to function, 4) develop tools for assessing adaptive capacity in sociotechnical systems.