Analysis

Despite tremendous progress, difficult tasks confront the United States military as it prepares for the uncertain future. First, we must maintain a balance between the three major elements of our over-arching national security strategyshaping world events, responding to threats and crises, and preparing for the future. For instance, the Department of Defense must ensure that it does not invest in readiness at the expense of procurement while remaining capable of handling a spectrum of missions ranging from war to peacekeeping operations. Operation Allied Force is testimony to NATO's operational flexibility to engage in warfighting, humanitarian, and peacekeeping missions. Second, we must craft a realistic long-term strategy that ensures interoperability between our Services and our allies. Indeed, the Kosovo crisis highlighted the centrality of coalitions in future conflicts. Third, due to the rapidity of change in the evolving security environment, the most important hedge against uncertainty is to maintain a decisive edge for our military.

The Department of Defense must provide the Services with the necessary organizational tools to excel with innovation. In order to pursue the military's transformation strategy, the Services should reward creativity in the ranks. We must also devise flexible and creative procurement and investment strategies by leveraging private sector practices. For example, the production concept of "just in time" and logistics techniques of companies such as Federal Express are being incorporated into the military's conduct of business. Such progress would represent an important step forward in fostering creative tension within DoD itself and between DoD and the contractor community.

page created 31 October 2000

Return to Fletcher Conference Front Matter

Return to CMH Online