Defense Reform: Supporting the Whole-of-Government Approach in Tomorrow's Crisis
Abstract
Strategic integration in the face of tomorrows trans-regional, multi-domain, and multi-functional conflicts is paramount to meet the challenges of the future. For the past 30 years, the Goldwater-Nichols Act (GNA) has pushed transformation across the Department of Defense (DOD) and facilitated the development of a Joint force. However, the GNA no longer supports todays Warfighter in a trans-regional, multi-domain, and multi-functional global security environment. Adversaries of the U.S. and its allies intend to exploit gaps and seams in the current Combatant Command (CCMD) structure. Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other violent extremist organizations (VEO) are all aware of the U.S. competitive advantages in waging modern warfare. While there are multiple avenues of Defense Reform to address, this thesis will focus on reform of the GNA, including analysis in the following key areas: 1) traditional use of authorities under the current Goldwater-Nichols legislation; 2) potential reforms of the current CCMD structure; 3) implementation and effectiveness of past defensereform proposals in todays environment; 4) proposed new Joint Staff structure; and 5) implementation of the new structure within the future Joint Operating Environment (JOE). Empowering the Joint Staff, under law, to act in the capacity of a General Staff with all authorities and responsibilities under Title 10 U.S. code authorities will more effectively enable strategic integration and global synchronization in the Department of Defense (DOD) and foster a whole-of-government approach to combat global instability in todays and tomorrows global security environments.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 29, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1032543
Entities
People
- John B. Gallemore