Joint Program Objective Memorandum Versus Individual Service
Abstract
The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 had a more profound impact on the services than any other congressional action in recent history. However, the Act did not change any responsibility for resourcing the Armed Forces. This was left up to the various services (Army, Navy Air Force, and Marine Corps) in the development of their Program Objective Memoranda (POMs) and budgets. Some argued during the development of the Goldwater-Nichols Act that the current Department of Defense (DOD) process of reviewing individual service POMs did not produce a truly joint product that funded programs to support national strategy. Instead individual line items of the service POMs or budgets were reviewed without consideration for the impacts decisions on one line item might have on another line item, perhaps from another service. This paper explores the changes that the Goldwater-Nichols Act and other administrative decisions by the President and Secretary of Defense had on the DOD Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System (PPBS). It then pursues whether or not A joint POM produced by The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is needed to meet national strategy requirements or other conclusions drawn for improving the DOD PPB system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA209463
Entities
People
- James E. Record
Organizations
- United States Army War College