A Single Unified U.S. Military - A Modest Proposal
Abstract
With changes in the world brought about by the fall of communism and the subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States has realized it no longer needs a large military force ready to fight a global war beginning in the European Theater. The Bush administration devised the base force, a force structure some 25 percent smaller than the military of the late 1980's. Implementation of this base force will cause dramatic changes in our warfighting capability. In addition, President Clinton and Defense Secretary Aspin have supported an alternate plan which will reduce forces beyond the base force level. The Military Services are in the midst of a roles and missions controversy, much of their new doctrine is blurred and areas of responsibility overlap. All of the Service recognize they will fight jointly in the future. The impact of the Goldwater-Nichols Act has been significant and successful. This law lays the ground work for a fully unified U.S. military similar to the Canadian model. The author makes such a proposal. The pros and cons of such unification are reviewed from a historical perspective. The author concludes unification is the only alternative to retain a viable warfighting capability in the scarce resource environment of the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA283231
Entities
People
- Leonard E. Kaplan
Organizations
- Air War College