Battlefield Contractors: Assessing the Benefits and weighing the Risks
Abstract
Since the earliest days of the U.S. Armed Forces, civilians in some form or fashion have assisted or facilitated our mission. A level of private sector involvement has varied based upon the tempo of operations, historical events and various reform initiatives. The 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and its spin off, the Department of Defense Revolution in Business Affairs (RBA) is a classic example of the door widening to further privatize military functions. This is all based upon the premise of fair, competitive outsourcing and finding private corporations that perform the same function but with more efficiency and less cost. The desired end state is an agile DoD infrastructure that has a reduced logistics foot print and a shared reliance with the commercial industry for innovation, technology insertion and systems support. One way of reducing the logistics footprint of the U.S. Army has been through the introduction of Theater Contractor Logistics Support (CLS). There is a growing reliance on CLS battlefield contractors, which accordingly can enhance or degrade military effectiveness. The underlying problems with this contractual arrangement are manifested within the details of the contracts and the laws that support them. The intent of this research will be to review this process over time and uncover the good and the bad of these business relationships. Furthermore, to examine the risks and benefits associated with them and prove that shedding some aspects of the logistics footprint to the private sector not only makes sense but also provides a gateway to transformation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA400765
Entities
People
- David J. Mailander
Organizations
- United States Army War College