Preparing Military Officers for Effective Service in an Inter-Agency Environment

Abstract

This thesis evaluates, through the lens of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act, training and assignment policy alternatives for expediting the development and deployment of military officers to fill billets requiring interagency expertise. Using the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) as a case study, it examines these policy alternatives and proposes Joint Mission Essential Tasks (JMETs) that might form the basis for required training and education. It proposes the establishment of a Homeland Defense College and suggests that military officers be awarded credit for joint tours through service with non-Department of Defense (DoD) agencies. The thesis argues that uniformed service resistance to expanded DoD/interagency engagement should be anticipated. Mitigating measures are suggested based extensively upon a conceptual framework for successful military innovation developed by Terry C. Pierce. Emerging asymmetric threats constitute the core of the current strategic environment faced by the United States. Effectively countering these threats calls for unprecedented levels of DoD and interagency cooperation. This thesis will evaluate tasks that might comprise a draft JMETL for DoD/interagency billets through the use of a survey administered to USNORTHCOM personnel who have deployed to various National Special Security Events alongside interagency counterparts. The thesis also will briefly compare the historical context in which the Goldwater-Nichols Act was originally enacted with the current DoD/interagency transformational environment. Assessments of the Act's effectiveness will be examined and various service policies and directives implementing its provisions will be reviewed to determine if there is a suitable template that can be readily modified and adapted to the DoD/interagency situation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA439605

Entities

People

  • Clifford A. Nancarrow

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Employment
  • Homeland Defense
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • United States Northern Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.