Outsourcing: Reforms Imperative to Restoring Military Capabilities
Abstract
Overreliance on outsourcing Department of Defense (DoD) functions to private contractors is undermining the organic strength and capabilities of the United States military. Since the end of the Cold War there has been a steady rise in the use of private business organizations to accomplish missions and duties typically assigned to the military. The tremendous expansion of contractors on the battlefield in highly critical operational areas is a trend that is escalating across the DoD. Contractors, in unprecedented numbers, have expanded their role from supporting CONUS missions to embarking on the battlefield in defense of our nation. As this trend continues to expand within the DoD, and as contractors' roles broaden in scope and become blurred with military missions, it is imperative that the DoD reevaluate those services that are suitable for outsourcing, and that critical improvements are made to the contracting process and oversight for such services. This study focuses primarily on identifying the mounting issues related to DoD outsourcing and addresses potential solutions to mitigate the negative effects. DoD outsourcing must become more transparent to the taxpayers. An assessment of all DoD contracts is necessary to determine which inherently governmental functions are being performed by contractors. Those critical functions must be retained by the government and made ineligible for future outsourcing. Contractor immunity abroad has had a devastating effect on coalition legitimacy. Legal accountability for contractors working abroad must be implemented and enforced. Purported savings from outsourcing must be validated. Lack of immediate and substantial reforms to the outsourcing process and a thorough review of what functions are available for outsourcing could result in irrevocable damages to military competency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA490573
Entities
People
- Michelle M. Williams
Organizations
- Marine Corps University