Impact of the Expanding Role of Contractors: Vital in War

Abstract

It is undeniable that there is an alarming increase in the dependency of contractors and the impact of their expanding role within the Department of Defense. The Department of Defense, and specifically the US Army, currently relies on contractors for a greater range of services than ever before. Confronted with conflicts in multiple areas of operations (Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Bosnia, Kosovo) over prolonged periods of time, shortages of qualified military personnel, a depressed economy, and a need to trim defense spending, the increase and impact of contractors continue to emerge. Needless to say, contractors are a combat multiplier and their current role is an indispensible component of Department of Defense. This paper will briefly review the background of contractors in Department of Defense, current operations, some of the challenges faced and recommendations as what direction should be taken in respect to the impact of the expanding role of contractors. Lastly, the paper concludes with an assessment of the current and projected future impact of contractors.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 24, 2011
Accession Number
ADA552993

Entities

People

  • Theodore M. Lennon

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Contractors
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Logistics
  • Military Education
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • National Governments
  • Personnel Management
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Government Contracting/Procurement.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.