Role of the Department of Defense in the Research and Development of Alternative Fuels
Abstract
This paper examined the implications of the U.S. national energy strategies and policies that directly or indirectly require the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop initiatives to conduct costly research and development (R&D) of alternative fuels. The main research question is: What are the current policies that direct the military to conduct research and development of biofuels? The DOD lacks an efficient, effective program for development of alternative fuels due to: (1) the U.S. political process; (2) inter governmental bureaucracy; and (3) DOD budgeting process. This study highlights how the political process inhibits an effective DOD alternative energy program. It shows that the individual service s initiatives must be nested with the DOD s programs and U.S. national strategy. This thesis recommends that the nation s energy security strategy should provide clear guidance to the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF), and that the SECDEF should then provide specific guidance as to the role each service plays in alternative fuels R&D and provide allocated budget guidance to each of the services.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 12, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA624143
Entities
People
- Mitchell L. Hoines
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College