Road Map For National Security

"After our examination of the new strategic environment of the next quarter century (Phase I) and of a strategy to address it (Phase II), this Commission concludes that significant changes must be made in the structures and processes of the U.S. national security apparatus. Our institutional base is in decline and must be rebuilt. Otherwise, the United States risks losing its global influence and critical leadership role. We offer recommendations for organizational change in five key areas: ensuring the security of the American homeland; recapitalizing America's strengths in science and education; redesigning key institutions of the Executive Branch; overhauling the U.S. government's military and civilian personnel systems; and reorganizing Congress's role in national security affairs"--P. xiii.

"After our examination of the new strategic environment of the next quarter century (Phase I) and of a strategy to address it (Phase II), this Commission concludes that significant changes must be made in the structures and processes of the U.S. national security apparatus. Our institutional base is in decline and must be rebuilt. Otherwise, the United States risks losing its global influence and critical leadership role. We offer recommendations for organizational change in five key areas: ensuring the security of the American homeland; recapitalizing America's strengths in science and education; redesigning key institutions of the Executive Branch; overhauling the U.S. government's military and civilian personnel systems; and reorganizing Congress's role in national security affairs"--P. xiii.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has gone through some monumental changes in the last two decades, and it faces some enormous future challenges. The changes include the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reform Act of 1986, which realigned authorities and responsibilities in the defense establishment, and the end of the Cold War, which brought about significant reductions in force structure. The challenges encompass the rise of new commitments and missions, the problem of adapting revolutionary information technology, and the evident need to reshape DoD's support systems, processes, and infrastructure. Both the changes and the challenges have made the need for defense reform evident. Numerous studies, commissions, panels, and Congressional reports have revolved around the single issue of transforming the Department to cope with the security needs of the 21st century. This Addendum offers recommendations that focus on structure and process, but here the NSSG also clearly states a vision--a set of desired outcomes--if the Department is to implement these recommendations. Thus, this summary aims to avoid a stovepiped examination of individual recommendations. Rather it offers an overview of the major recommendations and how they mutually reinforce each other to create excellence. This effort suggests seven future DoD outcome-oriented objectives worthy of pursuit that, if implemented, would make a remarkable difference in America's national security posture.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.