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April 2008 HighlightsRAND ARROYO CENTERSTABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION STAFFING: DEVELOPING U.S. CIVILIAN PERSONNEL CAPABILITIES
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The authors present the results of research on the U.S. civilian personnel and staffing programs for stability and reconstruction operations undertaken in other countries under U.S. leadership or with the participation of the United States. The study uses the Office of Personnel Management's Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework to assess the personnel requirements for such operations. The Framework advocates strategic alignment, workforce planning and development, leadership and knowledge management, results-oriented performance culture, talent management, and accountability. The authors also present recommendations that the U.S. government should consider undertaking to deal with the types of problems that the United States has encountered in post-2003 Iraq. Read the Report » |
LEADER DEVELOPMENT IN ARMY UNITS: VIEWS FROM THE FIELD
Authors: Peter Schirmer, James C. Crowley, Nancy E. Blacker, Richard R. Brennan, Jr., Henry A. Leonard, J. Michael Polich, Jerry M. Sollinger, Danielle M. Varda
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Developing leaders is critical for the Army; given the amount of time officers spend in units, that experience should be important to their development. Yet few studies indicate whether Army units even have leader development programs, and, if they do, what the programs consist of and how well they are executed. To gain insight into these issues, Arroyo Center researchers met with over 450 officers (lieutenants through colonels) to discuss leader development within Army units. Read the Report » |
RAND NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
COUNTERINSURGENCY IN IRAQ (2003-2006): RAND COUNTERINSURGENCY STUDY — VOLUME 2
RAND Counterinsurgency Study — Final Report
Authors: Edward O'Connell, Bruce R. Pirnie
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This monograph describes how the United States did not sufficiently monitor insurgent trends in Iraq or apply new counterinsurgency tactics, leading many Iraqi civilians to side with sectarian groups and propelling the country to the brink of civil war. The authors find that funding in Iraq during this period was focused heavily on safeguarding U.S troops – such as for improved vehicle armor and electronic detection and jamming equipment – while less attention was paid to protecting Iraqi citizens. As a result, civilians were often led into a Faustian bargain in which they sought the help of sectarian extremists they otherwise might have avoided. Read the Report »
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EVALUATING NOVEL THREATS TO THE HOMELAND: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES AND CRUISE MISSILES
Authors: Brian A. Jackson, David R. Frelinger, Michael J. Lostumbo, Robert W. Button
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Changes in technology and adversary behavior will invariably produce new threats that must be assessed by defense and homeland security planners. An example of such a novel threat is the use of cruise missiles or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by terrorist groups. Individual threats cannot be assessed in isolation, however, since adversaries always have many options for staging attacks. To examine this threat, RAND utilized a “red analysis of alternatives” approach, wherein the benefits, costs, and risks of different options are considered from the point of view of a potential adversary. Read the Report » |
RAND PROJECT AIR FORCE
ANALYZING CONTINGENCY CONTRACTING PURCHASES FOR OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
Authors: Laura H. Baldwin, John A. Ausink, Nancy F. Campbell, John G. Drew, Charles Robert Roll, Jr.
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In contingency operations, U.S. Air Force contingency contracting officers (CCOs) play a vital role in the procurement of goods and services within the theater of operations. The motivation for this study was twofold: The contracting community lacked a comprehensive database of contingency purchases that would enable analyses of purchases related to mission activities, and such analyses would prove important in future decisionmaking. This study examines contingency purchases for Operation Iraqi Freedom made in theater during fiscal years 2003 and 2004 and develops a custom database to determine the extent of contractor support and how plans for the organization and execution of contingency activities might be improved to better support the warfighter in future operations. Read the Report » |
RAND NATIONAL SECURITY RESEARCH DIVISION
MODERNIZING THE NORTH KOREAN SYSTEM
Authors: Charles Wolf, Jr., Norman D. Levin
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In seeking a modernized North Korea, the focus should be on stimulating a gradual modernization of the North Korean system rather than removing the regime. With this tenet in mind, six institutions in five countries that have key interests in North Korea's future undertook a collaborative effort to determine ways in which the North Korean system could move toward modernization over the medium to long term. Read the Report » |
COMMENTARYThe following is a list of national security related commentary pieces that RAND researchers have contributed to newspapers in the past month. To retrieve past commentary pieces, please visit RAND's commentary page. GEORGIA ON THEIR MIND
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RAND CONGRESSIONAL RESOURCES STAFFLindsey Kozberg Shirley Ruhe Adam Klein RAND Office of Congressional Relations |
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