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May 2008 HighlightsRAND CENTER FOR MILITARY HEALTH POLICY RESEARCHINVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE INJURIES, THEIR CONSEQUENCES, AND SERVICES TO ASSIST RECOVERY
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The study discussed in this monograph focuses on post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, and traumatic brain injury, not only because of current high-level policy interest but also because, unlike the physical wounds of war, these conditions are often invisible to the eye, remaining invisible to other servicemembers, family members, and society in general. All three conditions affect mood, thoughts, and behavior; yet these wounds often go unrecognized and unacknowledged. The effect of traumatic brain injury is still poorly understood, leaving a large gap in knowledge related to how extensive the problem is or how to address it. RAND conducted a comprehensive study of the post-deployment health-related needs associated with these three conditions among OEF/OIF veterans, the health care system in place to meet those needs, gaps in the care system, and the costs associated with these conditions and with providing quality health care to all those in need. This monograph presents the results of our study, which should be of interest to mental health treatment providers; health policymakers, particularly those charged with caring for our nation's veterans; and U.S. service men and women, their families, and the concerned public. Read the Report »
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RAND NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
INCREASING AIRCRAFT CARRIER FORWARD PRESENCE: CHANGING THE LENGTH OF THE MAINTENANCE CYCLE
Authors: Roland J. Yardley, James G. Kallimani, John F. Schank, Clifford A. Grammich
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The length of the carrier's training, readiness, deployment, and maintenance cycle, the type of maintenance needed, and the timing of events within the cycle affect the carrier's availability to meet operational needs. Over the past two decades, the proportion of time in a cycle that a carrier spends deployed has decreased, making it difficult for Navy planners to meet the forward-presence requirements of theater commanders. In future years, as the number of carriers in the fleet fluctuates, this challenge will be compounded. In this study, RAND examines the technical feasibility of different cycle lengths and their effect on the forward presence of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers. Read the Report »
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RAND PROJECT AIR FORCE
THE CHALLENGE OF NUCLEAR-ARMED REGIONAL ADVERSARIES
Authors: David Ochmanek, Lowell H. Schwartz
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North Korea's test of a nuclear weapon in 2006 shows that such weapons are within reach of determined regional powers. Thus, defense planners in the United States and elsewhere must begin now to confront the new security challenges posed by nuclear-armed regional adversaries. While U.S. conventional and nuclear forces will continue to have deterrent effects on the leaders of regional adversaries such as North Korea and Iran, the dynamics of the deterrent balance vis-à-vis these actors may be quite different from that to which the United States became accustomed during the Cold War. The weakness of these states at the conventional level, coupled with the high stakes they will have at risk in a conflict with the United States, could lead them to seriously consider brandishing or using nuclear weapons in a conflict. This, in turn, could compel U.S. leaders to temper their military and political objectives in such conflicts. Read the Report » |
TURKEY AS A U.S. SECURITY PARTNER
Author: F. Stephen Larrabee
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Turkey has long been an important U.S. ally, but especially with the end of the Cold War, the relationship has been changing. Divergences between U.S. and Turkish interests have grown, in part because of Turkey's relationships with its neighbors and the tension between its Western identity and its Middle Eastern orientation. Further, relations with the European Union have also deteriorated of late. As a result, Ankara has come to feel that it can no longer rely on its traditional allies, and Turkey is likely to be a more difficult and less predictable partner in the future. While Turkey will continue to want good ties to the United States, it is likely to be drawn more heavily into the Middle East by the Kurdish issue and Iran's nuclear ambitions. Consequently, the tension between Turkey's Western identity and Middle Eastern orientation is likely to grow even more. Read the Report » |
RAND ARROYO CENTER
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND ARMY RECRUITING
Authors: James N. Dertouzos, Steven Garber
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Designing and implementing performance metrics that support Army goals requires analysis of how different metrics would affect recruiter behavior and, in turn, recruiters' contributions toward achieving the Army's goals. The authors evaluate traditional performance metrics, such as number of contracts signed per month per recruiter, and find that they do not adequately measure recruiter effort, skill, and productivity. They then develop a “preferred performance metric” that takes into account the difficulty of recruiting different types of youth in various markets. 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. Good Morning, Syria! – Time to Revisit Our Axis of Evil List?
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RAND CONGRESSIONAL RESOURCES STAFFLindsey Kozberg Shirley Ruhe Adam Klein RAND Office of Congressional Relations |
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