Recent Publications

The Reserve Policies of Nations: A Comparative Analysis
September 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Richard Weitz Throughout the world, military reserves are changing. National governments are transforming the relationships between their active and reserve components, the allocation of roles and responsibilities among reserve forces, and the way they train, equip, and employ reservists. Nations no longer consider their reservists as... MORE

Naval Transformation, Ground Forces, and the Expeditionary Impulse: The Sea-Basing Debate
December 1, 2006 — Author: Prof Geoffrey Till Reviewing the past, present, and future contribution of maritime forces to the conduct of expeditionary operations, the author concludes that the importance of this contribution is growing. He considers the diplomatic and "good order" roles of maritime forces which enable such operations in the first place. He reviews... MORE

Challenging Transformation’s Clichés
December 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Critical thinkers analyze and refine ideas underpinning the foundation of American defense policy and military strategy today so the defense community can apply them in strategy and force development. This is an ongoing process: new ideas emerge, are tested, and adopted, revised, or discarded. The author... MORE

Transformation’s Uncontested Truths
November 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the November 2006 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Defense Transformation: To What, For What?
November 1, 2006 — Author: COL Kevin Reynolds “What form is transformation taking and what end(s) are the armed forces transforming to obtain?” The author argues that U.S. foreign and national security policies should drive the pace and direction of defense transformation, but finds that all too often the military’s weapons systems preferences determine the shape and... MORE

Confronting the Unconventional: Innovation and Transformation in Military Affairs
October 1, 2006 — Author: Dr David Tucker Are there limits to military transformation? Or, if it seems obvious that there must be limits to transformation, what are they exactly, why do they arise, and how can we identify them so that we may better accomplish the transformation that the U.S. military is capable of? If limits to military change and transformation... MORE

Ukraine After the Orange Revolution: Can It Complete Military Transformation and Join the U.S.-Led War on Terrorism?
October 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Deborah Sanders Ukraine can make two important contributions to the U.S.-led war on terror. It can consolidate its democracy and thereby be a force for peace and stability in the Eurasian region, and, second, through its military transformation, it can provide peacekeeping forces to zones of instability. In order to be an effective... MORE

How to Make Army Force Generation Work for the Army’s Reserve Components
August 1, 2006 — Author: LTC Joseph E Whitlock The Army needs to implement Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) in addition to its ongoing transformation and move to a more modular force. To achieve a campaign quality Army with joint and expeditionary qualities fully, the Army must do so quickly, while also keeping its reserve components full partners throughout this... MORE

Transformation for What?
December 1, 2005 — Author: Dr John White One of the most significant of global security reassessments is currently underway, driven by Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, continuing technological developments, budget constraints, and the debate associated with the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review. To provide senior defense leaders with ideas on... MORE

Coup D’Oeil: Strategic Intuition in Army Planning
November 1, 2005 — Author: Dr William Duggan Dr. William Duggan shows how to reconcile analytical and intuitive methods of decisionmaking, by drawing on recent scientific research that brings the two together. He applies this new research to the Army's core methods of analytical decisionmaking as found in FM 5-0, Army Planning and Orders Production. The result is... MORE

Contractors on Deployed Military Operations: United Kingdom Policy and Doctrine
September 1, 2005 — Author: Prof Matthew Uttley Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives to use contractors on deployed military operations remains a contentious issue in U.S. military transformation. Despite the intense debates surrounding the benefits and costs of DoD outsourcing, little attention has focused on similar Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiatives underway... MORE

Transformation and Strategic Surprise
April 1, 2005 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray The current process of military transformation will enable the Armed Forces to do better what they already do superbly well. It is important to excel at decisive maneuver and in the application of precise, yet overwhelming firepower. But those attributes, though key in warfare against regular enemies, tend to be less... MORE