Recent Publications

Outplayed: Regaining Strategic Initiative in the Gray Zone
June 1, 2016 — A Report Sponsored by the Army Capabilities Integration Center in Coordination with Joint Staff J-39/Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment BranchAuthors: LTC Charles R Burnett, COL William J Cain Jr, LTC Christopher D Compton, Mr Nathan P Freier, LTC Sean M Hankard, Prof Robert S Hume, LTC Gary R Kramlich II, COL J Matthew Lissner, LTC Tobin A Magsig,... MORE

Cover for Outplayed: Regaining Strategic Initiative in the Gray Zone, A Report Sponsored by the Army Capabilities Integration Center in Coordination with Joint Staff J-39/Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment Branch

Memorandum for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Secure Balance and Flexibility In Future Joint Forces
June 13, 2014 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier The 25th Annual U.S. Army War College Strategy Conference "Balancing the Joint Force to Meet Future Security Challenges" occurred against the backdrop of a complicated decision making environment. It sought establish a context for future military decision making based on two foundational questions: what are the most... MORE

Cover for Memorandum for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Secure Balance and Flexibility In Future Joint Forces

Known Unknowns: Unconventional “Strategic Shocks” in Defense Strategy Development
November 1, 2008 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier The author provides the defense policy team a clear warning against excessive adherence to past defense and national security convention. Including the insights of a number of noted scholars on the subjects of “wild cards” and “strategic surprise,” he argues that future disruptive, unconventional shocks are inevitable... MORE

The Strategy Deficit
March 20, 2008 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the April 2008 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Strategic Competition and Resistance in the 21st Century: Irregular, Catastrophic, Traditional, and Hybrid Challenges in Context
May 1, 2007 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier The 2005 National Defense Strategy introduced the now prolific concept of the four challenges--traditional, irregular, catastrophic, and disruptive. Reference to the challenges is now an essential feature of defense deliberations. Yet in spite of the concept’s central place in the defense debates in and out of government,... MORE

In Defense of Rational Risk Assessment
February 1, 2007 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the February 2007 newsletter.Read Now MORE

“What If?” — A Most Impertinent Question Indeed
September 1, 2006 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the September 2006 newsletter.Read Now MORE

The High Cost of Primacy
October 1, 2005 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the October 2005 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Confronting an Irregular and Catastrophic Future
October 1, 2004 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the October 2004 newsletter.Read Now MORE