Research for Force Reductions

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A Bottom-Up Assessment of Navy Flagship Schools
January 1, 1998
As the Navy has downsized its forces, funding for a variety of activities has dropped. The Navy's flagship schools, The United States Naval Academy, The Naval War College, The Naval Postgraduate School, and for purposes of this study, The Armed Forces Staff College, have not been immune to these reductions. In response, N81 asked CNA to take a bottom-up look at each the Navy's flagship schools. The main goals of the assessment were, first to evaluate the current quality of condition of the schools, and second, to help determine the level of funding needed over the Future Year Defense Plan (FYDP) to maintain Navy schools as 'top-tier' institutions. The study summarizes the findings and recommendations regarding funding and opportunities for efficiency improvements. One important finding focuses on the effectiveness of the current structure of the graduate education system. Although the flagship schools offer excellent graduate and professional military education, the Navy does not use its graduates in a manner consistent with these programs of study.
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Creating a 'Revolution in Business Affairs' in DOD
December 1, 1997
Given the lack of an immediate threat by a superpower, the pressures to fund nondefense programs, and the desire to shrink the deficit, the military's budget, in real terms, is unlikely to increase. Yet, we must fund modernization efforts and new initiatives, such as 'the Revolution in Military Affairs.' The only source for these funds appears to be the current military infrastructure accounts. Therefore, this paper calls for a 'Revolution in Business Affairs' (RBA) to provide an efficient and flexible infrastructure that supports changing military requirements at a price that does not overwhelm modernization efforts. The RBA will achieve this by changing fundamental DoD business process to those that have worked in the private sector.
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Setting Priorities for Graduate Medical Education
February 1, 1996
The Navy's Graduate Medical Education (GME) program consists of post-medical school programs to train physicians. These programs have been successful in improving the quality and dependability of sources of medical corps personnel. In recent years, the Navy has downsized GME somewhat. Further reductions in GME may be mandated because of budget constraints, but Medical Operational Support Requirements - which support the Marine Corps, ships afloat, and Navy bases outside the continental United States - may require some specialty programs to enlarge. Therefore, the Surgeon General of the Navy, via the Assistant Chief for Plans, Analysis, and Evaluation, asked CNA to study past medical corps attrition and build a model to assist with the planning of GME program size. This research memorandum addresses how the Navy can set priorities among its GME programs, a subject currently under study by staffs working for the Chief, Medical Corps, the Assistant Chief for Personnel Management, the Assistant Chief for Plans, Analysis, and Evaluation, and the former Health Services Education and Training command. This memorandum is intended to assist the work of these staffs.
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Veterans Transition and Defense Conversion Project, Phase II: Strategic Reinvestment to Strengthen Youth
October 1, 1993
As our nation's military continues to draw down and reshape itself, two important resources can be strategically reinvested to strengthen youth: 1) military personnel either serving or transitioning out, and 2) military facilities. The Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) has examined these ideas within its Veterans Transition and Defense Conversion Project. This briefing summarizes Phase II of the project. It builds on Phase I and presents CNA's analysis of the concept 'Strategic Reinvestment to Strengthen Youth.' The goal of the study is to fine strategic opportunities to strengthen youth by selectively reinvesting military resources. CNA was eager to investigate this issue for several reasons. It saw a genuine opportunity to help shape some of the definitions of national security emerging from the ongoing debate on defense policy for the post-Cold War era. This shifting of the discourse to now include domestic aspects of national security coincides with a substantial and long-term military reduction. Therefore, a major policy objective entails tailoring that draw down's social impact to address some of the newly emerging domestic security.
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A Three-Ocean Joint Navy
November 1, 1991
This paper analyzes 'the way ahead' for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in view of recent events, in particular the dissolution of the Soviet threat, U.S. economic woes, and a vivid Southwest Asia experience. These events have led to three guiding themes for the Navy's future. First, naval forces should have a structure that continues to enable action in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Phrased another way, the nation needs a 'three-ocean Navy.' Second, the Navy should not only adapt to a joint approach to military presence, crisis response, and regional contingencies but also play a key leadership role. The nation needs a 'joint Navy' and the Navy should take heed. Third, the naval acquisition process needs to adjust to better harmonize military industry with new national priorities. The nation needs 'opportunistic acquisition,' and this is a message to the military-industrial complex.
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Soviet Discussion of a Cadre-Militia System
July 1, 1989
Soviet military and political leaders are currently engaged in a debate about instituting a cadre-militia system. Such a system would consist of a significantly smaller regular army, manned either by conscripts or volunteers, and a territorial militia based on universal service. Influential military men appear to be divided on how to respond to the prospect of reorganization. Depending upon its ultimate form, the change to a cadre-militia system could severely restrict the Soviet Union's ability to conduct large-scale offensive operations. The discussion will probably continue for some time to come, and its resolution promises to have far-reaching consequences for the security policy of the United States and its allies.
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Analysis of Closure Alternatives for Naval Stations and Naval Air Stations
February 1, 1981
This document consists of reprints from 'Hearings before the Subcommittee on Military Construction of the Committee on Armed Services,' U.S. Senate, 93rd Congress. Reprints are based on inputs from indicated CNA authors.
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