by General (Retired) Jean-Patrick Gaviard President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta have recently presented to the US military a major change of strategic vision. The document of reference[1] enumerates with a staunch line, the United States' priorities for the 21st century. In the face of budget constraints…
by Ed Timperlake Almost like a soap opera with no end, the AT-6 saga continues. Chronicled on this website and on the Second Line of Defense Forum, we have looked at the continuing efforts to get a Light Attack Support (LAS) aircraft into the hands of the Afghans before it…
Shaping Expeditionary Command and Control: From Javelin Thrust to Bold Alligator 2012 In an interview with Col. Kevin Iiams, currently the standardization officer for 2nd MAW, the Colonel discussed the evolving approach of the USMC to shaping expeditionary command and control capability. He discussed his previous experience in Javelin Thrust-11…
The PNSR Case Studies: What Matters? By Richard Weitz Given this mixed historical record, what organizational and procedural factors underpin the (in)ability of the U.S. national security system to achieve desired outcomes? To better analyze this dynamic, PNSR cases sought to identify which conditions best explain the strengths and weaknesses…
Second line of Defense asked Col. Mike Osajda USMCR (ret) to discuss his experiences as an Amtrac Platoon Commander during the Vietnam War. He begins his narrative by pointing out that his tactical doctrine was defined by “Appendix I to Naval Warfare Publication 22.3 Ship to Shore Movement. This was…
by Richard Weitz The PNSR Case Studies: Outcomes, Achievements and Costs The case studies provide examples of policy successes that resulted in better relations with other countries, diminished strategic threats, improved economic opportunities, and enhanced American prestige. Effective U.S. planning and engagement in post-war Japan demonstrates the enormous benefits to…
Rising above Paradigm Paralysis…It’s Time to THINK by Bill Anderson In 2006, the U.S. Air Force threw down the gauntlet. The vulnerability of global fuel supply lines and the volatility of price presented a significant risk to the military’s ability to project power across the globe. So, Air Force leadership…
by Ed Timperlake The US Intelligence Community is a famously federated league of like-minded sleuths conjoined by parallel mandates. It is not dysfunctional, merely less effective than it has to be. Like any large cobbled together organization the Intelligence Community (IC) operates on the maxim that “people are people,” and…
