October 28, 2013
Building Better Generals
In Building Better Generals the CNAS Responsible Defense (RD) team urges policymakers and military leaders to redouble their efforts to create an “adaptive and creative officer corps” that is prepared to address a wide range of 21st Century challenges. CNAS RD Program Director, LTG David Barno, USA (Ret)., Deputy Director of Studies Dr. Nora Bensahel and Research Associates Kelley Sayler and Katherine Kidder stress that after 12 years of irregular warfare, the combination of a volatile security environment, declining defense budgets, and newly constrained U.S. military capabilities risk producing an officer corps ill-prepared for its future challenges. Thus, the authors suggest new investments in flag officer education, assignments, and evaluations to better prepare senior military officers for the fast-moving dynamics of tomorrow’s world.
More from CNAS
-
VideoCARE: Humanitarian Aid Cuts & National Security
A number of prominent figures are speaking out in opposition of the proposed cutbacks to the US foreign aid budget. CNAS CEO Michele Flournoy, along with many other former sen...
By Michèle Flournoy
-
Au Revoir QDR
Whatever version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) emerges from the House-Senate conference process later this year, it seems likely that the 20-year old Quadre...
By Loren DeJonge Schulman & Shawn Brimley
-
The DIUx Is Dead. Long Live The DIUx.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter launched his high-profile Silicon Valley outpost a year ago to great fanfare and high expectations. Less than a year later, he has completely over...
By Ben FitzGerald & Loren DeJonge Schulman
-
Observations on Global Military Posture
The secretary of defense has outsized influence over America’s global network of bases, the number of military personnel stationed overseas, and the frequency of internation...
By Loren DeJonge Schulman & Shawn Brimley