Molly Dunigan

Overview

Commentary

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  Privatizing the Military Unlikely to Be a Viable Solution in Afghanistan

  Operational contractors are now an entrenched part of the Department of Defense’s total force and are here to stay. But replacing U.S. military personnel with contractors is not likely to be a militarily effective solution for the Afghanistan problem.

  Aug 14, 2017 The National Interest

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  Military Security Contractors Get PTSD, Too

  Largely absent from the conversation about the use of military security contractors are the parallel issues of mental health and the deployment-related stress contractors can face.

  Jun 12, 2015 USA Today

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  Out of the Shadows, Into the Light: Why Americans Should Care About the Health of Contractors Deploying to Conflict Environments

  In contrast to the numerous mental health resources available to members of the U.S. military, very few (if any) resources are available to help private contractors struggling with mental health problems. It is in the best interest of all involved to ensure that contractors receive the support and treatment they need.

  Jan 21, 2014 The RAND Blog

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  A Lesson from Iraq War: How to Outsource War to Private Contractors

  Both to repeat the successes of private military contracting and to avoid the mistakes of contractors in the recent wars, the Department of Defense must consider several points specific to security contractors, writes Molly Dunigan.

  Mar 19, 2013 Christian Science Monitor

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  High Hopes for Philippine Peace Plan

  The government has successfully used a combination of counterinsurgency strategies against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in recent years, raising expectations that the new peace deal will also succeed—and in a manner that favors the government's interests, writes Molly Dunigan.

  Dec 6, 2012 U.S. News & World Report

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  U.S. Control of Contractors in Iraq Is Vital

  With U.S. troops out of Iraq, the U.S. presence there will fall to 5,000 private security contractors....The experience with private security contractors during the war was fraught with challenges that pose risks now, writes Molly Dunigan.

  Feb 1, 2012 The Hill

Publications

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  Report

  Civilian Post-Deployment Reintegration: A Review and Analysis of Practices Across U.S. Federal Agencies

  This report reviews and analyzes assessments of the practices that U.S. federal agencies use to reintegrate civilians following domestic or overseas deployments to high-threat environments.

  Feb 11, 2020

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  Report

  Army Expeditionary Civilian Demand: Forecasting Future Requirements for Civilian Deployments

  As the largest provider of government civilians to support U.S. military operations, the Army stands to benefit to a great extent from a more robust process for forecasting future demand for its civilian workforce.

  Oct 24, 2019

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  Report

  Manpower Alternatives to Enhance Total Force Capabilities: Could New Forms of Reserve Service Help Alleviate Military Shortfalls?

  Changes in employment stability, family structure, and economic pressures have created challenges for the U.S. military reserve component. Modifying assumptions about Reserve duty can improve recruitment, performance, development, and retention.

  Sep 11, 2019

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  Report

  Human Capital Needs for the Department of Defense Operational Contract Support Planning and Integration Workforce

  This comprehensive review of the U.S. Department of Defense operational contract support (OCS) planning and integration workforce identifies gaps between doctrine and practice, recommending several options to address these shortfalls.

  Oct 2, 2017

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  Report

  Sustaining the Army's Reserve Components as an Operational Force

  This report identifies emerging policy lessons regarding the use of, and reforms to, the U.S. Army's Reserve Components (RCs) as an operational reserve derived from analyses of their contributions to recent contingency operations.

  Jun 12, 2017

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  Report

  A Review of Alternative Methods to Inventory Contracted Services in the Department of Defense

  Concerned about U.S. Department of Defense contracts for private-sector services, Congress mandated development of an inventory of contract activities. RAND conducted a review of the system, stakeholder needs, and alternative data sources.

  Apr 27, 2017

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  Journal Article

  Moving Beyond Population-Centric Vs. Enemy-Centric Counterinsurgency

  Historically, insurgency is one of the most prevalent forms of armed conflict and it is likely to remain common in the foreseeable future.

  Oct 31, 2016

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  Report

  Expeditionary Civilians: Creating a Viable Practice of Civilian Deployment Within the U.S. Interagency Community and Among Foreign Defense Organizations

  This report describes the requirements that generate the need for deployable civilians, the types of missions civilians support, and the methods that U.S. and foreign government organizations use to identify, select, track and deploy civilians.

  Jun 9, 2016

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  Research Brief

  Expeditionary Civilians: Informing Department of Defense Civilian Deployment Policy and Practice

  RAND conducted an end-to-end review and analysis of Department of Defense civilian deployment to inform policy and practice for using deployable civilians to meet mission needs ten to 20 years into the future.

  Jun 9, 2016

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  Report

  Expeditionary Civilians: Creating a Viable Practice of Department of Defense Civilian Deployment

  This research presents the results of a review and analysis of DoD civilian deployment, assesses the viability of DoD civilian deployment practice, and proposes a systematic approach to developing and maintaining DoD's civilian deployment capability.

  Jun 9, 2016

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  Report

  Authorities and Mechanisms for Purchased Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs

  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes purchased care services through an array of programs, each with different requirements and processes. A strategy for purchased care is needed to design an effective purchased care program.

  Dec 31, 2015

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  Infographic

  Out of the Shadows: What We Know About the Well-Being and Experiences of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments

  Private contractors deployed in conflict zones experience stressors known to have negative physical and mental health implications for military personnel. We examine how this

  May 21, 2014

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  Report

  Out of the Shadows: The Health and Well-Being of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments

  Deployed contractors may be exposed to the same stressors as military personnel. A RAND survey examined the mental and physical health of contractors, their deployment experiences, and their access to and use of health care resources.

  Dec 10, 2013

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  Report

  Counterinsurgency Scorecard: Afghanistan in Early 2013 Relative to Insurgencies Since World War II

  Previous RAND research on historical insurgencies found that a conflict's overall balance of good and bad factors and practices perfectly discriminated its outcome. A RAND study applied this scorecard approach to Afghanistan in early 2013.

  Oct 7, 2013

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  Report

  Paths to Victory: Lessons from Modern Insurgencies

  Building on a 2010 RAND study of the 30 insurgencies begun and completed between 1978 and 2008, this study added 41 new cases to the data set, allowing comparisons across all 71 insurgencies begun and completed worldwide since World War II.

  Sep 26, 2013

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  Report

  Paths to Victory: Detailed Insurgency Case Studies

  This companion volume to Paths to Victory: Lessons from Modern Insurgencies offers in-depth case studies of 41 insurgencies since World War II. Each case breaks the conflict into phases and examines the trajectory that led to the outcome.

  Sep 26, 2013

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  Research Brief

  The Value and Limitations of Minimalist Stabilization Efforts

  Assesses the utility and limitations of minimalist stabilization -- small-scale interventions designed to stabilize a partner government engaged in violent conflict -- and proposes policy recommendations to improve the outcomes of such operations.

  Oct 1, 2012

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  Report

  The Uses and Limits of Small-Scale Military Interventions

  Assesses the utility and limitations of minimalist stabilization -- small-scale interventions designed to stabilize a partner government engaged in violent conflict -- and proposes policy recommendations to improve the outcomes of such operations.

  Sep 27, 2012

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  Report

  Characterizing and Exploring the Implications of Maritime Irregular Warfare

  An assessment of the maritime component of a series of historical and ongoing operations reveals that current notions of irregular warfare would benefit from increased recognition of potential maritime contributions to such campaigns.

  Feb 20, 2012

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  Report

  Considerations for the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce: Preparing to Operate Amidst Private Security Contractors

  The U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Expeditionary Workforce (CEW) is deployed to support theater operations. This paper builds on prior RAND research to examine how private security contractors may interact with and affect CEW operations.

  Feb 14, 2012

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  Report

  Developing a Defense Sector Assessment Rating Tool

  The lack of a comprehensive tool to assess a country's defense sector and its ability to counter a range of internal security threats led to the development of the Defense Sector Assessment Rating Tool, which can be customized for a variety of goals.

  Sep 17, 2010

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  Testimony

  Considerations for the Use of Private Security Contractors in Future U.S. Military Deployments

  Testimony submitted to the Commission on Wartime Contracting on June 18, 2010.

  Jun 16, 2010

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  Report

  Hired Guns: Views About Armed Contractors in Operation Iraqi Freedom

  Reports the results of surveys of military and State Department personnel concerning their views on the use of armed private security contractors in the Iraq war.

  Jun 1, 2010