Michael E. Linick

Michael Linick is a Senior Defense Researcher/Analyst at the RAND Corporation. His research encompasses a wide range of areas, including military strategy, operations, and readiness; force structure; reserve component issues; mobilization; defense civilian and military manpower; and, defense health issues. As a researcher and retired Army Colonel, he has extensive experience in the areas of managing and understanding change in force structure; force development and equipping processes; understanding the DoD as an institution; and linking strategy to force requirements and capabilities. Linick is heavily involved in RAND’s efforts to use gaming to support operational and policy analysis, and has been one of the lead designers for several RAND games, including "Hedgemony" – RANDs first commercially available policy game.  Key positions included being the Director of the RAND Arroyo Center’s Personnel, Training, and Health program, managing the Army’s Total Army Analysis process, managing the Army’s force structure and requirements demands as the Chief of Force Management in both OEF and OIF, and writing the Army's first Equipping Strategy. He was involved in several major strategic reviews, including the Bottom Up Review in the 1990s, development of the 2011 Defense Strategic Guidance, and the 2013 Strategic Choices and Management Review (SCMR). He also has extensive experience as an Infantry Officer – including Peacekeeping operations in Kosovo.