The RAND Blog

commentary

The Russian Military's Looming Personnel Crises of Retention and Veteran Mental Heath

Russia's looming troop-retention and veteran-treatment problems are already visible on the horizon, even though they have been delayed by policy. By invading Ukraine, Russia has created a wave of severe trauma that will soon crash over its own country.

Dara Massicot @MassDara

commentary

An Autistic Soldier Wants You to Read This

Despite the recruitment challenges it is currently facing, the Army continues to make personnel decisions based on last century's understanding of neurodivergent diagnoses. The loosening of stigma associated with these diagnoses could improve recruitment, and the Army might reap the benefits of neurodiversity.

Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc

commentary

Is Ecuador in the Middle of a Self-Coup?

On May 17, the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, dissolved the country's legislature in the midst of impeachment proceedings against him. Did Ecuador just have a self-coup? The answer matters greatly for the country's democratic trajectory and for the international community's response.

Alexander Noyes @alexhnoyes

commentary

What F-16s Will (and Won't) Do for Ukraine

After months of publicly lobbying to acquire U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, it appears that Ukraine may receive them later this year. However, there remains a long road ahead before the F-16s would see service in Ukraine—and it is an open question how much they would affect the outcome of the war.

Brynn Tannehill

commentary

Rising to the Challenge: A Methodological Approach to Prioritizing Defense Investments

Meeting the Pentagon's goals to invest efficiently in military capabilities calls for a methodological process hinging on five key elements: aligning strategies with tasks, understanding what drives military innovation, embracing specificity in problem-solving, preparing for an unknown future, and assessing technology investments for prioritization.

Christopher A. Mouton

commentary

Who Should We Honor on Memorial Day?

The cost of war is not borne solely by soldiers on the field of battle, and for too many, the field of battle is unavoidable. Widening notions of whom we honor, and how, are signs of progress—but they are just a start.

Kayla M. Williams @KWilliams101

commentary

Making the Most of JROTC

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units in U.S. schools have drawn intensive scrutiny of late, and some districts might consider dropping JROTC. But they should take stock of what they'll lose. Students who choose to enroll in JROTC and stick with it do better in school than their peers.

Melanie A. Zaber @MelanieZaber

commentary

How Can Platforms Deal with Toxic Content? Look to Wall Street

The Supreme Court recently opted to keep in place a law that shields tech platforms from liability for hosting toxic content. Congress can and should regulate the industry. And there's already a regulatory framework for doing so that accounts for freedom of speech concerns.

James V. Marrone

commentary

Military Assistance to Ukraine Is a Rare Success

Recently, the United States reversed its long-standing opposition to sending Ukraine F-16 advanced aircraft to aid its fight against Russia. The policy reversal is a smart call. Once the aircraft are delivered and training is complete the jets will help Ukraine defend its territory more efficiently, and might even help end the war.

Alexander Noyes @alexhnoyes, Richard Bennet

blog

Immigration Policy, the Black-White Wealth Gap, ChatGPT: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the challenges facing U.S. immigration policy, what it would take to close America's Black-white wealth gap, risks and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence, more.

commentary

A Unique Opportunity Not To Be Squandered: Advancing Our Relationships in Central Asia

Concerned about Putin's imperialist actions in Ukraine, five nations in Central Asia are looking to the West to offset the political, economic, and security-related pressures they feel from Russia and, increasingly, China. It would be a mistake for the United States not to seize this moment.

Robert Schlesiger, Daniel Egel, et al.

commentary

F-16s Will Bolster Ukraine's Fighting Force

F-16s going to Ukraine could help it defend against Russian aerial assaults. But their greatest value may be to augment future Ukrainian counteroffensives aimed at retaking occupied land. This will require training and exercising, but Ukrainian forces are fully capable of mastering it.

John Hoehn, William Courtney @courtneywmh

commentary

Navigating Complex Maritime Security Challenges in the Black and Mediterranean Seas: Insights from the Updated EUMSS

The European Union understands the rising geopolitical challenges that will affect security in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, both from non-state actors and as a result of state-based competition and conflict. Cooperation with non-EU countries will be critical in promoting maritime security in the region.

Hunter Stoll

commentary

Beyond the 'Mine Shaft Gap': Navigating Threat Perceptions in the Sino-American Rivalry

In “Dr. Strangelove,” the “mine shaft gap” was an astute satirical concept that reflected the mindset that any perceived disadvantage between the United States and the Soviet Union posed an existential threat. Though fictional, this kind of calculation is not unheard of in real-life, modern-day thinking. Shrewd discernment could help avoid it as the United States pursues its national security objectives.

Christopher A. Mouton

commentary

Putin Is Following Brezhnev to a Dead End

Four decades ago, Leonid Brezhnev led the USSR into what many Soviets called the “era of stagnation.” Vladimir Putin is taking Russia down a similar path. The USSR tried to recover by turning to reform-minded leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, but too late. The USSR collapsed. Could Russia?

William Courtney @courtneywmh, Mark Stalczynski