Military Force Planning

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Ukraine and the New Two War Construct

The United States might look at its support of Ukraine as a potential model for future defense strategy. It would require a substantial expansion of the defense industrial base, but it might offer a plausible way to keep American objectives and resources in line without sacrificing too much in either.

Raphael S. Cohen

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The Precarious Transition of Unvaccinated Service Members

U.S. service members separated from the military for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine were largely separated with a general discharge under honorable conditions. While they may be eligible for health care and disability compensation from the VA, they are not eligible for G.I. Bill benefits. How have they fared as they entered civilian society unvaccinated and with limited benefits?

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Carrie M. Farmer @carriefarmer, et al.

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As F-15s Leave Okinawa, an Opportunity to Change Indo-Pacific Air Tactics with Unmanned Options

As it considers its future force mix and posture in the Indo-Pacific region and elsewhere, the U.S. Air Force has options that go beyond traditional platforms. Among them are rapidly maturing concepts for generating and sustaining high-tempo operations in forward areas with autonomous, runway-independent air vehicles.

David A. Ochmanek

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Lessons from the Pandemic, Diplomacy in Ukraine, Defending Taiwan: RAND Weekly Recap

This week, we discuss preparing for future pandemics; planning now for a negotiated outcome in Ukraine; insights from Ukraine that relate to Taiwan; the need for more data to help reduce law enforcement–related deaths; how China might react to U.S. posture changes; and using statistics to improve military force planning.

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How Veterans Fare in the Civilian Labor Market

Around 200,000 service members transition to the civilian labor market every year. They often find it's like falling into another dimension, one where employers don't even speak the same language. More than a decade of RAND research has sought to ease that transition.

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Better Defense Planning Could Use Statistics to Try to See into the Future

Statistical forecasting models that are grounded in empirical data can provide a valuable supplement to more-traditional methods. These tools allow for a more-structured and robust exploration of the future, its implications, and our assumptions about it.

Jennifer Kavanagh, Bryan Frederick

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National Security After Roe, Women Veterans, COVID-19's Lasting Effects: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how overturning Roe could affect national security, supporting women veterans, responding to the next pandemic, and more.

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Removing Barriers to Diversity and Inclusion in the Military

Efforts to improve representation and remove barriers for personnel with protected characteristics are seen as essential steps for modern militaries, but have not gone without controversy. The UK Armed Forces could take a more-strategic approach to leveraging diversity to elevate it as a strategic enabler of military fighting power in the contemporary threat environment.

Linda Slapakova

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Russian Forces in Ukraine: Muddling Through

The Russian armed forces have suffered tens of thousands of casualties and lost more than 5,000 pieces of equipment. These deficits will make it hard for Russia to hold regions in Ukraine that it may soon try to annex. To succeed, Moscow will have to replenish personnel and equipment at scale—tasks that will prove extremely difficult.

Dara Massicot @MassDara

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The Mutual Rewards of Hiring a Veteran: Q&A with Kyleanne Hunter and Kayla Williams

July 25 is National Hire a Veteran Day, and its purpose is to encourage employers to look to this diverse pool of workers to fill positions. Employers stand to benefit from the experience and skills that veterans acquire during military service. For veterans, a fulfilling career can ease the transition to civilian life.

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Abortion Misinformation, Deepfakes, Environmental Racism: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on abortion misinformation in a post-Roe world, the threat of deepfakes, environmental hazards in historically redlined communities, and more.

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U.S.-Russia Diplomacy, Citizen Science, America's Blood Supply: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on U.S.-Russia diplomacy in the context of the Ukraine crisis, the value of citizen science, strengthening the America's blood supply, and more.

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Afghan Refugees Are Being Recruited to Join an Iranian Paramilitary

As Western policymakers consider how to deal with Afghan evacuees, including former members of the Afghan security forces, they might consider how to prevent adversaries such as Iran from recruiting Afghan refugees for dangerous and destabilizing operations. Greater attention to these risks may become increasingly important as refugee flows from Afghanistan continue.

Erik E. Mueller @erikemueller, Andrew Radin @andrewmradin

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Army Enlistment Waivers in the Age of Legal Marijuana

Army recruits with a history of marijuana use can ask for a waiver like those who have diabetes or insomnia. They are just as likely as others to complete their first term and make sergeant, and are less likely to leave the Army for health or performance reasons.

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How the Military Might Expand Its Cyber Skills

The U.S. military will need to improve its software fluency if it wants to be dominant on the battlefields of the future. Ensuring that future leaders in the military develop cyber skills and the ability to interface with technical experts may be increasingly important.

James Ryseff