NSRD Publications Archive - 2014

Initial Thoughts on the Impact of the Iraq War on U.S. National Security Structures 2014

Christopher S. Chivvis, Olga Oliker, Andrew Liepman, Ben Connable, George Willcoxon, William Young

This paper surveys the overall impact of the Iraq War on U.S. national security structures by examining the major changes the war wrought in the intellectual and institutional underpinnings of U.S. security and defense policy, focusing on four issues: counterinsurgency operations, civilian state-making, security force assistance, and our capacity for understanding the specific needs of different kinds of interventions.

A Persistent Threat: The Evolution of al Qa'ida and Other Salafi Jihadists 2014

Seth G. Jones

This report examines the status and evolution of al Qa'ida and other Salafi-jihadist groups, and uses qualitative and quantitative data to assess whether this movement has strengthened. The author uses this analysis to examine U.S. strategic options to counter al Qa'ida and other terrorist groups based on the threat level and the capacity of local governments.

Authorities and Options for Funding USSOCOM Operations 2014

Elvira N. Loredo, John E. Peters, Karlyn D. Stanley, Matthew E. Boyer, William Welser IV, Thomas S. Szayna

This report examines mechanisms, sources, and inter-Service agreements for funding special operations forces (SOF) operations and provides recommendations to reduce the frequency and duration of disputes between the United States Special Operations Command, the Military Departments, and Geographic Combatant Commands over their respective funding responsibilities for SOF.

Satellite Anomalies: Benefits of a Centralized Anomaly Database and Methods for Securely Sharing Information Among Satellite Operators 2014

David A. Galvan, Brett Hemenway, William Welser IV, Dave Baiocchi

Satellite anomalies are mission-degrading events that negatively affect on-orbit operational spacecraft. Maintaining a widely accessible and comprehensive database is one way to build an understanding of what situations are likely to result in satellite anomalies, but no such database exists. This report describes the nature and causes of satellite anomalies, and the potential benefits of a shared and centralized satellite anomaly database.

Aid Under Fire: Development Projects and Civil Conflict 2014

Benjamin Crost, Patrick B. Johnston, Joseph Felter

We estimate the causal effect of a large development program on conflict in the Philippines through a regression discontinuity design that exploits an arbitrary poverty threshold used to assign eligibility for the program.

Out of the Shadows: What We Know About the Well-Being and Experiences of Private Contractors Working in Conflict Environments 2014

Molly Dunigan, Carrie M. Farmer, Rachel M. Burns, Alison Hawks, Claude Messan Setodji

Private contractors deployed in conflict zones experience stressors known to have negative physical and mental health implications for military personnel. We examine how this "shadow force" is coping with the after-effects of working in a war zone.

Health and Economic Outcomes Among the Alumni of the Wounded Warrior Project: 2013 2014

Jennifer L. Cerully, Mustafa Oguz, Heather Krull, Katheryn Giglio

In this report, the authors use the Wounded Warrior Project's 2013 survey of its members (alumni) to understand the physical, mental, and economic challenges that Wounded Warriors face. The researchers find that at least half of alumni reported dealing with mental health conditions such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, and many of these alumni reported difficulties or delays in seeking mental health care, or not doing so at all.

An Evaluation of the Implementation and Perceived Utility of the Airman Resilience Training Program 2014

Gabriella C. Gonzalez, Reema Singh, Terry L. Schell, Robin M. Weinick

The U.S. Department of Defense has implemented many programs to support service members experiencing difficulties handling stress, mental health problems, or deficits caused by a traumatic brain injury. This report describes RAND's assessment of one such program, Airman Resilience Training (ART), an Air Force psychoeducational program designed to improve airmen's reactions to stress during and after deployment.

After Nearly a Decade of War, Servicemembers and Families Report Stress, Resilience 2014

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have put America's all-volunteer force to its most severe test since its inception in 1973. Explore this interactive infographic to learn more about how the troops and their families are faring.

Dropping Out, Opting In: Why the National Guard's Youth ChalleNGe Program for High School Dropouts is a Solid Social Investment 2014

Francisco Perez-Arce, Louay Constant, David S. Loughran, Lynn A. Karoly

RAND researchers studying the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program found that the benefits associated with the program more than repay society's investment in it.

A New Approach to Security and Justice Sector Assistance: An Enhanced Partnership Planning Model 2014

Michael J. McNerney, Jennifer D. P. Moroney, Peter Mandaville, Terry Hagen

RAND researchers examined ways to reshape security and justice sector assistance programs, and designed a new approach — an Enhanced Partnership Planning Model that can be tailored to partner-nation needs and particular U.S. strategic interests.

New Security and Justice Sector Partnership Models: Implications of the Arab Uprisings 2014

Michael J. McNerney, Jennifer D. P. Moroney, Peter Mandaville, Terry Hagen

The United States faces a unique set of challenges and opportunities in strengthening security and justice sector partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa. RAND researchers analyzed potential new partnership models that could help implement recent policy guidance related to improving security and justice sector assistance and promoting reform in this region.

Effects of Military Service on Earnings and Education Revisited: Variation by Service Duration, Occupation, and Civilian Unemployment 2014

Paco Martorell, Trey Miller, Lindsay Daugherty, Mark Borgschulte

This report examines how military service affects earnings, especially how these effects differ by the number of years of service and military occupational specialties and how external factors and policies affect these impacts. The authors also examined how economic conditions in the civilian labor market when individuals exit active duty affect postservice earnings.

Mexico Is Not Colombia: Alternative Historical Analogies for Responding to the Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations 2014

Christopher Paul, Colin P. Clarke, Chad C. Serena

Despite the scope of the threat they pose to Mexico's security, violent drug-trafficking organizations are not well understood, and optimal strategies to combat them have not been identified. While there is no perfectly analogous case from history, Mexico stands to benefit from historical lessons and efforts that were correlated with improvement in countries facing similar challenges related to violence and corruption.

Mexico Is Not Colombia: Alternative Historical Analogies for Responding to the Challenge of Violent Drug-Trafficking Organizations — Supporting Case Studies 2014

Christopher Paul, Colin P. Clarke, Chad C. Serena

Despite the scope of the threat they pose to Mexico's security, violent drug-trafficking organizations are not well understood, and optimal strategies to combat them have not been identified. While there is no perfectly analogous case to Mexico's current security situation, historical case studies may offer lessons for policymakers as they cope with challenges related to violence and corruption in that country.