Military Force Deployment

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The successful deployment of a military force involves the movement of troops and materiel in response to a regional threat and the ability to sustain this force until the military objective is achieved. RAND has extensive experience evaluating and providing supportable recommendations to military decisionmakers to ensure rapid and sustainable deployments to counter regional threats.

  • Iraqi army force are seen in frontline to fight against Islamic State (IS) militants in Khrbadan village in the city of Qayyarah, 55 km south of Mosul, Iraq, on April 9, 2016, photo by Yaser Jawad/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

    Report

    Iraqi Army Will to Fight

    In summer 2014, the Iraqi Army imploded, breaking and scattering in the face of attacks from Islamic State fighters. How can U.S. advisors help strengthen Iraqi Army will to fight and overall combat effectiveness?

    Jan 11, 2022

  • At sea aboard USS Hue City, view of the guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg and the guided missile destroyers USS Roosevelt, USS Carney, and USS The Sullivans during an exercise, December 2003, photo by U.S. Navy

    Report

    What Would a Strategy of Restraint Mean for U.S. Security Policy?

    If the United States adopted a grand strategy of restraint in the Asia-Pacific, how would its posture in the region change and how would it determine when to use force? What warfighting scenarios involving the defense of Japan could guide defense planning?

    Mar 31, 2022

Explore Military Force Deployment

  • U.S. Marines install concertina wire along the top of the primary border wall at the port of entry next to Tijuana, Meico, in San Ysidro, San Diego, U.S., November 9, 2018

    Commentary

    The U.S. Military's Border Enforcement Role

    The Trump administration announced a deployment of at least 5,200 active-duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. Is a military response of this size needed to address the situation on the southern border?

    Nov 19, 2018

  • Landing ships putting cargo ashore on Omaha Beach, mid-June, 1944

    Report

    What Shapes a Nation's Will to Fight?

    When considering threats from Russia and North Korea, it is natural to focus on military capabilities. But incorporating will to fight into the analysis of actual or potential conflicts will enhance strategic planning. A model that can be tailored and applied to various conflict scenarios can help U.S. leaders better understand and influence will to fight.

    Sep 20, 2018

  • Ferrying South Vietnamese rangers, U.S. helicopters swoop in on a landing zone on the fringe of a pineapple plantation in the Mekong Delta on August 21, 1967

    Report

    Assessing Will to Fight at the Military Unit Level

    Will to fight is vital to understanding war, but it is often ignored or misunderstood. A model of unit will to fight that can be applied to ground combat units of any scale can help U.S. military leaders better assess partner and adversary forces and incorporate will to fight in their planning.

    Sep 20, 2018

  • Refueling operations in a KC-135 Stratotanker

    Report

    Is the USAF Flying Force Large Enough? Assessing Capacity Demands in Four Alternative Futures

    This report draws on historical data to quantify gaps in the U.S. Air Force's capacity to meet potential future demands.

    Aug 28, 2018

  • Bridge stretching across the Vistula River during the joint NATO exercise Anakonda 2016, near Chelmno, Poland, June 7-17, 2016

    Commentary

    Exploring the Allied Decisions on Military Mobility in Europe

    Debates about defense expenditure and concerns over NATO unity overshadowed decisions on defense and deterrence in Europe made during the recent NATO summit and European Council meetings. Both events brought significant and tangible conclusions with potential impacts on defense, deterrence, and readiness in Europe.

    Jul 27, 2018

  • A U.S. Army Soldier guides an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank from 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, off the ramp of the ARC vessel Endurance May 20 at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, May 20, 2018

    Commentary

    Military Mobility Returns to the Forefront in Europe

    The importance of military mobility has returned only recently to the international high-level agenda, specifically NATO and the European Union. The EU is expected to tackle the issue of military mobility during a European Council meeting in late June, and NATO will convene a summit in July.

    Jun 25, 2018

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Are They Living Healthy? How Well Are Soldiers Taking Care of Themselves

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. This infographic reports key findings across the Army.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Are They Living Healthy? How Well Are Coast Guardsmen Taking Care of Themselves

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. This infographic reports key findings across the Coast Guard.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Are They Living Healthy? How Well Are Sailors Taking Care of Themselves

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. This infographic reports key findings across the Navy.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Are They Living Healthy? How Well Are Marines Taking Care of Themselves

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. This infographic reports key findings across the Marine Corps.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Infographic

    Infographic

    Are They Living Healthy? How Well Are Service Members Taking Care of Themselves

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey sought information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. This infographic reports key findings across the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Cmdr. Jennifer Wallinger, a dietitian at Naval Hospital Jacksonville, recommends healthy food and beverage choices to a patient, December 9, 2016

    Report

    How Healthy Are U.S. Service Members?

    The DoD's Health Related Behaviors Survey asks about health and well-being issues that can affect force readiness. Results from the 2015 survey suggest that certain groups of service members warrant targeted intervention to prevent negative health outcomes and improve behaviors.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • U.S. Airmen play basketball at Shaw Air Force Base

    Research Brief

    Findings of the Health Related Behaviors Survey

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey collected information on the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of active-duty service members. A summary lists the key findings by topic, such as substance use or mental health, and describes policy implications.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

    Research Brief

    Deployment Experiences and Health Among U.S. Active-Duty Service Members

    The 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey asked active-duty service members about the frequency and duration of deployments, their levels of exposure to combat-related experiences, the prevalence of deployment-related injuries and substance use, and deployment-related mental and physical health.

    Jun 21, 2018

  • Report

    Report

    Force Presentation in U.S. Air Force History and Airpower Narratives

    USAF leaders are concerned that their force presentation construct is lacking. This report presents historical analysis and recommendations to inform USAF deliberations regarding future force presentation constructs.

    May 7, 2018

  • Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reviews the honor guard before a meeting with Japan Self-Defense Force's senior members at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, Japan, September 11, 2017

    Commentary

    Revising Japan's Peace Constitution: Much Ado About Nothing

    Despite Abe’s legislative majority, it is unclear whether he has enough political capital to convince the public of the need for a constitutional revision on the Self-Defense Force. Japan’s security policies are heavily constrained by legal and normative constraints and Abe’s plan would likely do little more than codify the status quo.

    Mar 21, 2018

  • U.S. Army soldiers in an exercise on Udari Range Complex near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, that better prepares them to certify for future deployments, November 2017

    Report

    How Does Deployment Experience Compare Across the Services?

    Deployments are a key aspect of U.S. military service. Since 9/11, 2.77 million service members have served on 5.4 million deployments. Accrued time deployed is a relevant metric for measuring military experience, but also for measuring service member and family well-being.

    Mar 6, 2018

  • An M1A1 Abrams tank from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division rolls out of a motor pool during a convoy operation during exercise Allied Spirit VIII at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, Jan. 25, 2018

    Commentary

    Why Military Mobility Should Be at the Top of NATO's Agenda

    Improving military mobility in Europe has recently gathered momentum. But due to the complexity of the issue, it remains to be seen what specific progress will be made by the NATO summit in July. The same goes for how new EU initiatives will complement NATO requirements.

    Feb 26, 2018

  • An AH-64 Apache attack helicopter takes off near soldiers participating in a training exercise at Grafenwoehr, Germany, November 18, 2017

    Report

    How Does U.S. Military Presence Affect Conflict?

    A large U.S. regional troop presence may reduce the likelihood of interstate conflict. But it doesn't appear to reduce the risk of intrastate conflict. And there's an important trade-off: U.S. military presence may increase interstate militarized activities short of war.

    Feb 15, 2018

  • Report

    Report

    Estimating Air Force Deployment Requirements for Lean Force Packages: A Methodology and Decision Support Tool Prototype

    This report describes a methodology and prototype tool -- the Lean Strategic Tool for the Analysis of Required Transportation (Lean-START) -- that can explore trade-offs among capability (or risk), speed, and cost to create force packages for deployment.

    Nov 15, 2017

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