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United States Department of Defense

Commercial Book

Commercial Book

Leap of Faith: Hubris, Negligence, and America's Greatest Foreign Policy Tragedy

The dramatic insider account of why we invaded Iraq, the motivations that drove it, and the frustrations of those who tried and failed to stop it, leading to the most costly misadventure in US history.

Sep 17, 2019
Report

Report

Improving Army Installation Facility and Land Use Deals and Partnerships

This report assesses Army installation real estate and facility sharing deals and partnership approaches, such as large-scale leasing, and provides recommendations to improve installation use of these approaches to increase benefits and save costs.

Sep 16, 2019
Report

Report

Manpower Alternatives to Enhance Total Force Capabilities: Could New Forms of Reserve Service Help Alleviate Military Shortfalls?

Changes in employment stability, family structure, and economic pressures have created challenges for the U.S. military reserve component. Modifying assumptions about Reserve duty can improve recruitment, performance, development, and retention.

Sep 11, 2019
Research Brief

Quality Matters in Mental Health Care for Veterans

High-quality mental health care is treatment that has been proven effective and is safe, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. Veterans who receive such care are much more likely to improve and recover. Ensuring that they get the care they need also helps their families.

Sep 9, 2019
Report

Report

Improving DoD's Weapon System Support Program: A Critical Readiness Driver Approach

The readiness and sustainability of weapon systems is a key factor in defense. The Weapon System Support Program prioritizes system parts, but performance is lacking. RAND examines program effectiveness and gives recommendations for the future.

Aug 29, 2019
Research Brief

Research Brief

Assessing the Use of Data Analytics in Department of Defense Acquisition

This research brief addresses congressional concerns about the use of data analysis, measurement, and other evaluation-related methods in U.S. Department of Defense acquisition programs and decisionmaking.

Aug 13, 2019
Report

Report

Assessing Department of Defense Use of Data Analytics and Enabling Data Management to Improve Acquisition Outcomes

Congress asked about acquisition data analytics in the Department of Defense. This report identifies and measures capabilities and recent progress. Barriers to improvement include a culture against data sharing due to security and burden concerns.

Aug 13, 2019
Report

Continuous Evaluation Approaches for Insider Threats

Insiders could cause harm to the United States, maliciously or unintentionally. This threat isn't new, but it's likely to increase in the near term. Continuous evaluation approaches to detecting insider threats could be more effective and less costly than the current security clearance system.

Aug 5, 2019
Report

Report

Producing Joint Qualified Officers: FY 2008 to FY 2017 Trends

RAND assesses production of joint qualified officers by examining trends in achieving educational requirements and accomplishing joint assignments. The information presented serves as a baseline to assess policy change, impact, and future direction.

Jul 30, 2019
Commentary

Here's What an AI Code of Conduct for the Pentagon Might Look Like

Advocates want a code of conduct for how artificial intelligence will be used and oversight to ensure it is being followed. DoD could identify areas where it might use AI in the foreseeable future and set rules and guidelines for business uses, non-lethal military uses, and lethal uses.

Jun 24, 2019
Report

Report

An Assessment of Gaps in Business Acumen and Knowledge of Industry Within the Defense Acquisition Workforce: A Report Prepared for the U.S. Department of Defense in Compliance with Section 843(c) of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act

RAND researchers assessed gaps in business acumen and knowledge of industry present within the defense acquisition workforce. They identified apparent knowledge gaps, possible reasons for their existence, and potential approaches to closing them.

May 28, 2019
Report

Service Member Separation: Updating the DD Form 214

This report offers suggestions for updating DD Form 214, which is used to characterize separating servicemembers' service, military history, and the reasons for separation, for electronic delivery.

May 14, 2019
Commentary

Getting to Know the Competition

Americans are facing a new reality in global great power relations that will define the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Understanding China's threat perceptions, while remaining clear-eyed regarding differences in objectives, is essential to developing strategies to deter conflict.

May 13, 2019
Report

Meeting the Language and Culture Training Needs of U.S. Department of Defense Personnel: An Evaluation of the Language Training Center Program

RAND researchers evaluated the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD's) Language Training Center Program, which partners with institutions of higher education to train DoD personnel in language, culture, and regional area studies.

May 13, 2019
Report

Report

Aligning Incentives in the Transportation Working Capital Fund: Cost Recovery While Retaining Readiness in Military Transportation

Many of U.S. Transportation Command's peacetime movements are crucial preparation for wartime. But some customers think that costs are too high. This report analyzes cost recovery to better align customer peacetime decisions with the wartime mission.

May 2, 2019
Commentary

Overdue Overhaul: Security Clearance Reform in a Decade of Leakers, Spies, and Insider Threats

With the legislative and executive branches seemingly on the same page regarding the need for changes to the security clearance and vetting system, long overdue reform appears to be within reach.

Apr 15, 2019
Announcement

Andrew Marshall, RAND Researcher Who Founded Department of Defense's 'Internal Think-Tank,' Dies at 97

The RAND Corporation notes with profound regret the passing of Andrew W. Marshall, 97, a RAND researcher who went on to serve for more than four decades as director of the Department of Defense's Office of Net Assessment, which contemplates military strategy decades into the future.

Mar 26, 2019
Commentary

Is It Time to Abandon the Term Information Operations?

Operations in the information environment will be a critical part of future joint force operations and should be baked in to those operations as a fully valued tool in commanders' combined arms toolboxes. Reaching that goal will require greater acceptance and understanding of information across the joint force, new structures for information forces, and the evolution of how operations in the information environment are handled within the staff.

Mar 13, 2019
Content

Molly and Mike Landi: Leaving a Legacy

Molly and Mike Landi's history with RAND dates back more than 40 years. They met when she was a librarian in the Washington office, and he was an up-and-coming researcher and new program director. Their $1 million bequest to RAND will endow a special fund for national security research.

Mar 8, 2019
Multimedia

Strategic Rethink: America's Security Deficit

The global security landscape is shifting dramatically. How can the United States protect itself in today's tumultuous world? This video provides an overview of findings from the second volume in RAND's Strategic Rethink series, which recommends a suite of options that could help policymakers ensure that resources remain aligned with strategic demands.

Mar 7, 2019

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RAND Topic:
United States Department of Defense

Topic Synonyms:
Department of Defense

Researcher Spotlight

Michael H. Decker

Senior International/Defense Research Analyst

Mike Decker is a Senior International/Defense Research Analyst. Decker previously served as Director, Marine Forces Programs at RAND. Decker recently served as Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Oversight. During this assignment he received the National Intelligence…
Emma Westerman

Director, Acquisition and Development Program, Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC)

Emma Westerman is director of the Acquisition and Development Program (ADP) for the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC). She is a mathematician who specializes in acquisition, logistics, technology, sustainment, cybersecurity, and lifecycle risk management.

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