Changing U S Military Manpower Realities

Manpower—qualified, experienced, and in adequate supply—is considered by many to be the keystone of the U.S. capability to deter or wage war. But can the all-volunteer force (AVF) continue to attract and retain the quantity and quality of active and reserve forces required to meet the security needs of the nation? The contributors to this collectio

This book presents recent research on major manpower issues, including recruitment problems, the military family, the role of women, racial problems, economic concerns, and the concept of the citizen-soldier. It explores hitherto underresearched issues concerning U.S. military manpower.

The seminars which were the genesis of this volume were designed to identify and address some of the evolving issues which appear to have significant implications for the security of the United States. This volume contains the papers on which we based our seminar deliberations and a summary of our discussions of the issues. Topics covered include: New Dimensions of Soviet Foreign Policy; Managing US-China Relations; The Global Impact of Energy on US Security Interests and Commitments; The Growing Importance of Economics--Can the United States manage this phenomenon? Changing Military Manpower Realities--Implications for the next decade; The Citizen Soldier and National Service; Perceptions of American Power; and Implications for US Policymakers.

The U.S. military has been continuously engaged in foreign conflicts for over two decades. The strains that these deployments, the associated increases in operational tempo, and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the people who depend on them and who support them as they support the nation â€" their families. Family members provide support to service members while they serve or when they have difficulties; family problems can interfere with the ability of service members to deploy or remain in theater; and family members are central influences on whether members continue to serve. In addition, rising family diversity and complexity will likely increase the difficulty of creating military policies, programs and practices that adequately support families in the performance of military duties. Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society examines the challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families, as well as lessons to be learned from these experiences. This report offers recommendations regarding what is needed to strengthen the support system for military families.

Explaining America's rise as a global military power challenges the methodologies of military history. This volume looks beyond the major conflicts covered elsewhere in the Library to explore the operational, conceptual, technological and cultural forces that shaped the United States military after the American Civil War. Individual articles reflect the wide range of topics and approaches that contribute to the growing understanding of the American military and its relationship with its parent society.

This paper focuses on the formulation of doctrine since World War II. In no comparable period in history have the dimensions of the battlefield been so altered by rapid technological changes. The need for the tactical doctrines of the Army to remain correspondingly abreast of these changes is thus more pressing than ever before. Future conflicts are not likely to develop in the leisurely fashions of the past where tactical doctrines could be refined on the battlefield itself. It is, therefore, imperative that we apprehend future problems with as much accuracy as possible. One means of doing so is to pay particular attention to the business of how the Army's doctrine has developed historically, with a view to improving methods of future development.

In the nearly two decades since the Nixon administration decided to withraw U.S. armed forces from Vietnam and to end their dependence on conscription, America's military institution has undergone substantial changes. Binkin and Kaufmann address a central question amongst all these changes: How has greater reliance on Army reserves affected the nation's ability to protect its security?