To a large degree, DoD’s organization, processes, and workforce have all been inherited from a time when the United States faced a unique threat from the Soviet Union. Today, this singular threat has been replaced by a series of distributed and complex threats (to include failed and failing states, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and growing threats from global terrorist organizations) that have proven far more difficult to satisfactorily address. This volatile international security environment makes it difficult to project, with any level of confidence, the specific threats that the nation may face, even a short time from now. Furthermore, additional environmental considerations such as rapidly changing technology, a wide array of new military operations, significant budgetary pressure, and many legislative and regulatory changes, all serve as added factors impacting the state of DoD acquisition and the members of its workforce.
School Authors: William Lucyshyn