Update on DoD Reform Initiative: Where Do We Stand on Specifications and Standards?

摘要

In June of 1994, Secretary of Defense William Perry implemented a program to "increase access to commercial state-of-the-art technology. " Included in this initiative was an instruction to cancel many military specifications and standards, justify the need for retaining specific documents, or adopt non-government standards as replacements for military documents wherever possible. This initiative resulted in a great deal of confusion, misunderstanding, and legitimate concern over how it would be implemented and what the effects would be on current and future military acquisitions. To provide the environmental and reliability test and evaluation communities with a better perspective of what the Perry initiative does and does not entail, the Institute of Environmental Sciences convened an industry/government panel to address these issues at its 1995 Annual Technical Meeting in May of this year. Featured on this panel was Walter Bergmann II, Chairman of the Defense Standards Improvement Council. Mr. Bergmann's comments, updated especially for this issue of the Journal, are presented below.