Lightning Rod. Time for a New Space Force. The Sooner the Better

摘要

There continues to be a disturbing disconnect in organizational management of Space-smart personnel that a separate force could potentially remedy. High-level consolidation of separate ongoing service analyses needs to be made before the DoD spends huge amounts of resources on the Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force Space cadre solutions. Better partnering is not enough. To overcome the budgetary issues, collective resources should be combined and consolidated into one new organization. Research, experience and common sense all increasingly point to a direct relationship between an organization's success and its commitment to management practices that treat people as assets. However, current trends in military management practices that are particularly evident when it comes to the Space cadre are actually moving away from these principles. Drawing on extensive empirical research, an irrefutable business case can be made that the culture and capabilities of an organization derived from the way it manages its people are the real and enduring sources of competitive advantages. And competitive advantages when coupled with commonsense rather than pure technology can save lives, win battles and even turn the tide in wartime. Commanders today must begin to take seriously the often heard, yet frequently ignored, adage that people are the most important asset in any organization. Further, leadership should keep as a goal providing incentives to the people with Space experience and expertise when contemplating future Space and Space cadre reorganization. The foundation for a potential separate Space cadre has been emerging for several years. The compelling argument that requires organizational change sooner rather than later can be made today. The claimed desire for an organization that values people and their skills and experience could make a significant difference in the formulation of a separate Space force.