Are the Department of Defense Outsourcing Efforts Smart Business for Military Operations and the Operational Commander

摘要

This paper examines outsourcing and its potential impact on the operational commander. The author attempts to show the reader that outsourcing may not be in the best interest of either the operational commander or the Department of Defense (DoD). Additionally, the author makes an assertion that outsourcing may not be producing the vast returns that DoD has touted over recent years. In the eyes of the author, outsourcing simply moves funds from one account to another in order to pay contractors for the same services previously performed by military members or government civilians. This paper advocates that by outsourcing services, the government ultimately surrenders a significant amount of control over DoD operations. American corporations (to include the powerful small business Political Action Committees or PACs) vigorously lobby members of congress to open up DoD jobs for outsourcing. DoD obliges congress by continuing to outsource military services which in-turn shifts significant control over to DoD contracting officers and away from commanding officers. Is this smart business for the operation commander.