Walking the Walk The Final Step to Full Implementation of Goldwater- Nichols

摘要

Joint operations is central to the way the United States employs its armed forces. The structure is a complicated and dynamic rubric that requires U.S. military Services to set aside their self-interests and concentrate on executing military strategy through a unified effort in support of the requirements expressed by the combatant commanders (CINCs). This is the framework Congress envisioned when it passed the Goldwater-Nichols Act (GNA) of 1986. Although vast improvements in unifying the Services have been achieved, many believe that, Parochialism, not cooperation, remains the watchword despite the common deference to jointness. Consequently, Congress has exhausted its patience with Service rivalries and wants to generate more jointness. This author contends that if Congress truly intends the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) to be lead agent with full responsibility for compliance, then the position must be awarded Supreme Command (SUCOM) over the Armed Forces. This action will provide the CJCS the direct authority he needs to compel the CINCs and Services to take the final step full implementation of the GNA.