Operations Order 1-97 (Operation Bold Leap)

摘要

The United States military is facing increased political pressure to adjustitself to the emerging realities of a post-Cold War world while trying to recapitalize within flat defense budgets. Internationally, while dangers abound, serious threats to the homeland or our vital interests remain vague. Domestic priorities such as budget balancing and entitlement programs have not only eclipsed a needed national debate on defense, but made continued economic growth increasingly a matter of national security if; for no other reason, for the tough choices between defense and baby boomer pensions it permits us to avoid. Nowhere are all these pressures more evident than in the Army, the one service that has seen its operational mission load increase over 300% since 1989 while its budget has dropped 40% in real terms. In this report LTC McClure argues in a novel format, an adapted operations order, that the Army should downsize more now, muster resources, and 'skip' a generation to the weapons, equipment and organizations needed to confront America's next near peer land power competitor beyond 2010.