Issue Brief Feedback: Our “Un-Joint” Joint Staff

There’s been lots of early feedback about my September 22 issue brief arguing that the All-Volunteer Force is becoming unaffordable. One especially interesting insight comes from a seasoned Pentagon insider, who observes the Joint Staff is so dominated by representatives of the ground forces that people-heavy approaches to problems almost always prevail. The insider notes that Army and Marine Corps representatives have dominated the Joint Staff for the last three years, and those services typically get more money when the department pursues labor-intensive strategies. So part of the reason personnel costs are out of control is that the Pentagon is neglecting technology in dealing with irregular warfare, always opting for more “boots on the ground.”