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Rack RA – Readiness Frameworks & Strategies
Aisle R – Readiness
Library: Main Page — Professional Development (A) — Defense Enterprise (E) — Force Structure (F) — Modernization (M) — Personnel (P) — Readiness (R) — Special Enterprises (S) — Resource Management (X) — References (Z)
Readiness (R): Readiness Strategies (RA) — Defense Service Contracts (RC) — Force Equipping & Sustaining (RE) — Force Generation (RG) — Force Integration (RI) — National Mobilization (RN) — Organic Industrial Base (RO) — Power Projection (RP) — Readiness Reporting (RR) — Defense Sustainment (RS)
Disclaimer: The inclusion of resources here is for informational, historical, and research purposes only and is provided as a service for US Army War College faculty, students, and graduates to support their educational and professional requirements. These may include outdated or superseded materials. The inclusion of these materials does not constitute endorsement by the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
This rack addresses the definition of readiness from DoD and the service perspectives. It is less about the tools of readiness, which will appear in other racks, but the concept of readiness itself. Each service is provided a shelf for its unique strategies and requirements.
This shelf provides general resources about the definition of military readiness and its relationships with national preparedness. It also provides resources on matters of comprehensive oversight on readiness by external agencies.
Faculty Publications:
- Crane, Con C., Michael E. Lynch, and Shane P. Reilly. Riding the Hydra: How the Army Enterprise Went to War 2001-2007 (Carlisle, PA: U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, 2022), https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1124719.pdf
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- DoD Instruction 3000.18, Strategic Readiness, November 2023.
- DoD Directive 5149.2, Senior Readiness Oversight Council, July 23, 2002.
- CJCS Guide 3401D, CJCS Guide to the Chairman’s Readiness System, 2010.
- DiVittorio, E. M. “Strategic Readiness Core Dimensions,” memorandum from Office of the Secretary of Defense (Personnel & readiness), no date.
- Also see ES.JS, Joint Strategic Planning System in the ES – Strategic Planning rack.
Strategies and Reports:
- <Name redacted>, The Fundamentals of Military Readiness, Report #R46559 (Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2020).
- Department of Defense, Preserving Our Competitive Advantage: Personnel and Readiness Strategy for 2030 (Washington, DC: Department of Defense, 2020).
- Rumbaugh, Russell, Defining Readiness: Background and Issues for Congress, Report #R44867 (Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, 2017).
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Harrison, Todd. “Rethinking Readiness,” Strategic Studies Quarterly 8, no. 3 (Fall 2014): 38-68.
- Sukman, Daniel. “Military Readiness: Thinking About the Three Big Questions,” Real Clear Defense, July 3, 2019, https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2019/07/03/military_readiness_thinking_about_the_three_big_questions.html#:~:text=Three%20Questions,a%20comprehensive%20understanding%20of%20readiness.
This shelf contains Army readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- Army Regulation 525-30, Army Strategic and Operational Readiness, 2020.
- As Army Strategic Readiness, 2014.
- Army, memorandum from Chief of Staff, “Army Readiness Guidance, Calendar Year 2016-17,” January 20, 2016.
Strategies and Reports:
- Feickert, Andrew. “The Army’s New Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model,” Report #IF11670, Congressional Research Service, October 22, 2020.
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Ham, Carter. “A U.S.-Based Army Can’t Get tot he Fight Fast Enough,” DefenseOne, March 3, 2017, https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2017/03/us-based-army-cant-get-fight-fast-enough/135872/
- Wetzel, Tyson. “Dynamic Force Employment: A Vital Tool in Winning Strategic Global Competitions,” Real Clear Defense, September 18, 2018, https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/09/18/dynamic_force_employment_a_vital_tool_in_winning_strategic_global_competitions_113809.html
This shelf contains Air Force readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- None.
Strategies and Reports:
- Government Accountability Office, AIR FORCE READINESS: Actions Needed to Rebuild Readiness and Prepare for the Future, Report #GAO-19-120T (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2019).
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Freedberg Jr., Sydney J. “Air Force to Train ‘Lead Wings’ for Major Wars; First Test Next Month,” Breaking Defense, September 15, 2020, https://breakingdefense.com/2020/09/air-force-to-train-lead-wings-for-major-wars-first-test-next-month/
- Tirpak, John A. “Leaders to Tackle Revamp of Air and Space Expeditionary Force at Corona,” Air Force Times, June 1, 2020, https://www.airforcemag.com/leaders-to-tackle-revamp-of-air-and-space-expeditionary-force-at-corona/
- Underwood, Kimberly. “Moving Forward with Agile Combat,” Signal, June 18, 2020, https://www.afcea.org/content/moving-forward-agile-combat
This shelf contains Marine Corps readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- None.
Strategies and Reports:
- None.
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Kozlowski, Robert. “Fully Integrate America’s Naval Force,” Proceedings 146, no. 1 (January 2020), https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/january/fully-integrate-americas-naval-force
- Rohlfing, Matthew, Jonathan Frerichs, and Mark Nostro, “To Be Most Ready When the Nation is Least Ready, the Marines Need a New Headquarters,” War on the Rocks, January 27, 2020, https://warontherocks.com/2020/01/to-be-most-ready-when-the-nation-is-least-ready-the-marines-need-a-new-headquarters/
This shelf contains Navy readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- None.
Strategies and Reports:
- Navy, “Readiness Reform Oversight Committee: One Year Later,” Navy Live (official blog of the U.S. Navy), February 26, 2019,
- St. Laurent, Janet A., MILITARY READINESS Navy Is Making Progress Implementing Its Fleet Response Plan, but Has Not Fully Developed Goals, Measures, and Resource Needs, Report #GAO-08-264 (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2008).
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Larter, David B., “Is the US Navy Winning the War on Maintenance Delays?” DefenseNews, September 19, 2020, https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/09/19/is-the-us-navy-winning-the-war-on-maintenance/
- Larter, David B., “The US Navy’s Vaunted Deplotment Plan is Showing Cracks Everywhere,” DefenseNews, February 7, 2020, https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/02/07/the-us-navys-vaunted-deployment-plan-is-showing-cracks-everywhere/
- U.S. Naval Institute, “DoD Investigation into Military Sealift Readiness,” USNI News, January 28, 2020, https://news.usni.org/2020/01/28/dod-investigation-into-military-sealift-readiness
This shelf contains Army readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- None.
Strategies and Reports:
- Office of the Chief, Army Reserve, memorandum to U.S. Army Chief of Staff, “Readiness of the United States Army Reserve,” December 20, 2004.
- St. Laurent, Janet A., RESERVE FORCES: Army National Guard and Army Reserve Readiness for 21st Century Challenges, statement to the Commission on National Guard and Reserves, Report #GAO-06-1109T (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2006).
- St. Laurent, Janet A., HOMELAND SECURITY: Enhanced National Guard Readiness for Civil Support Missions May Depend on DOD’s Implementation of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, Report #GAO-08-311 (Washington, DC: Government Accountability Office, 2008).
- Schnaubelt, Christopher A., et al. Sustaining the Army’s Reserve Components as an Operational Force (Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2017), https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1495.html
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Carafano, James J., “Military Readiness and the National Guard: A Crisis in the Making?” The Heritage Foundation, June 5, 2006, https://www.heritage.org/defense/report/military-readiness-and-the-national-guard-crisis-the-making
- South, Todd. “Report: Here’s how to get reserve units into the fight faster,” ArmyTimes, May 30, 2019, https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/05/30/report-heres-how-to-get-reserve-units-into-the-fight-faster/
This shelf contains Space Force readiness strategies and general commentaries pertaining to their quality or effectiveness.
Faculty Publications:
- None.
Laws, Policies, Memos, and Regulations (sorted by regulation number):
- None.
Strategies and Reports:
- U.S. Space Command Public Affairs, “One Year Later, U.S. Space Command is Protecting, Defense the Space Domain,” U.S. Space Command, August 31, 2020.
- U.S. Space Command Public Affairs, “USSPACECOM campaign plan, new mission focus on defeating adversaries,” U.S. Space Command, May 20, 2020.
Commentaries (inclusion does not represent endorsement):
- Albertson, Mark. “US Space Force Guards Against Cybersecurity Threats Miles Above Earth,” theCube (blog), October 6, 2020, https://siliconangle.com/2020/10/06/us-space-force-guards-against-cybersecurity-threats-miles-above-earth-spacecybersecurity/
- Trevithick, Joseph. “Work Begins On Starlink-Like Constellation Of Small Hypersonic Missile-Tracking Satellites,” The WarZone, October 6, 2020, https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/36909/work-begins-on-starlink-like-constellation-of-small-hypersonic-missile-tracking-satellites
Title image credit: Paolo Bovo, U.S. Army photo, public domain.
Readiness (R): Readiness Strategies (RA) — Defense Service Contracts (RC) — Force Equipping & Sustaining (RE) — Force Generation (RG) — Force Integration (RI) — National Mobilization (RN) — Organic Industrial Base (RO) — Power Projection (RP) — Readiness Reporting (RR) — Defense Sustainment (RS)
Library: Main Page — Professional Development (A) — Defense Enterprise (E) — Force Structure (F) — Modernization (M) — Personnel (P) — Readiness (R) — Special Enterprises (S) — Resource Management (X) — References (Z)