Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Protecting Ace: Air Defense And Agile Combat Employment, Ian D. Richardson

Joint Force Quarterly

The U.S. Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept was created to counter anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) threats through dispersed, short-duration operations. While ACE enhances survivability and complicates adversary targeting, it lacks sufficient ground-based air defense against long-range missile and drone threats. This article identifies a critical gap in ACE's protection strategy and proposes integrating Army maneuver short-range air defense (M-SHORAD) units, particularly from multidomain task forces (MDTFs), to provide mobile, layered air defense for ACE sites. This approach aligns with ACE’s need for flexibility and rapid mobility. Three potential solutions are explored: expanding Air Force air defense capabilities, improving joint …

Defusing Weaponized Interdependence: A New Approach To Measuring Country Reliability, Michael F. Harsch, Shaun Lee

Joint Force Quarterly

Eisenhower School faculty members Michael Harsch and Shaun Lee have developed an interesting analysis method for assessing the willingness of one nation to partner with another. This article explores how growing geopolitical risks are challenging the way countries manage global trade and supply chains. Relying solely on economic efficiency and comparative advantage is no longer enough to protect critical industries from disruption. At the same time, bringing all supply chains back to the United States is often too expensive or unrealistic due to limited domestic resources and infrastructure. As a solution, the authors highlight friend-shoring—working with trusted partner countries—as a …

Solving The Crisis: A Partnership Approach For Safe, Affordable Military Housing, Michael Kittrell, Michael Borders

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the critical housing shortage at Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) and proposes a collaborative, community-driven approach to solving the crisis. It highlights the structural issues behind the shortage—ranging from military retention challenges to nationwide housing market pressures—and details the strategic formation of the “House Hunters” team to develop innovative, interim solutions. The authors advocate for leveraging intergovernmental partnerships and public-private initiatives, such as apartment leases and university collaborations, to address dormitory deficits ahead of delayed military construction. The article calls for bold policy changes and agile financing strategies to ensure safe, affordable housing for military personnel in …

America Needs Bold, Visionary, And Strategic Joint Force Leaders, James W. Browning

Joint Force Quarterly

Suggesting we look at how we teach leadership to the joint force, James Browning asserts that we must produce future leaders who are both bold and visionary. Today’s dangerous world demands joint force, DOD, and industrial-based leaders capable of shaping events rather than reacting to them. An effective visionary strategic joint force leader and thinker requires continuous learning, growth, and enhanced cognitive and social horsepower. Developing and executing robust PME curricula and learning programs incorporating these recommendations will prepare joint force leaders to lead effectively at the senior level and have the courage and confidence to make the bold decisions …

Obstacles To Integrating Deterrence, Jeffrey A. Larsen, James J. Wirtz

Joint Force Quarterly

This article calls for a strategic shift in how the United States addresses today’s security threats—ranging from peer nuclear adversaries to disruptive emerging technologies. Emphasizing that integrated deterrence must extend beyond the military, the authors advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach. They argue that success hinges on developing a national strategy, designating senior leadership, fostering interagency and allied collaboration, and engaging the public through education. There are considerable challenges, but they are not insurmountable.

A New Step In China’S Military Reform, Joel Wuthnow

Joint Force Quarterly

Joel Wuthnow, a senior research fellow in NDU’s Institute of National Strategic Studies, discusses the current state of military reform in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In April 2024, Xi Jinping launched a sweeping military reorganization aimed at enhancing the PLA's ability to achieve information dominance and conduct integrated joint operations. The reform dismantled the Strategic Support Force, introduced a new Information Support Force (ISF), and placed key support elements under Xi’s direct control—marking the PLA’s most significant structural change in five years. Motivated in part by lessons from Russia’s failures in Ukraine, the changes aim to boost PLA readiness …

Executive Summary, William T. Eliason

Joint Force Quarterly

Effective communication is essential to joint warfighting success, yet even basic tasks—like radio reprogramming—can fail without proper training and leadership. Editor in Chief William T. Eliason emphasizes the life-saving importance of communication and the need to instill such skills at every level of the force. He adds a tribute to Dr. John Church’s editorial and visual contributions to JFQ and gives an update on the temporary pause of the annual essay competitions due to logistical constraints. This issue of Joint Force Quarterly features timely analyses on China’s military reform, the challenges of integrated deterrence, visionary leadership development, and solutions to …

Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 117, 2nd Quarter 2025, National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly

Joint Force Quarterly 117 centers on the urgent call for bold, visionary leadership within the U.S. Joint Force. Highlighting challenges such as integrated deterrence, alternative manning strategies, and China’s military reforms, this issue provides strategic insights for future readiness. It features forward-leaning proposals on air defense, military housing, and medical innovation, alongside historical case studies from Okinawa and Leyte. Book reviews and expert commentary further enrich the discourse on contemporary military leadership and strategy.

Navigating Modernity: Political And Economic Shifts In The Nineteenth Cenutry, Austin Delsontro, Andrew Cox

Chronicles: Journal Of History

No abstract provided.

New Zealand Security Agencies’ Secrecy, Accountability, And Transparency In The Modern Era, Ben Amata

Secrecy and Society

New Zealand’s security agencies need to balance conflicting missions of secrecy, accountability, and transparency in conducting national security government operations. Citizens expect protection without violating their liberties and for security agencies to act effectively and legally. From public revelations about the agencies and government reform efforts, the agencies evolved from almost total secrecy to greater accountability and transparency since World War II. This study employs a historical methodology, which examines primary source documents to reveal the history of secret behavior and to reform the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Security Bureau.

Deconstructing The Afd: An Analysis Of The German Right-Wing Populist Political Party, The Alternative For Germany (Vchc Poster), Elizabeth A. Breckenridge

Research and Creativity Symposium

The Alternativ für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) (AfD) is a far-right populist party that has quickly grown in power within the past decade, particularly in Eastern German states, due to its emphasis on nationalization, populist rhetoric, and attraction to voters’ fears about immigration and cultural change. The AfD has managed to mobilize strong voting support within five years, gaining parliamentary seats in the Bundestag (Federal Parliament) in 2017, and is now considered the main opposition party to the established parties. The AfD is the first right-wing party to gain significant voting attention since 1945, capitalizing on the rise of right-wing …

Piecing Together The Past: Documenting The Philanthropic History Of Lincoln’S Arts And Culture, Audrey L. Ellis

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This project explores the creation of a book chapter discussing the history of philanthropy in Lincoln, Nebraska, focusing on its impact on arts and culture. The chapter will be published in Fall 2025 by the Lincoln Community Foundation. By documenting philanthropy in the arts and culture spaces, this book and chapter hope to inspire further giving by showcasing the benefit that has been reaped through giving. Through research of public records and a series of interviews, this chapter examines Lincoln’s key donors and arts organizations from the mid-19th century to the present. This project explores the process and key takeaways …

Katharine Drexel And The Sisters Who Shared Her Vision, Annie Huey

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Laboratories Of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call From Behind The Lines, Neal Allen, Philip Pfeiffer

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of God's Resistance: Mobilizing Faith To Defend Immigrants, Anna Peterson

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Making A Way Out Of No Way, Walter W. Hill Jr.

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

New Cold War, New Anti-Nuclear Activism (Webinar), - Kroc Institute For International Peace Studies

The Journal of Social Encounters

The nuclear freeze movement of the early 1980s demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to influence national defense and security policy at the height of the Cold War. Today, the world is threatened by a new global arms race as the United States, Russia, China, and other nuclear weapons states are rebuilding and enhancing their arsenals, including new missile deployments. In the face of worsening nuclear dangers, grassroots movements are once again advocating for nuclear disarmament and justice.

This webinar, which took place February 11, 2025 discussed the efforts and impact of local government officials, religious leaders, and international networks …

Peter Maurin As The New St. Benedict: A Review Essay, William J. Collinge

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Toward Integral Security: How Environmental Protection Was Incorporated Into The United Nations System And Why It Matters Today And Tomorrow, Patricia M. Mische

The Journal of Social Encounters

How did the United Nations - an international organization built on 19^th century worldviews and state-centric structures, integrate 21^st century challenges of environmental protection into its mission and programs? The UN Charter includes no mandate for environmental protection. Ecological integrity was not included in the scope of peace and security held by member states when they ratified the UN Charter. Yet, despite this and other historical, philosophical and structural limitations, the UN became the leading body for the development of global environmental policy.

The Delegation Discovering ‘Palestinianity’, Dianne Kirby

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Monastic-Muslim Dialogue, William Skudlarek Osb

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Essay: Ibn Khaldun On Sufism, Eslam Elbahlawan

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

By All Means Available: Memoirs Of A Life In Intelligence, Special Operations, And Strategy, Todd Greentree

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Todd Greentree examines By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy by Michael G. Vickers, who Greentree views as an exemplar of strategic leadership for current and future leaders.

Parameters Spring 2025, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Spring 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Russia, Ukraine, and NATO; Strategic Competition and Managing National Security; and Joint Sustainment Strategies), the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment, and a review essay.

Ukraine’S Not-So-Whole-Of-Society At War: Force Generation In Modern Developed Societies, Ilmari Käihkö, Jan Willem Honig

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This article argues that Ukraine offers a cautionary tale regarding the two main modern models of force generation. Neither the professional high-tech war model, favored by Western militaries, nor the whole-of-society war approach, said to have saved Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, proved successful formulas for Ukraine. Considering that Ukraine is fighting for survival, with Russian forces inside the country, the failure of both models in action has serious implications for NATO member states as they deliberate their choices regarding future force generation.

Measuring Interoperability Within Nato: Adapted Off-The-Shelf Or Bespoke Solution?, John R. Deni, Matthew R. Macleod, Sarah E. Stewart, Katherine M. Banko, Adrian Jones

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Despite decades of work on interoperability, NATO Allies cannot measure, assess, and build upon it fully and accurately. The lack of agreed formats or standards for collection, management, and the communication of findings have prevented the Allies from developing common interoperability measurement and assessment tools. Nonetheless, NATO could adopt extant standards, methodologies, processes, or tools to achieve its interoperability objectives. Testing this notion through use cases, the authors identify practical and conceptual hurdles to adopting an off-the-shelf solution. They conclude that the Alliance may need to create assessment standards, methodologies, processes, and tools from scratch, despite the difficulties of doing …

Public Memory Through Memorialization, Sophie A. O'Brien

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This research project aims to contextualize the story surrounding various Nashville monuments that memorialize civil rights leaders. This project will explore the history of monuments and road names in Nashville. The history will span from the Confederacy to the civil rights movement and examine how public memory has evolved and changed with the removal of some statues and the changing of road names. It aims to show who we choose to memorialize and why, and how the civil rights leaders we choose to remember reflects public sentiment of the civil rights era.

Researching The U.S. Senate Presidential Nominee Confirmation Process, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

The beginning of 2025 has seen renewed public attention and emphasis on the constitutionally mandated U.S. Senate confirmation process. This stems from the beginning of the second Trump Administration as its nominees navigate this process. The presentation provides historical background on this process, demonstrates what nominees, Senate oversight committees, and the full Senate in administering this process and enables readers to find out how to access information resources documenting this process. The confirmation process continues throughout presidential administrations and may involve little public attention and controversy or acute public attention and controversy. The contrasting 2025 confirmation experiences of Secretary of …

The Future Of Stealth Military Doctrine, Theodoros G. Kostis

Joint Force Quarterly

In this article, Theodoros G. Kostis examines the evolution and future trajectory of stealth technology in military operations. Traditionally, stealth doctrine has focused on reducing radar cross-section (RCS) to evade detection, as seen in fifth-generation aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. However, these platforms face limitations against modern integrated air defense systems. To address this, future stealth strategies will integrate artificial intelligence (AI), swarm tactics, and miniaturization of platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones. Kostis proposes the SiVSMD (Stand-In Variable Speed Multiple-Domain) Offensive Concept, which uses AI-driven, small, flexible platforms to penetrate heavily defended areas with …

Weapons In Space: Technology, Politics, And The Rise And Fall Of The Strategic Defense Initiative, Todd W. Pennington

Joint Force Quarterly

Aaron Bateman's Weapons in Space: Technology, Politics, and the Rise and Fall of the Strategic Defense Initiative provides a comprehensive history of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), revealing its technological, political, and international complexities through newly declassified records. Bateman explores SDI’s origins, rooted in President Reagan’s vision to neutralize nuclear threats, and examines the challenges posed by its reliance on space-based technologies that blurred the line between missile defense and offensive space weapons. The book details the entanglement of SDI with arms control efforts, European allies’ concerns over space militarization, and logistical hurdles like the reliance on NASA’s shuttle program. …