Winners Of The 2024 Essay Competitions,
2024
National Defense University
Winners Of The 2024 Essay Competitions, National Defense University Press
Joint Force Quarterly
This article announces the winners of the 2024 National Defense University Press essay competitions and highlights the role of joint professional military education in advancing national security research and strategic thought. Twenty-eight faculty judges from 17 professional military education institutions evaluated 97 submissions across three categories: the Secretary of Defense National Security Essay Competition, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Strategic Research Paper Competition, and the Chairman’s Strategy Article Competition. Winning papers addressed contested logistics in a potential conflict with China, changes in the character of war, defense industrial base resilience, blockade strategy, Arctic and European security, nuclear-powered …
Cbrn Defense Readiness Reporting,
2024
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Chemical and Biological Defense
Cbrn Defense Readiness Reporting, Jeffrey A. French-Lujan, Taylor Harrington, Ron Fizer, Domah Diggs
Joint Force Quarterly
This article argues that the Department of Defense lacks a sufficiently standardized system for assessing and reporting chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense readiness across the joint force. Although the Defense Readiness Reporting System provides common measures for personnel, equipment, materiel condition, and training, current CBRN reporting requirements rely too heavily on subjective assessments and can overstate a unit’s actual ability to operate in a contaminated environment. Using the Marine Corps as a case study, the authors show how standardized training and equipment metrics can provide commanders with a more accurate picture of CBRN preparedness and operational risk. They contend …
The Implications Of The New Security Environment On The National Health Systems Enterprise,
2024
King's College London
The Implications Of The New Security Environment On The National Health Systems Enterprise, Martin Charles Bricknell, Derek Licina
Joint Force Quarterly
This article argues that the changing global security environment requires the United States to treat the military health system and the broader national health systems enterprise as strategic national capabilities rather than primarily as peacetime healthcare services. Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and growing risks of large-scale conflict, the authors contend that future crises could produce military and civilian casualty levels that exceed the capacity of existing military medical systems. They emphasize the need for military health services to operate as part of an integrated civil-military health system capable of supporting deployed forces, receiving …
The Key To Arctic Dominance: Establishing An Arctic-Focused Subordinate Unified Command,
2024
Massachusetts Army National Guard
The Key To Arctic Dominance: Establishing An Arctic-Focused Subordinate Unified Command, Joseph R. Blume, Nathan L. Golike, Geoffrey R. Latimer, Michael Stanski
Joint Force Quarterly
This article argues that the United States should establish an Arctic-focused subordinate unified command under U.S. Northern Command to improve unity of command, resource management, and coordination in a region of growing strategic importance. The authors contend that current responsibility for Arctic operations, divided among U.S. Northern Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, complicates command and control and weakens unity of effort. They trace how reduced sea ice, expanding shipping and resource access, Russia’s military modernization, and China’s growing Arctic activity are increasing competition and security demands in the region. After comparing subordinate unified commands, joint task forces, …
Executive Summary,
2024
National Defense University Press
Executive Summary, William T. Eliason
Joint Force Quarterly
This executive summary introduces Joint Force Quarterly 115 against a backdrop of ongoing global conflict, strategic competition, and an approaching U.S. presidential election. William T. Eliason emphasizes the importance of aligning national interests, strategy, policy, and the instruments of national power while recognizing the difficulty of deterring war, ending conflict, and adapting to changing security conditions. The issue features articles on Arctic security, military health systems, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear readiness, contested logistics in the Pacific, blockade strategy in a potential conflict with China, and military recruiting. It also highlights joint professional military education, including the annual Secretary of …
Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 115, 4th Quarter 2024,
2024
National Defense University Press
Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 115, 4th Quarter 2024, National Defense University Press
Joint Force Quarterly
This JFQ issue highlights a range of military and security issues, including Arctic defense, health system impacts, and military readiness, while celebrating the achievements of joint professional military education and student essays on national security topics.
An Interview With John Stevens,
2024
PM/WRA
An Interview With John Stevens, John Stevens
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
John Stevens is a retired PM/WRA Program Manager with extensive experience running multi-million-dollar conventional weapons destruction (CWD) programs in Vietnam, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Balkans, and Ukraine. Since December 2014, Stevens has been re-employed as a Senior CWD Advisor with PM/WRA. In this capacity, he conducted fresh CWD assessments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Lao PDR, Senegal, Serbia, and South Korea.
An Interview With Harry “Murf” Mccloy,
2024
PM/WRA
An Interview With Harry “Murf” Mccloy, Harry (Murf) Mccloy
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Harry “Murf” McCloy, is a retired US Marine Colonel who transitioned from military service to become a pivotal figure in humanitarian demining with PM/WRA in the US Department of State. Heading the US State Department’s first demining program in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, McCloy became the State Department’s Senior Demining Advisor in 1998, holding this position until his retirement in 2007. He continues to work parttime in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement and has played a crucial role in the strategic oversight and execution of mine action programs across forty-six countries, significantly enhancing safety and establishing essential …
Advancements In Mine Action: Enhancing Remote Reporting And Analysis Through Innovative Technologies,
2024
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
Advancements In Mine Action: Enhancing Remote Reporting And Analysis Through Innovative Technologies, Rory Collins, Lionel Fragniere, Mateo Dulce Rubio
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
This paper examines the innovative initiatives undertaken by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Peace and Security Cluster (PSC) in advancing humanitarian mine action (HMA) through remote reporting and analysis technologies. It provides an in-depth analysis of key initiatives, including the development of a mapping tool in Gaza, the application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) for efficient data management in improvised explosive devices (IED) threat mitigation globally, and the utilization of advanced remote sensing and machine learning technologies in Syria and Afghanistan. Through these use cases, we demonstrate how innovative technologies can be incorporated into HMA to increase …
Phase Ii Testing Of Uav/Sensor Systems For Humanitarian Mine Action In Ukraine,
2024
UNDP Ukraine
Phase Ii Testing Of Uav/Sensor Systems For Humanitarian Mine Action In Ukraine, Edward Crowther, Natalia Shepel
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted the Phase II trials of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)/ sensor systems for humanitarian mine action (HMA) in Ukraine in May 2024. Seven organizations participated, four of which were Ukrainian. Each organization brought systems with differing combinations of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) platforms, sensors, and data processing, and were tested against a trial area set up in central Ukraine by UNDP. Run at the request of the Ministry of Economy, Phase II trials involving Ukrainian and international organizations yielded promising results. They demonstrated that combining technologies to detect both metal and plastic explosive remnants …
Dealing With Hidden Danger: Capacity Development Of Lao Pdr’S Unexploded Ordnance Sector,
2024
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Community Education Development
Dealing With Hidden Danger: Capacity Development Of Lao Pdr’S Unexploded Ordnance Sector, Kiengkay Ounmany
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) suffered from the heaviest bombing in its history during the Second Indochina War (1955–1975). Two decades after the war, the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Clearance Programme (UXO Lao) was established with financial and technical assistance from United Nations (UN) agencies and donor countries. The development of Lao PDR’s national UXO clearance capacity has been within the framework of multilateral and bilateral cooperation. The Lao PDR government is prepared to take ownership of the program, but additional capacity development is essential in the areas of strategic planning and funding mobilization if it is to meet …
Basic Identification Of Ammunition In Ukraine Guide: Version 6.0,
2024
National Police of Ukraine EOD
Basic Identification Of Ammunition In Ukraine Guide: Version 6.0, Senior Lieutenant Perederii, Tony Salvo, Drew Prater
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Ordnance identification is a critical tenet of any competent munition clearance operation, whether it be civilian or military. Ordnance identification information for first responders, especially safety procedures, is vital when shielding civilians from danger. This is even more important when the munitions being cleared are explosive remnants of war (ERW) from on-going conflict. To that end, Version 6.0 of the Basic Identification of Ammunition in Ukraine1 has been released and has some important updates to help ensure clearance personnel and first responders can help keep civilians safe.
The Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (Extracct): A Roadmap For Reducing Preventable Death Among Civilian Casualties Of Explosive Injury,
2024
Department of Surgery, University of Washington
The Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (Extracct): A Roadmap For Reducing Preventable Death Among Civilian Casualties Of Explosive Injury, Hannah Wild, Aparna Cheran, Abby Willging, Christelle Loupforest, Sebastian Kasack, Tim Gargan, Barclay T. Stewart, Adam Kushner
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In a previous issue of The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, we introduced the rationale underpinning the need for increased emphasis on point-of-injury care as well as enhanced engagement between humanitarian mine action (HMA) and emergency care services for civilian casualties of explosive ordnance (EO).1 The initial working group under which this conceptual foundation was developed was called the Mine Action Trauma Care Collaborative. In the intervening months, that initiative was reconceived as the Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT) to encompass the broad range of EO and explosive weapons (EW) that inflict harm on civilians in conflict and post-conflict …
No Silver Bullet: Environment And Climate Funding In Mine Action,
2024
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
No Silver Bullet: Environment And Climate Funding In Mine Action, Christelle Mestre
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Funding requirements, needs, and models are evolving to reflect the growing focus on environment and climate considerations in the mine action sector. This article examines current funding practices for environmental considerations within the sector and beyond, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach that looks at the broader impact of mine action. It underscores the importance of strategic partnerships, national mine action strategies, and awareness-raising efforts among donors and investors about the environmental and climate-related benefits of mine action. The article argues that while there’s no silver bullet, the integration of environmental and climate considerations into mine action can secure …
Innovative Finance For Mine Action: Needs And Potential Solutions,
2024
Geneva Centre for International Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
Innovative Finance For Mine Action: Needs And Potential Solutions, Danielle Payne, Camille Wallen, Chris Loughran
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Chronic underfunding has significantly impacted the mine action sector, undermining its stability and predictability. This funding shortfall hampers both the efficiency and effectiveness of operations. This trend is further compounded by the nature of today’s operating environment in mine action; as new conflicts emerge while others are characterized by their protracted nature, the demands on the sector are multiplying. These conflicts not only prolong the threat of landmines but also introduce new hazards, such as the rising use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by non-state armed groups. With the nature of conflicts evolving, the variety of threats grows, necessitating a …
Greening Mine Action In Armenia As A Component Of Sustainable Development In The Economy Of The Country,
2024
Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise
Greening Mine Action In Armenia As A Component Of Sustainable Development In The Economy Of The Country, Vaghinak Sargsyan
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Contamination in Armenia stems from the long-term conflict with Azerbaijan, affecting four out of eleven regions in Armenia: Tavoush region, Syunik region, Gexarquniq region, and Vayots Dzor region. The contamination covers an area of more than 42 km2, with more than 10 km2 confirmed hazardous areas and over 31 km2 suspected hazardous areas. Land affected includes pasture (66 percent), arable (22 percent), and forest (12 percent). There are 805 registered victims of landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) incidents. Additionally, among the 120,000 displaced Karabakh Armenians, more than 700 are survivors of landmines and ERW, many of whom find …
Bridging The Atrocity Prevention Gap Between The International And The Local: Lessons Learned From Meso-Level Leadership In Ukraine And Syria,
2024
Kennesaw State University
Bridging The Atrocity Prevention Gap Between The International And The Local: Lessons Learned From Meso-Level Leadership In Ukraine And Syria, Kristina Hook, Jamie D. Wise
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal
This paper explores meso-level approaches to atrocity prevention that incorporate a wider array of local expertise at all stages, from early warning to transitional justice. Specifically, we treat meso-level approaches as encompassing local leadership and advocacy across bottom-up processes, grassroots efforts, victim-led activism, and civil society mobilization. We draw from two contemporary cases of mass atrocities, Ukraine and Syria, which exemplify such efforts, using primary interview data with meso-level actors. First, we examine atrocity risk early warning in Ukraine, where prescient local expertise at the meso-level failed to influence international responses, asking what went wrong and what more could be …
Dangerous Speech As An Atrocity Early Warning Indicator: Measuring Changing Conflict Dynamics,
2024
Dangerous Speech Project
Dangerous Speech As An Atrocity Early Warning Indicator: Measuring Changing Conflict Dynamics, Catherine Buerger, Susan Benesch
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal
Dangerous speech, any expression that can increase the likelihood that someone will commit or condone violence against members of another group, can be a powerful early warning signal of impending mass violence. However, one cannot make a list of words that are dangerous, since the effect of the message depends not only on its content, but also on how it is communicated: by whom, to whom, and under what circumstances. What may be benign in one context may be extremely inflammatory in another. Thus, effective monitoring requires deep knowledge of the local setting and structural factors. The spread of dangerous …
Revivifying The Responsibility To Protect: Strengthening The Normative Consensus For Atrocity Prevention,
2024
George Washington University
Revivifying The Responsibility To Protect: Strengthening The Normative Consensus For Atrocity Prevention, Matthew Levinger
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal
This paper examines weaknesses in the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle, drawing on the scholarly literature on norm diffusion and norm cooptation. Despite having been unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2005, the R2P doctrine almost immediately attracted criticism that it reinforced a neocolonial stance by nations of the Global North toward those of the Global South. This critique grew in force during the chaotic aftermath of the 2011 intervention in Libya, which had been authorized as an R2P mission. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the intensifying competition between the United States and China …
Lessons Learned: Overcoming Obstacles To Inference And Synthesis In Atrocity Prevention Research,
2024
Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Lessons Learned: Overcoming Obstacles To Inference And Synthesis In Atrocity Prevention Research, Tallan Donine, Daniel Solomon, Lawrence Woocher
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal
In this paper, we argue that atrocity prevention (AP) researchers face obstacles to inference and knowledge synthesis in the study of AP strategies and tools. We argue that researchers can begin to address obstacles to inference by using rigorous social-science methods and can address obstacles to knowledge synthesis through greater coordination and transparency about concepts, methods, and data. Our argument proceeds in four parts. First, drawing on a systematic review of three decades of research about AP tools, we survey key analytic obstacles to drawing conclusions about the effects of AP policy. Second, we survey four separate methods that researchers …
