M Wade Markel

Security cooperation's importance, scale, and complexity have grown substantially in recent years, but efforts to develop and manage the Department of Defense security cooperation workforce have lagged. This study informs the development of career models for the security cooperation workforce, assesses potential requirements for competencies and experience, and identifies potential job families within the workforce to facilitate management.

RAND Arroyo Center explored how the U. S. Army might need to adapt its personnel management policies and practices to support the Regionally Aligned Forces concept. Authors estimated the scope and scale of the requirement for regional expertise; modeled the Army s current ability to produce soldiers with the required expertise; and identified changes to the personnel management system to develop and match such soldiers with appropriate positions."

What can the United States learn from other militaries about how better to prepare for full-spectrum operations - simultaneous offensive, defensive, and stability or civil support operations - and deployments? The authors examine the militaries of China, France, the UK, India, and Israel to identify different approaches to readiness, adaptability, and operational issues, including using subject-matter experts to improve training for specific deployments * using staff training to prepare forces for multiple contingencies; allowing combat training centers to focus on foundational skills; and, preparing units for a specific operational environment prior to deployment. The authors also examine how the United States, France, and the UK prepare for and conduct train, advise, and assist (TAA) missions, finding that the three countries employ significantly different approaches to staff selection, TAA deployments, staff training, and career progression.

This report presents the results of analyses intended to build a strong Army Civilian brand--that is, to help the Army assess and strengthen its ability to attract high-quality applicants to its civilian workforce and to retain high-quality Army civilian employees.

This analysis modeled the Army's ability to increase ("regenerate") its active component (AC) end strength over a five-year period in two scenarios--starting from a Total Army of 980,000 (450,000 AC) and starting from a Total Army of 920,000 (420,000 AC)--so that the Army could provide the number of deployable troops available at the end of the last conflict in 2010.

In 2008, U. S. and Iraqi forces defeated an uprising in Sadr City, a district of Baghdad with 2.4 million residents. Coalition forces' success in this battle helped consolidate the Government of Iraq's authority, contributing significantly to the attainment of contemporary U. S. operational objectives in Iraq. U. S. forces' conduct of the battle illustrates a new paradigm for urban combat and indicates capabilities the Army will need in the future.