To Centralize or Not to Centralize? For Defense Budgeting, that is the (Unwritten) Question

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons On March 9, 2023, the Biden administration submitted its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 defense budget request to Congress, totaling $842 billion. This budget represents a $26 billion increase over the FY 2023 budget and largely centers on deterrence and warfighting vis-à-vis China in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite widespread agreement on the … Continue reading To Centralize or Not to Centralize? For Defense Budgeting, that is the (Unwritten) Question

Climate Change and Boots on the Ground: A New Frontier for Humanitarian Intervention?

Image source: Department of Defense. U.S. Marines and Nepalese soldiers unload tarps off of a UH-1Y Venom helicopter at Orang, Nepal, during Operation Sahayogi Haat, May 2015. Climate change is now at the forefront of the Pentagon’s priorities. So far, the U.S. military’s mission on climate change mitigation has focused on cleaning up and developing … Continue reading Climate Change and Boots on the Ground: A New Frontier for Humanitarian Intervention?

GSSR Interview: Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Gabe Camarillo

Image Source: U.S. Army Official Photo The Georgetown Security Studies Review recently had the privilege of conducting an interview with Hon. Gabe Camarillo, the under secretary of the Army. The broad topics covered reflect the most pressing issues facing the U.S. Army, as well as the under secretary’s recent trip to Eastern Europe. In light … Continue reading GSSR Interview: Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Gabe Camarillo

Will the EU Show Resolve or Indecision?

Source: Andrezj Rostek/Shutterstock.com The coming year will be critical for Ukrainians in their fight against Russian aggression. The Ukrainian people have undoubtedly shown their resilience and fortitude to fight for their sovereignty against Russian hostility. The question remains whether their fellow Europeans will continue to support them in this fight. So far, the U.K. has … Continue reading Will the EU Show Resolve or Indecision?

The Office of Strategic Capital and the DoD Acquisition System Should Embrace the Principles of ‘Lean Startup’ to Maintain the US Military’s Technological Edge

Image source: B-21 Raider, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs On December 1, 2022, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin published a memo establishing the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), meant to provide necessary capital to help aspiring defense companies bridge the so called “valley of death,” the significant time gap between the development … Continue reading The Office of Strategic Capital and the DoD Acquisition System Should Embrace the Principles of ‘Lean Startup’ to Maintain the US Military’s Technological Edge

The Return of Great-Power Hubris

Image Source: Ukrainian Government Over the course of twenty years, three lead actors, and two reboots, one thing has remained consistent for the immensely popular Spider-Man film franchise: the iconic maxim that, “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Both for the titular hero and his real-world audience, this quote is a sage testament to the … Continue reading The Return of Great-Power Hubris

Managing Crises in the Information Age: Escalation Dynamics in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Image: Herman Kahn (1922-1983) Over the course of the now eight-month war in Ukraine, Russia has made vague and indirect threats of nuclear escalation. Those threats become more frequent and overt as Ukrainian counteroffensives gain momentum and the Russian military cedes territory. As President Biden stated on October 11, 2022 in response to some of … Continue reading Managing Crises in the Information Age: Escalation Dynamics in the Russo-Ukrainian War

War in Ukraine Leaves U.S. Scrambling to Replenish Arsenal, and European Allies May Offer No Solution

Image Source: The Military Times Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the United States and its NATO allies have stepped up to provide military support to bolster Ukraine’s arsenal in its fights to repel Russian advances. However, the Allies are unevenly sharing the burden of supporting the Ukrainian defense, with the U.S. … Continue reading War in Ukraine Leaves U.S. Scrambling to Replenish Arsenal, and European Allies May Offer No Solution

Empowering the Early Commission Program

On a clear summer’s day in August 2021, a singular Blackhawk helicopter landed on Fort Knox’s Brooks Field. Volleys of cannon fire rang out, campaign streamers rose, and the band played their rhythmic battle calls. As the smoke lifted and the Blackhawk’s rotors ceased movement, the well-rehearsed Change of Command Ceremony began. Speeches from the … Continue reading Empowering the Early Commission Program

From Nordic to NATO: How Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine May Affect Sweden and Finland

Photo Credit: NATO The Russian invasion of Ukraine changes the way non-NATO member states prioritize security. There are a variety of reasons why countries do not join NATO, however, these countries are reconsidering as the conflict in eastern Europe approaches its third month. Currently, attention is on the non-NATO Nordic countries of Sweden and Finland. … Continue reading From Nordic to NATO: How Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine May Affect Sweden and Finland