Department Of Defense Science And Technology Invigoration

Abstract : Numerous expert studies suggest that the Department of Defense (DOD) and the national science and technology (S&T) base have been in a slow decline since the Viet Nam War. Reasons given include decreased funding, disestablishment of executive level sponsors, and growing competition for top-level personnel. This report examines the evidence of decline and offers a set of metrics that may be used to conduct an objective assessment of DOD S&T capabilities and of the best use of those capabilities. In addition, the potential for invigorating the DOD Research, Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) base, and the S&T base in particular, is discussed in the context of the same metrics. The insights and thought processes necessary to develop, define, and most importantly, come to agreement on metrics and options will be invaluable in directly pursuing and addressing the immense problems associated with optimizing the DOD s S&T operations for today s and tomorrow s world, an undertaking beyond the scope of this study. A history of the national S&T base shows profound changes over the past 30 years or more. Many critics of today s S&T system believe these changes result from a series of arbitrary reactions to trends in the public and private sectors. Whether this is true or whether these changes simply reflect inevitable and proper adjustments to different times, it is clear that the S&T system needs attention. The first step is to develop a means to analyze the complex and multifaceted issues associated with the national enterprise supporting science and technology.