TRUE   DEMOCRACY     SUMMER 2001     TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE SECRET SHADOW GOVERNMENT

Defense Science Board

which serves as the Defense Department's intermediary between weapons  needs and the physical sciences.

From their Web site:

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-3140

December 31, 1987

MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE THROUGH UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION

SUBJECT: Report Of Defense Science Board Summer Study on Technology Base Management

The attached final report of the Defense Science Board Summer Study on Technology Base Management was prepared under the Chairmanship of Dr. John M. Deutch. This study focused on two main issues: 1) how effective is DoD's Technology Base program at producing technology options for various users and operations; and 2) how effectively is new technology being transitioned to the field. The Study Group evaluated the management of DoD's Technology Base program including the processes by which resource allocation decisions are made.

The principal findings of this study are as follows:

1. Over the long term, the leadership and vitality of the U. S., both economically and militarily, depend extraordinarily on the quality and vision of the program of basic research. In recent years, DoD's research program has been reduced in perceived importance in favor of large development programs, with their high visibility and insatiable demand for more financial resources. Where once the Office of the Secretary of Defense exerted a centralized point of unified leadership and budgetary authority and control for the 6.1 program, the Study Group is concerned that now the 6.1 program lacks top management attention.

2. This nation has long been well served by its defense laboratories. The quality of the DoD laboratories and their technical leadership are of supreme importance to DoD. The Study Group is greatly concerned about the quality of many DoD laboratories and believes that their problems will likely worsen in the future. The Group is also greatly concerned about the technical competence of the personnel who manage DoD's Technology Base program.

3. Finally, the Study Group found the Defense Department seriously deficient in its ability to rapidly transition technology into systems and products. This situation is a primary contributor to the growing crisis in military competition as Soviet weapons system performance approaches and, in some cases, exceeds that of U.S. and Allied forces.

Specific recommendations are made by the Study Group to address the problems identified:

*    For the DoD basic research program, the Under Secretary for Acquisition should delegate his Acquisition Executive leadership to an individual with his staff. This individual should be vested with full authority and responsibility for the integration and execution of 6.1 program as a corporate asset.
*    For improving the DoD laboratories, three recommendations are made, two outlining DoD-wide changes (expanding the NOSC/NWC personnel demonstration to all DoD laboratories and directing minimum five-year assignments for laboratory/technical directors) and the third suggesting Service laboratory demonstration projects which embody more radical changes.
*    To deal with the technology transition problem, the Study Group recommends that budget category 6.3A be revitalized and focused on the transition of technology through Advanced Technology Transition Demonstrations.

As noted in John Deutch's forwarding letter, the Services have expressed concern over several Of these recommendations. We have received comments from the Services and have incorporated appropriate changes into the attached final report.

I believe that the implementation Of these recommendations will strengthen the management of DoD's Technology Base. I recommend that you review the Executive Summary and take necessary actions to implement these recommendations.

Charles A Fowler[s]
Chairman

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[Ed's note: People have to abandon this notion that the department is defense because it isn't defending America, it is the aggressor so this claim that it has to protect National Security, it misinformation. In addition to it protecting the elite it is wasting taxpayer dollars, money which could save lives instead of destroy them.

The money which now is used for war and weapons could be devoted to peacetime applications. Shall we do that?

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