Background:

Divergent Options is a non-politically aligned non-revenue generating national security website that, in 1,000 words or less, provides unbiased, dispassionate, candid articles that assess a national security situation, present multiple options to address the situation, and articulate the risk and gain of each option.  Please note that while we assess a national security situation and may provide options, we never recommend a specific option.

Below you will see a Call for Papers.  If you are not interested in writing on this topic, we always welcome individual articles on virtually any national security situation an author is passionate about.  Please do not let our call for papers cause you to hesitate to send us your idea. We look forward to hearing from you!

Call for Papers:

Divergent Options is calling for national security papers assessing situations or discussing options related to Command and Leadership Structures.

Countries throughout the world each have their own structures to develop and implement foreign policy, command forces, and provide oversight.  With these structures in mind, and the documents and incentives that underpin their existence, and the evolving national security landscape, do changes need to be made?

Below is a list of prompts that may inspire potential writers (Our apologies as this list is U.S.-centric):

– How many Combatant Commands does the U.S. Department of Defense actually need?

– Does the U.S. Department of Defense need both an Office of the Secretary of Defense and an Organization of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

– Has the evolution of communication capabilities negatively affected initiative as people now wait for direction instead of acting, added to impatience for updates among leaders, developed a zero-defect culture, and / or generally cultivated a culture where everyone has to be seen doing something (even if it is the wrong thing or an ineffective thing) to ensure their careers do not end?

– Is it feasible for the U.S. Department of Defense to demonstrate prioritization by having one Combatant Commander that is a four star General Officer or Flag Officer and have all other Combatant Commanders be of lower rank?

– Is the the Goldwater-Nichols Act causing problems for global competition against the People’s Republic of China and Russia since its impetus was lessons learned from the Vietnam Conflict, Operation Eagle Claw, and Operation Urgent Fury and these lessons may not be applicable?

– Do U.S. Executive Branch Departments and Agencies need to have the same geographic and functional boundaries?

Please limit your submission to 1,000 words and write using our Options Paper or Assessment Paper templates which are designed for ease of use by both writers and readers alike.

Please send your article to submissions@divergentoptions.org by August 25, 2024.