America goes to war : managing the force during times of stress and uncertainty / Bernard Rostker.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Rostker, Bernard.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Manpower--United States.

Manpower.

Military service, Voluntary--United States.

Military service, Voluntary.

Draft--United States--History.

Draft.

Families of military personnel--Services for--United States.

Families of military personnel.

United States--Armed Forces--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.

United States.

Physical Description:

xxv, 97 pages : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, CA : RAND Corporation, 2007.

Summary:

For more than three decades, the United States has relied on an all-volunteer force to meet its military needs. Today, the sustainability of that force is being tested with high levels of deployment and subsequent "stress." Such an environment raises the issue of how the Department of Defense can continue to manage its personnel. This report looks at the history of conscription versus volunteerism (particularly in Great Britain, France, and Prussia) to understand when and under what conditions conscription has been used effectively to raise the manpower needed. Specifically, what actions could the U.S. Army take to increase the supply of volunteers or reduce the demand for new personnel? The report also focuses on the many programs that have been developed to help military members and their families cope during difficult times, as well as the particular challenges of understanding which programs work.

Contents:

Introduction To draft or not to draft, that Is the question To go "soldiering" managing the force without a draft Summary and Conclusion