Military Review English Edition January-February 2015 | Page 14

pursuing reform not just for the sake of reform, but Technology, and Logistics Frank Kendall. The goal
wise reform that makes the enterprise stronger and
is to, in partnership with the Congress, overhaul the
better prepared for the future. Everything else we
legal framework for DOD acquisitions and reduce
do depends on it.
unnecessary paperwork so that we can focus on key
I recently announced actions that DOD is taking strategic priorities.
to revamp our nuclear enterprise, including new
In addition to all of these efforts, we are also
resources and shake-ups in organization, policy,
pursuing concrete results and improvements
and culture. It will take years of committed action
through many other reform initiatives essential to
to fix problems that have accumulated over many
the long-term health and readiness of the force.
years. But fix them we will—ensuring that our naThese include improvements to our military health
tion continues to have a safe, secure, and effective
care system, our military justice system, and our
nuclear deterrent. And we will
efforts to account for personnel
hold DOD leaders accountable
who remain missing in action.
to ensure that promises trans… our nation is at “a They also encompass a renewed
late into action, and that action
focus on military ethics and
time for choosing”
translates into real and sustainprofessionalism, systems inteable improvements.
gration with the Department of
To further shift the department’s energy, focus,
Veterans Affairs, and eliminating sexual assault in
and resources toward supporting our frontline
the military—an area where, despite seeing real
operations, we are undertaking full reviews of
progress over the past year, we still have a long way
DOD’s business and management systems. The first to go. Sexual assault remains heavily underreportreviews are under way now, starting with the Office ed both nationally and in the military, and far too
of the Secretary of Defense. The Pentagon must
many of our sisters and our brothers in uniform
embrace better business practices that are core
have been victims of these crimes. Protecting our
to any modern enterprise, private or public. This
fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines is the
means upgrading our business and information
highest responsibility we have to one another, so we
technology systems and processes, striking the right must continue to do whatever it takes to eradicate
balance between civil service and contractor supthis insider threat from our ranks and get survivors
port, and avoiding duplication of support functions the help and support they need.
in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the
The Defense Department will sustain its focus
armed services.
on all these reform initiatives because they will
After years of postponement and delay, we are
ultimately shape our ability to develop new capamaking progress in moving DOD toward greater
bilities, strengthen our partnerships, and honor
financial accountability. The Marine Corps became our enduring commitments to our people and their
the first service to earn a clean audit early last
families. It is their service that makes possible evyear, and in December DOD awarded contracts
erything we do. We must never lose sight of that.
to independent public accounting firms that will
begin auditing Army, Navy, and Air Force curPartnering With Congress
rent-year appropriations for 2015—ensuring that
The Department of Defense has been making
DOD as a whole remains on track to be completely
the hard choices and mustering the flexibility reaudit-ready by no later than 2017. That goal could
quired by new realities. But to succeed, we need the
not seem duller, but it is essential for our future
support and partnership of Congress—especially at
effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability.
a time when demands on our military are surging,
To streamline the way the Pentagon does
our resources are shrinking, and the latitude to
business, DOD is also continuing the large acmanage our own institution is being circumscribed.
quisition improvement and reform efforts led
Since 2011, DOD has been forced to operate on
by Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,
continuing resolutions every year, impairing our
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January-February 2015  MILITARY REVIEW