Essay on Reliance on Contract Support

The Army should maintain its current dependence on contract support given that it is experiencing budget cuts and force reduction. The assertion is supported the 2014 Joint Chiefs of Staff who state that military contractors cushion the army against the costs of recruitment and training force members since they possess skilled and trained soldiers whose ability can match army soldiers. Therefore, since the army is experiencing budget cuts, military contractors can provide it with the ability to by-pass training and recruitment cost thus leaving it to only cater for the cost of hiring personnel (Hammes, 2010).

Additionally, since the military is experiencing force reductions, contract support will be instrumental in providing additional human resources to cater for the reduced army personnel in two dimensions. First, the 2016 Headquarters, Department of the Army states that the army will not incur the cost of maintaining a battalion of soldiers through compensation and benefits on a long-term basis as it is the norm. Instead, it will bear expenses of the contract agreement only when the contract support is required which is often on a short-term basis. Secondly, even with a force increase, the United States can never have sufficient full-time personnel on the ground and active duty in a war situation. Therefore, contract support comes as a necessary supplement.

Lastly, given that there will be budget cuts and force reduction, the flexibility and agility of the countrys military will be inhibited. The 2014 Department of Logistics and Resource Operations states that it will be hindered through the lack of resources to attain extensive coverage of war zones via the use of sophisticated technologies. Furthermore, the scope of the army will be limited, and it will be unable to cover numerous military engagements simultaneously around the world. Fortunately, military contracts can take the role thus maintaining the militarys operational capacity during budget cuts and force reduction (William, 2012).

References

COL (Ret) T. X. Hammes. Private Contractors in Conflict Zones: The Good, the Bad, and the Strategic Impact, Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University, Strategic Forum 260. Washington, DC: NDU Press, November 2010 (13 pages).

Department of Logistics and Resource Operations. Funding Contingency Operations. Fort Leavenworth, KS: CGSC, September 2014 (14 pages).Joint Chiefs of Staff. JP 4-10, Operational Contract Support. Washington, DC: JCS, 16 July 2014, I-9 to I-10 (1 page).

Headquarters, Department of the Army, ATP 4-10, Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Operational Contract Support. Washington, DC: HQDA, 18 February 2016, pages 1-1 to 1-9, 2-1 to 2-3, 4-2 to 4-5, and 5-1 to 5-19 and Appendix A, ATP 4-10 pages A1-A6 (38 pages).

William C. Latham, Jr. Operational Contract Support: Five Things

Every Field Grade Officer Should Know, Military Review. Volume XCII, May-June

2012, 16-18 (2 pages).