Project on National Security Reform

WASHINGTON, DC – The Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) is pleased to announce that Jonathan D. Breul has joined PNSR’s Guiding Coalition, a group of preeminent national security leaders working to transform the national security system. Mr. Breul joins former Director of National Intelligence Admiral Dennis Blair, former Treasury Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt, and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge as recent appointments to the Guiding Coalition.

Breul, formerly Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director for Management in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), currently serves as the Executive Director of the IBM Center for The Business of Government.

Of PNSR’s work, Breul noted, “The Project on National Security Reform is providing much deeper awareness and understanding of the need for fundamental reform to our national security system and an insightful view of the changes today’s world demands.”

During his time at OMB, Breul served as the senior career executive with primary responsibility for government-wide general management policies. He helped develop the President’s Management Agenda, was instrumental in establishing the President’s Management Council, and led the development and government-wide implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act. In addition to his OMB activities, he helped Senator John Glenn (D-Ohio) launch the Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act.

PNSR President and CEO James R. Locher III said, “Jonathan Breul brings great expertise and experience to the Guiding Coalition. He is at the forefront of advanced management thinking. Having worked at the highest level of government, Jonathan has an invaluable perspective on how new management approaches could benefit our national security system.”

Mr. Breul is also an elected Fellow of the National Academy Public Administration (NAPA), and an adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s Graduate Public Policy Institute. He holds a Masters of Public Administration from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts from Colby College.

“The national security system is grossly inefficient. Jonathan Breul’s expertise in formulating and implementing government-wide performance improvements will be vitally important as PNSR develops reforms to strengthen the national security budgeting process,” said Locher.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) is pleased to announce Margaret Cope, a recently retired Air Force Colonel, has joined PNSR as a Senior Advisor. Colonel Cope is a transformational leader with over 25 years of success as a logistics officer with command and staff experience, including assignments in squadrons, groups, wings, logistics centers and headquarters. Her last assignment was in the Pentagon, HQ USAF in the Logistics Directorate, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support.

As the Air Force lead to the federal interagency logistics program, she developed the Air Force’s contributions and collaborated with other agencies from the Department of Defense, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and General Services Administration to establish the Whole of Government Logistics Effort.

“My recent experience as Air Force lead developing the Whole of Government Logistics Effort clearly demonstrated the urgent need and value of interagency collaboration and the expansion from whole of government to whole of nation and in some cases whole of world to meet the rapid pace of threats, challenges and opportunities for our national security. I am delighted to join PNSR as it leads the transformation of our national security system to sustainability.”

She also championed the Air Force Maintenance Strategic Plan, transforming maintenance, inspection, and accounting processes that had remained virtually unchanged for 40 years. Colonel Cope’s guidance was instrumental in the Air Force Repair Network Transformation, a plan for modernizing the 55 year old maintenance organization of the entire Air Force into a lean and flexible system.

Prior to assuming her position at the Air Staff, Colonel Cope was the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, where she assisted in leading 13,000 military and civilian personnel. Colonel Cope also oversaw an $8.4 billion budget for global logistics support of cargo, warning and control, bomber, and stealth bomber aircraft. Colonel Cope represented the Air Logistics Center Commander at executive-level meetings with local, state, and federal government and industry.

Colonel Cope has additional experience in human capital, including building the initial Air Force Reserve Acquisition/Scientist and Engineer Career Developmental Team, and serving as a key senior advisor and member of the Aircraft Maintenance Career Development Team. Her leadership and oversight of the two teams ensured the Air Force provided over 8,000 officers with career guidance, resulting in the selection of over 758 highly qualified officers for command positions.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Project on National Security Reform is pleased to announce Chuck Lutes, a recently retired Air Force Colonel, has joined the PNSR as a Senior Advisor. Until retirement, Colonel Lutes served as the Director for Nonproliferation on President Obama’s National Security Staff at the White House, and previously as Director for Counterproliferation Strategy on President George W. Bush’s National Security Council staff.

“My twenty-eight year military career took me from the flight line to the White House, and has convinced me of the need for reform at every level of our national security system,” said Colonel Lutes. “We owe it to our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen and to the American taxpayer to transform our government to make it more flexible and agile to meet the security threats of the 21st century. I am pleased to be part of that effort through PNSR.”

“Chuck brings with him recent insight from the highest levels of U.S. policymaking, deep knowledge of national security issues from space to nuclear weapons, and education in organizational analysis,” said PNSR President and CEO James R. Locher III. “Chuck’s experience makes him a perfect fit for PNSR. We are thrilled to have him with us.”

Chuck Lutes is also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at the National Defense University and a Senior Analyst with The Tauri Group, an innovator in analytical consulting that applies creative, responsive problem-solving to homeland security, defense, and space enterprises.

While on active duty as an Air Force Colonel Lutes also served as a Senior Military Fellow at INSS, and in the Directorate for Plans, Policy and Strategy (J5) on the Pentagon’s Joint Staff as Chief of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Division, Chief of Strategic Plans, and Chief of Engagement Strategy.

Chuck Lutes holds engineering degrees from Duke University and the Air Force Institute of Technology, and has completed doctoral coursework in Human and Organizational Learning through the Executive Leadership Program at The George Washington University. He was also a National Security Fellow at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

WASHINGTON, DC – On February 23, the second roundtable event in a series addressing legal affairs on national security transformation took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. “Unity of Effort in National Security Operations Abroad” examined the practical, political, and legal aspects of alternative means to promote unity of effort in these instances.

The American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Law and National Security, Bingham McCutchen LLC, the Bipartisan Policy Center National Security Preparedness Group, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) co-sponsored the event, made possible through the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Participants included over forty legal and subject-matter experts with experiences ranging from U.S. federal military and civilian service, state governments, law firms, and think tanks. Topics covered the importance of unity of effort in national security operations, how this unity of effort might be achieved and the recommendation to apply the model of an expanded chief-of-mission authority to the problem. Regional frameworks for managing national security affairs abroad and the PNSR recommendation to establish integrated regional centers were also discussed. The roundtable event concluded with a discussion on the use of cross-functional interagency teaming at the sub-regional level.

Roundtable Chair and President and CEO of PNSR James R. Locher III stated: “As part of the discussion today, we answered the question that unity of effort is not only possible, but it is imperative. The experience and expertise of the participants provided great insight as to possible ways to proceed forward in addressing the lack of unity of effort on multiple levels of our national security operations abroad.”

This roundtable event was the second in a series of three roundtables and will include a concluding conference. The final roundtable will take place in May and will focus on intelligence reform. During the concluding conference, a final report will be produced to broaden awareness among participants and stakeholders of the process of shaping the legal instruments required to achieve national security transformation.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) recently released a paper entitled “Chief of Mission Authority as a Model for National Security Integration” authored by Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) affiliates Dr. Christopher Lamb and Ambassador Edward Marks. This paper is a significant accomplishment for the national security transformation research agenda on interagency teams.

Please find a link to the full report below:

http://www.ndu.edu/inss/docUploaded/INSS%20Strategic%20Perspectives%202_Lamb%20.pdf

Overview of the Paper

Interagency teams — groups of people with diverse expertise given the authority to manage a single national security issue — are a national security system innovation that could increase the government’s responsiveness to threats and opportunities. Currently, the system lacks strong integrating authorities to achieve this.

To understand how interagency teams can function, Dr. Lamb and Ambassador Marks studied the Chief of Mission Authority granted to Ambassadors to manage embassies around the world. Embassies are staffed with people from myriad agencies: diplomats, military and intelligence officers, law enforcement professionals, development specialists and many others. Dr. Lamb and Ambassador Marks recommend expanding the use of Chief of Mission authority to “Mission Managers”, leaders who would be empowered to run other interagency teams throughout the national security system.

National security professionals usually receive authoritative direction only through their home department or agency, leading to friction when working on teams whose membership reflects multiple departments. In the paper, Dr. Lamb and Amb. Marks argue, “‘Unity of command’ from the President on down through the functional departments and agencies seems to preclude “unity of effort” for missions that are intrinsically interagency in nature and cut across those same chains of command.”

Implementation of these recommendations would require a legislative initiative to create Mission Managers, Senate confirmation of particular nominees and Congressional funding on a case-by-case basis of larger interagency efforts. The intent would be to give the national security system the structural flexibility and agility required to address the fast-moving challenges of today and tomorrow.

About the Authors

Dr. Lamb is Distinguished Research Fellow and Director of the Center for Strategic Research at INSS at the National Defense University. In 2008 Dr. Lamb was assigned to the PNSR study of the national security system, which led to the 2008 report, “Forging a New Shield.” Prior to joining INSS in 2004, Dr. Lamb served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Resources and Plans where he had oversight of war plans, requirements, acquisition, and resource allocation matters for the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy).

Ambassador Marks was a Foreign Service Officer of the United States from 1959-1995, retiring with the rank of Minister-Counselor. During his career he served in many countries in Africa, in the Office for Combating Terrorism, and at the United Nations. He has been a consultant to the World Food Program and the United Nations Development Program (on reorganization of the foreign affairs ministries of several countries that were former members of the Soviet Union). He is currently an active consultant, lecturer, and writer on crisis management and U.N. affairs. He is also the Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Foreign Service Journal.

First Secretary of Homeland Security to Contribute Guidance on Critical National Security Concerns

WASHINGTON, DC – The Project on National Security Reform (PNSR) is pleased to announce that The Honorable Tom Ridge has joined PNSR’s Guiding Coalition, a group of pre-eminent national security leaders working to transform the national security system. Secretary Ridge joins former Director of National Intelligence Admiral Dennis Blair, former Treasury Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt and former OMB Director James Nussle as recent appointments to the Guiding Coalition.

Ridge, the nation’s first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and former governor of Pennsylvania, is currently president and CEO of Ridge Global, an international security and risk management firm, headquartered in Washington, DC.

Of PNSR’s work, Ridge said, “Every day I see the serious challenges in the national security system that PNSR is working to resolve. I am pleased to contribute to PNSR’s important mission.”

During his tenure as secretary of DHS, Ridge worked with more than 180,000-plus employees from a combined 22 agencies to create an agency that facilitated the flow of people and goods, instituted layered security at air, land and seaports, developed a unified national response and recovery plan, protected critical infrastructure, integrated new technology and improved information sharing worldwide. Ridge served as secretary of this historic and critical endeavor until February 1, 2005.

PNSR President and CEO James R. Locher III said, “I am delighted that to welcome Secretary Ridge as a member of the PNSR team as we enter an exciting phase of continuing growth and maturity. His deep experience as a governor of change in Pennsylvania and as the first secretary of homeland security will be a tremendous asset.”

Prior to his appointment at DHS, Ridge became the first director of the White House Office of Homeland Security following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Ridge’s charge was to develop a comprehensive homeland security strategy and coordinate the government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s protection against terrorist attacks.

Ridge was twice elected governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001, where he led the state to excel in economic development, education, health and the environment. In 1982, he became one of the first Vietnam combat veterans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and was overwhelmingly re-elected by Pennsylvania voters five times. Ridge graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1967 and received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law.

“Tom Ridge brings perspectives from state government, the executive branch, and legislative branch – all incredibly important given that our national security requires that we work together throughout all levels of government to keep our nation secure,” said Locher.