Organizing to Fight

The way we organize our defense establishment is a crucial part of our national strategy, directly affecting our ability to wage war. Perceptions of a dangerous decline in our nation's ability to wage war ultimately led to the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. That legislation focused almost completely on how we organize to fight. The history of the American defense establishment provides a backdrop for the Goldwaater-Nichols Act, and reveals general trends that may be appreciated and exploited by the contemporary strategist.