National Military Strategy
Encyclopedia
The National Military Strategy (of the United States) (NMS) is issued by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
as a deliverable
to the Secretary of Defense
briefly outlining the strategic aims of the armed services. The NMS's chief source of guidance is the National Security Strategy
document.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(JCS), the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Command
s (CoComs), the Joint Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense
(OSD), prepares the National Military Strategy in accordance with 10 U.S.C., Section 153. Title 10 requires that not later than February 15 of each even-numbered year, the Chairman submit to the Senate Committee on Armed Services
and the House Committee on Armed Services
a comprehensive examination of the national military strategy. This report must delineate a national military strategy consistent with the most recent National Security Strategy prescribed by the President
; the most recent annual report of the Secretary of Defense submitted to the President and Congress
; and the most recent Quadrennial Defense Review
conducted by the Secretary of Defense.
The NMS Report must provide a description of the strategic environment and the opportunities and challenges that affect United States national interests and United States national security
. The Report must describe the most significant regional threats to US national interests and security as well as the international threats posed by terrorism
, weapons of mass destruction
, and asymmetric challenges.
After describing the security environment in which military forces will operate, the NMS Report must specify the “ends”, “ways”, and “means” of the strategy. US national military objectives are the “ends”, describing what the Armed Forces are expected to accomplish. The NMS report describes the relationship of those objectives to the strategic environment, regional, and international threats. Strategic and operational concepts are the “ways” of the strategy and describe how the Armed Forces conduct military operations to accomplish the specified military objectives. Finally, the NMS report must describe the adequacy of capabilities—the “means”—required to achieve objectives within an acceptable level of military and strategic risk.
Military action, by itself, cannot fully accomplish the objectives specified in the President’s National Security Strategy. The NMS must account for the contribution of allies and other partners. Military capabilities are always employed as part of an integrated national approach that employs all instruments of national power—military, information, diplomatic, legal, intelligence, finance, and economic. The NMS Report must assess the capabilities, adequacy, and interoperability of regional allies of the United States and or other friendly nations to support US forces in combat operations and other operations for extended periods of time.
The NMS Report also includes an assessment of the nature and magnitude of the strategic and military risks associated with successfully executing the missions called for under the strategy. In preparing the assessment of risk, CJCS examines assumptions pertaining to the readiness of forces (in both the active and reserve components), the length of conflict and the level of intensity of combat operations, and the levels of support from allies and other friendly nations.
Before submitting the report to Congress, the Chairman provides a copy to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary provides an assessment and comments on the report and submits these comments to Congress when the report is formally transmitted. Specifically, the Secretary of Defense must examine areas of risk considered “significant” by the Chairman and provide a plan for mitigating those risks.
http://www.fas.org/man/docs/918015-nss.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/docs/nms_feb95.htm
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/nms/
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/d20050318nms.pdf
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/dod/nds-usa_mar2005.htm
http://www.comw.org/qdr/fulltext/08nationaldefensestrategy.pdf
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
as a deliverable
Deliverable
Deliverable is a term used in project management to describe a tangible or intangible object produced as a result of the project that is intended to be delivered to a customer . A deliverable could be a report, a document, a server upgrade or any other building block of an overall project.A...
to the Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
briefly outlining the strategic aims of the armed services. The NMS's chief source of guidance is the National Security Strategy
National Security Strategy of the United States
The National Security Strategy is a document prepared periodically by the executive branch of the government of the United States for Congress which outlines the major national security concerns of the United States and how the administration plans to deal with them. The legal foundation for the...
document.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), in consultation with the other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
(JCS), the Commanders of the Unified Combatant Command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
s (CoComs), the Joint Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
(OSD), prepares the National Military Strategy in accordance with 10 U.S.C., Section 153. Title 10 requires that not later than February 15 of each even-numbered year, the Chairman submit to the Senate Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate Committee on Armed Services
The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy , benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and...
and the House Committee on Armed Services
United States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
a comprehensive examination of the national military strategy. This report must delineate a national military strategy consistent with the most recent National Security Strategy prescribed by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
; the most recent annual report of the Secretary of Defense submitted to the President and Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
; and the most recent Quadrennial Defense Review
Quadrennial Defense Review
The Quadrennial Defense Review is a study by the United States Department of Defense that analyzes strategic objectives and potential military threats. The Quadrennial Defense Review Report is the main public document describing the United States's military doctrine.As stipulated in the 1997...
conducted by the Secretary of Defense.
The NMS Report must provide a description of the strategic environment and the opportunities and challenges that affect United States national interests and United States national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
. The Report must describe the most significant regional threats to US national interests and security as well as the international threats posed by terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, weapons of mass destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
, and asymmetric challenges.
After describing the security environment in which military forces will operate, the NMS Report must specify the “ends”, “ways”, and “means” of the strategy. US national military objectives are the “ends”, describing what the Armed Forces are expected to accomplish. The NMS report describes the relationship of those objectives to the strategic environment, regional, and international threats. Strategic and operational concepts are the “ways” of the strategy and describe how the Armed Forces conduct military operations to accomplish the specified military objectives. Finally, the NMS report must describe the adequacy of capabilities—the “means”—required to achieve objectives within an acceptable level of military and strategic risk.
Military action, by itself, cannot fully accomplish the objectives specified in the President’s National Security Strategy. The NMS must account for the contribution of allies and other partners. Military capabilities are always employed as part of an integrated national approach that employs all instruments of national power—military, information, diplomatic, legal, intelligence, finance, and economic. The NMS Report must assess the capabilities, adequacy, and interoperability of regional allies of the United States and or other friendly nations to support US forces in combat operations and other operations for extended periods of time.
The NMS Report also includes an assessment of the nature and magnitude of the strategic and military risks associated with successfully executing the missions called for under the strategy. In preparing the assessment of risk, CJCS examines assumptions pertaining to the readiness of forces (in both the active and reserve components), the length of conflict and the level of intensity of combat operations, and the levels of support from allies and other friendly nations.
Before submitting the report to Congress, the Chairman provides a copy to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary provides an assessment and comments on the report and submits these comments to Congress when the report is formally transmitted. Specifically, the Secretary of Defense must examine areas of risk considered “significant” by the Chairman and provide a plan for mitigating those risks.
External links
- National Military Strategy of the United States of America, August 1991
http://www.fas.org/man/docs/918015-nss.htm
- National Military Strategy, 1995
http://www.fas.org/man/docs/nms_feb95.htm
- National Military Strategy, 1997
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/nms/
- National Military Strategy, 2004
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/d20050318nms.pdf
- National Defense Strategy, 2005
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/dod/nds-usa_mar2005.htm
- National Defense Strategy, 2008
http://www.comw.org/qdr/fulltext/08nationaldefensestrategy.pdf
See also
- National Security Strategy of the United StatesNational Security Strategy of the United StatesThe National Security Strategy is a document prepared periodically by the executive branch of the government of the United States for Congress which outlines the major national security concerns of the United States and how the administration plans to deal with them. The legal foundation for the...
- Joint Planning DocumentJoint Planning DocumentThe Joint Planning Document, issued by the Joint Staff, generates specific programming recommendations for the Defense Planning Guidance and provides the first concrete basis for the National Military Strategy.-See also:* Joint Requirements Oversight Council...
- Joint Requirements Oversight CouncilJoint Requirements Oversight CouncilPart of the United States Department of Defense acquisition process, the Joint Requirements Oversight Council reviews programs designated as JROC interest and supports the acquisition review process in accordance with law...