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I. Introduction.
The ongoing shifts in relative power and increasing interconnectedness in theinternational order indicate a strategic inflection point. This requires America’s
foreign policy to employ an adaptive blend of diplomacy, development, anddefense. While the strength of our military will continue to underpin national
security, we must continuously adapt our approaches to how we exercise
power. Leadership is how we exercise the full spectrum of power to defend ournational interests and advance international security and stability.
Our Nation’s security and prosperity are inseparable. They are sustained byour values and leadership in the international order. In this interdependentworld, the enduring interests of the United States are increasingly tied to thoseof other state and non-state actors. The complexity of this global system andthe challenges therein demand that we – the Joint
Leadership is how weForce – think anew about how we lead.
exercise the full
spectrum of power to
In support of our civilian-led foreign policy, thisdefend our national
strategy acknowledges the need for militaryinterests and advanceleadership that is redefined for an increasinglyinternational security
complex strategic environment. Our leadership will
and stability.
emphasize mutual responsibility and respect.
Accomplishing this strategy will require a full
spectrum of direct and indirect leadership approaches – facilitator, enabler,
convener, and guarantor – sometimes simultaneously.
Leveraging our capabilities and forward presence, we must play a supportingrole in facilitating U.S. government agencies and other organizations’ efforts toadvance our Nation’s interests. In some cases, we will serve in an enabling
capacity to help other nations achieve security goals that can advance common
interests. As a convener, our relationships, values, and military capabilities
provide us, often uniquely, with the ability to bring others together to help
deepen security ties between them and cooperatively address common security
challenges. Lastly, we will be prepared to act as security guarantor – preferablywith partners and allies, but alone if necessary – to deter and defeat acts ofaggression. For all of these leadership approaches, we will pursue wider andmore constructive partnerships.
Let us not forget, the Nation remains at war abroad to defend against anddefeat threats to our homeland. Our foremost priority is the security of theAmerican people, our territory, and our way of life. In the current operational
environment, this means each component of our Joint Force will remainaligned to achieve success in our ongoing campaign in Afghanistan andsecurity cooperation efforts with Pakistan, and against violent extremism
worldwide. We must continue to prevent attacks against the United States andits allies, strengthen international and regional security, and be prepared to1deter and defeat aggression that would undermine international stability as wefight these campaigns.
We must carefully manage the impact of the wars on our military – especiallyour people – and shape our military for the future. Defense budget projections
indicate that leaders must continue to plan for and make difficult choices
between current and future challenges. We underestimate at our peril thestresses of sustained combat operations on our equipment and people.
Likewise, potential adversaries who underestimate our continued militarystrength and will to protect our national interests do so at their peril.
II. Strategic Environment.
Overview – The United States remains the world’s preeminent power, even as a
growing number of state and non-state actors
exhibit consequential influence. This
This changing distribution ofchanging distribution of power indicates
power indicates evolution to
evolution to a "multi-nodal" world
a "multi-nodal" world
characterized more by shifting, interest-driven
characterized more bycoalitions based on diplomatic, military, andshifting, interest-driven
economic power, than by rigid security
coalitions based oncompetition between opposing blocs. Therediplomatic, military, andare global and regional powers exhibiting
economic power, than bynationalism and assertiveness that tests ourrigid security competition
partners’ resilience and U.S. leadership.
between opposing blocs.
There exist in Asia two rising global powers
and a large number of consequential regional powers. The Middle East
features a number of emerging and influential regional powers. Dynamics inAsia and the Middle East, in particular, may challenge regional stability.
Demographic Trends – The world will become more populated and urbanized.
Global population will increase by approximately 1.2 billion and there will be
more than a billion new urban dwellers by 2025. Most population growth will
occur in the developing world. Conversely, in Europe and parts of Asia,
populations are projected to decline and age with long term impacts to theglobal share of their economic output. Population growth and urbanization in
the Middle East, Africa, and South Central Asia will contribute to increased
water scarcity and may present governance challenges. The uncertain impact
of global climate change combined with increased population centers in or nearcoastal environments may challenge the ability of weak or developing states to
respond to natural disasters.
Prosperity and Security – The United States will remain the foremost economic
and military power for the foreseeable future, though national debt poses a
significant national security risk. Asia will increase its regional share of global
wealth. Though it faces a number of domestic challenges, continuation of2

China’s decades-long economic growth is expected to facilitate its continued
military modernization and expansion of its interests within and beyond theregion. Other states in Asia, too, are becoming more militarily capable as theygrow more prosperous. NATO will remain the most powerful military alliance,
though some of its states are reducing defense spending as part of broader
austerity measures. These reductions may impact partner nations’contributions to our collective security. Energy-state relationships willintersect geopolitical concerns as state-run companies will control anincreasing share of the world's hydrocarbon resources and the persistent
challenge of resource scarcity may overlap with territorial disputes.
Weapons of Mass Destruction – The intersection between states, statesponsored, and non-state adversaries is most dangerous in the area of WMDproliferation and nuclear terrorism. In Asia, North Korea’s nuclear capability
and potentially unstable transition of power poses a risk to regional stability
and international non-proliferation efforts. In the Middle East, a nuclear
armed Iran could set off a cascade of states in the region seeking nuclear parity
or increased conventional capabilities; that could lead to regional conflict. The
prospect of multiple nuclear armed regimes in the Middle East with nascentsecurity and command and control mechanisms amplifies the threat of conflict,and significantly increases the probability of miscalculation or the loss ofcontrol of a nuclear weapon to non-state actors.
Global Commons and Globally Connected Domains – Assured access to andfreedom of maneuver within the global
commons – shared areas of sea, air, andspace – and globally connected domains
such as cyberspace are being
increasingly challenged by both state andnon-state actors. Non-state actors suchas criminal organizations, traffickers, andterrorist groups find a nexus of interests
in exploiting the commons. States aredeveloping anti-access and area-denial
capabilities and strategies to constrain
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson
U.S. and international freedom of action.
(CVN 70) leads the Royal Malaysian Navy frigate KD
These states are rapidly acquiring
Lekir (FF 26) and corvette KD Kelantan (FFL 175) andthe Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS
technologies, such as missiles andBunker Hill (CG 52) during a passing exercise.
autonomous and remotely-piloted
platforms that challenge our ability to project power from the global commonsand increase our operational risk. Meanwhile, enabling and war-fighting
domains of space and cyberspace are simultaneously more critical for ouroperations, yet more vulnerable to malicious actions. The space environmentis becoming more congested, contested, and competitive. Some states are
conducting or condoning cyber intrusions that foreshadow the growing threat
in this globally connected domain. The cyber threat is expanded and3exacerbated by lack of international norms, difficulties of attribution, lowbarriers to entry, and the relative ease of developing potent capabilities.
Non-state Actors – State-sponsored and non-state actors complicate deterrence
and accountability by extending their reach through advanced technologies
that were once solely the domain of states. They are using technology tocoordinate and operate globally to spread extremist ideologies and attack theUnited States and our allies. States with weak, failing, and corrupt
governments will increasingly be used as a safe haven for an expanding arrayof non-state actors that breed conflict and endanger stability, particularly in
Africa and the broader Middle East. Terrorists, criminal networks, and pirates
undermine the rule of law, perpetuate and accelerate violence in theinternational system, and challenge states’ ability to respond.
III. Enduring National Interests and National Military Objectives.
U.S. foreign policy and the international security architecture must continue toadapt to this dynamic security environment. The 2010 National Security
Strategy reaffirmed America’s commitment to retaining its global leadershiprole and defined our enduring national interests:The security of the United States, its citizens, and U.S. allies andpartners;
A strong, innovative and growing U.S. economy in an open international
economic system that promotes opportunity and prosperity;
Respect for universal values at home and around the world; andAn international order advanced by U.S. leadership that promotes peace,security, and opportunity through stronger cooperation to meet global
challenges.

The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) took an important step towards
institutionalizing reform in the Defense Department and rebalancing the urgent
needs of today with preparation for future challenges. The QDR also defined
the main elements of U.S. force structure and provided a construct for sizing
and shaping the Joint Force to accomplish the Nation’s defense objectives. The
Nuclear Posture Review addressed these areas with respect to nuclear forces.
The NSS and QDR guide the establishment of our National Military Objectives:Counter Violent Extremism
Deter and Defeat Aggression
Strengthen International and Regional Security
Shape the Future Force4

In pursuing these objectives, America’s Joint Force makes critical contributions
to U.S. leadership and national security. The
In this multi-nodal world, theUnited States, allies, and our partners will
military’s contribution tooften compete with others for influence in an
American leadership must be
environment where persistent tension is theabout more than power – it
norm. In conjunction with U.S. diplomaticmust be about our approachefforts, we seek to prevent this tension fromto exercising power.
escalating into conflict. This requires
America’s Joint Force possesses the reach,resolve, and ability to project decisive military power.
However, military power alone is insufficient to fully address the complex
security challenges we face. Military power and our Nation’s other instrumentsof statecraft are more effective when applied in concert. Trends in the strategic
environment do not suggest this will change. In this multi-nodal world, themilitary’s contribution to American leadership must be about more than power– it must be about our approach to exercising power. And regardless of ourleadership approach, we must always demonstrate our core values through thepersuasive power of example.
A. Counter Violent Extremism.
There are no more vital interests than the security of the American people, ourterritory, and our way of life. This is why we are at war in South Central Asia,
the epicenter of violent extremism. Afghanistan is where al Qaida, given
sanctuary by the Taliban, planned the attacks that murdered more than 3,000
innocent people on 11 September 2001. Al Qaida senior leadership remains inPakistan and intends to continue to attack the United States, allies, and ourpartners.
The Nation’s strategic objective in thiscampaign is to disrupt, dismantle, anddefeat al Qaida and its affiliates in
Afghanistan and Pakistan and prevent theirreturn to either country. Success requires
the Joint Force to closely work with NATO,
our coalition partners, Afghanistan, andPakistan. We will continue to erode Taliban
influence, work with the Afghan government
to facilitate reintegration and reconciliationof former insurgents, continue to strengthen
the capacity of Afghan security forces, andenable Pakistan to ultimately defeat al Qaida
and its extremist allies.

5

American K-9 Detection Services (AMK9) dog
handler Ambar Limbu, (center) a Panchkhal,
Nepal native and his Explosive Detector Dog,
Tinus, lead a partnered dismounted patrol with
the Afghan National Army and Canadian forces
through Panwai'i district of Kandahar Oct 8.

The threat of violent extremism is not limited to South Central Asia. Groups
such as Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Al Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb,
al-Shabaab, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and others emanate from Somalia, Yemen, andelsewhere around the globe. Terrorists’ abilities to remotely plan andcoordinate attacks is growing, sometimes facilitated by global illicit trafficking
routes, extending their operational reach while rendering targeting of theirsanctuaries more difficult. Undeterred by the complexity of terrorist networks
and in concert with our Allies and partners, we will be prepared to find,capture, or kill violent extremists wherever they reside when they threateninterests and citizens of America and our allies.
While such operations disrupt in the short-term, they cannot be decisive anddo not constitute a viable long-term strategy for combating extremism. We
must continue to support and facilitate whole-of-nation approaches tocountering extremism that seek and sustain regional partnerships withresponsible states to erode terrorists’ support and sources of legitimacy.
Military power complements economic development, governance, and rule oflaw – the true bedrocks of counterterrorism efforts. In the long run, violent
ideologies are ultimately discredited and defeated when a secure population
chooses to reject extremism and violence in favor of more peaceful pursuits.
We will strengthen and expand our network ofpartnerships to enable partner capacity toenhance security. This will help reduce
potential safe-havens before violent extremism
can take root. We will nest our efforts to build
partner capacity with broader national
security priorities, consolidate ourinstitutional processes, and improvecoordination across agencies. Military-tomilitary relationships must be reliable to beeffective, and persevere through political
upheavals or even disruption.

These students prepare to graduate from theCollege of International Security Affairs on
10 June, 2010 at National Defense
University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
Each year, over 135 countries send theirmilitary officers to study national security
affairs and operational matters at our
military's educational institutions.

We will adapt deterrence principles to ourefforts in countering extremists. Thoughterrorists are very difficult to deter directly,
they make cost/benefit calculations and are dependent on states and otherstakeholders we are capable of influencing. When directed, we will provide
capabilities to hold accountable any government or entity complicit in attacks
against the United States or allies to raise the cost of their support. And wemust take further steps to deny terrorists the benefits they seek through their
attacks. We will, on order, be prepared to respond to any attack across the full
spectrum of military capabilities with an appropriate and measured response
at a time and place of our Nation’s choosing.

6

As we conduct this difficult campaign, we will employ military force in concert
with other instruments of power and in a precise and principled manner.
Precise does not mean perfect, and principled does not mean uncompromising.
But we must recognize the inherent complexity in war among peoples. The risk
we assume by minimizing collateral damage to innocents is balanced by areduction of risk to turning even more people against our broader mission.
Thus, the disciplined application of force is consistent with our values andinternational law, increases our chances of strategic and operational success,and more effectively advances national policy.
B. Deter and Defeat Aggression.
Preventing wars is as important as winning them, and far less costly. A
prosperous and interconnected world requires a stable and secureenvironment, the absence of territorial aggression or conflict between states,
and reliable access to resources and cyberspace for stable markets.
Conventional or unconventional conflict between states interrupts commerce
and triggers market volatility. Instantaneous information systems and theglobal economy’s interconnectedness exacerbate and amplify these effects. In
our role as security guarantor, and in concert with our allies and partners
whenever possible, the Joint Force will be prepared to deter and defeat regional
aggression that would threaten our national interests.
Deter Aggression: The United States seeks the peace and security of a world
without nuclear weapons. However, as long as nuclear weapons exist,
deterring nuclear attack on the United States, our allies, and partners willcontinue to be the fundamental role of U.S. nuclear weapons. In support of the
President’s vision, we will reduce the role and numbers of nuclear weapons,
while maintaining a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent. The Joint
Force will provide capabilities to deter aggression and assure our allies andpartners through our nuclear arsenal andoverseas missile defense capabilities. We
will continue to lead in advancing Ballistic
Missile Defense capabilities against limited
attacks and we seek opportunities forcooperation with allies and partners in thisarea.
We will counter WMD proliferation as itpresents a grave and common threat to our
Nation and others. Working throughinstitutions, alliances and coalitions, we will
dismantle proliferation networks, interdict
movement of materials, further improve
nuclear forensics capabilities, and secure
nuclear, chemical, and biological materials

7

Hazardous material decontamination operators
await the arrival of contaminated patients during
a simulated nuclear attack during Operation
Vibrant Response at Muscatatuck Urban Training
Center, Butlerville, Ind., Nov. 8, 2009.

worldwide. We will help allies and partners to develop WMD detection andelimination capabilities to protect their own populations. CombatantCommanders shall conduct prudent planning and be prepared to eliminate
sources of WMD, providing the President with an array of options for military
action when and where necessary.
We must also maintain a robust conventional deterrent. Deterrence andassurance requires the ability to rapidly and globally project power in all
domains. In turn, force posture – both rotational and forward based – shall begeographically distributed, operationally resilient, and politically sustainablethrough visible partnering efforts.
We will support whole-of-nation deterrence approaches that blend economic,
diplomatic, and military tools to influence adversary behavior. Denying an
aggressor the benefits of achieving its objectives can be just as effective as inaltering its strategic calculus through the threat of retaliation. The mosteffective deterrence approaches make use of both techniques, while also
providing potential adversaries acceptable alternative courses of action.
We must also adapt deterrence principles to
21st century security challenges. We will
enhance deterrence in air, space, andcyberspace by possessing the capability tofight through a degraded environment andimproving our ability to attribute and defeat
attacks on our systems or supporting
infrastructure.

A prosperous andinterconnected world
requires a stable and secureenvironment, the absence of
territorial aggression orconflict between states, andreliable access to resources
and cyberspace for stable
markets.

Defeat Aggression: The core task of ourArmed Forces remains to defend our Nation and win its wars. To do so, wemust provide capabilities to defeat adversary aggression. Military force, attimes, may be necessary to defend our Nation and allies or to preserve broader
peace and security. Seeking to adhere to international standards, the UnitedStates will use military force in concert with allies and partners wheneverpossible, while reserving the right to act alone if necessary. Across a wide
range of contingencies, military leaders will provide our Nation’s leadershipwith options of how the military can help achieve the Nation’s objectives.
Defeating adversary aggression will require the Joint Force to support National
approaches to counter anti-access and area-denial strategies. Anti-accessstrategies seek to prevent our Nation’s ability to project and sustain combat
power into a region, while area denial strategies seek to constrain our Nation’s
freedom of action within the region. Defeating these strategies will require
Joint Force doctrine to better integrate core military competencies across all
domains and account for geographic considerations and constraints. These
core military competencies include complementary, multi-domain power8

projection, joint forcible entry, the ability to maintain joint assured access to
the global commons and cyberspace should they become contested, and theability to fight and win against adversaries.
Joint assured access to the global commons and cyberspace constitutes a core
aspect of U.S. national security and remains an enduring mission for the Joint
Force. The global commons and globally connected domains constitute theconnective tissue upon which all nations' security and prosperity depend. The
maritime domain enables the bulk of the joint force's forward deployment andsustainment, as well as the commerce that underpins the global economic
system. The interlinked domains of air, space, and cyberspace allow for thehigh-speed, high-volume exchange of people, ideas, goods, information andcapital that are equally critical to the global economy. These collective domains
are essential and interdependent mediums for the Joint Force's projection andsustainment of power and ability to deter and defeat aggression.
In support of our Nation's interests, the Joint Force will take a strong role ininternational efforts to safeguard access, sustain security, provide oversightand accountability, and promote responsible norms in the global commons andcyberspace. The Joint Force will adhere to conventions, laws, and regulations
our Nation supports to underpin collective security and govern conduct. We
will also facilitate cooperation in the commons and cyberspace withtransparent, routine, and predictable practices as part of our theater
strategies.
Our ability to operate effectively in spaceand cyberspace, in particular, isincreasingly essential to defeating
aggression. The United States faces
persistent, widespread, and growing threats
from state and non-state actors in spaceand cyberspace. We must grow capabilities
that enable operations when a common
domain is unusable or inaccessible. Spaceand cyberspace enable effective global warfighting in the air, land, and maritime
domains, and have emerged as war-fighting
domains in their own right.


The Soyuz TMA-17 spacecraft approaches theInternational Space Station, Dec. 22, 2009,
carrying Russian Cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, Soyuz
commander and Expedition 22 flight engineer;along with NASA Astronaut Col. T.J. Creamer
and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, both flight engineers.

Space - We will support whole-of-nation approaches to establishing andpromoting norms, enhancing space situational awareness, and fostering
greater transparency and information sharing. We will work with allies
and partners to enhance space capabilities enabling coalitions andimproving space architecture resiliency. We will also train for power
projection operations in space-degraded environments that minimize the9incentives to attack space capabilities, and will maintain a range ofoptions to deter or punish such activities.


Cyberspace – Cyberspace capabilities enable Combatant Commanders tooperate effectively across all domains. Strategic Command and Cyber
Command will collaborate with U.S. government agencies, nongovernment entities, industry, and international actors to develop new
cyber norms, capabilities, organizations, and skills. Should a large-scale
cyber intrusion or debilitating cyber attack occur, we must provide a
broad range of options to ensure our access and use of the cyberspacedomain and hold malicious actors accountable. We must seek executive
and Congressional action to provide new authorities to enable effective
action in cyberspace.
C. Strengthen International and Regional Security.

As a global power, U.S. interests are deeply intertwined with the security andstability of the broader international system – a system of alliances,
partnerships, and multi-national institutions. The disposition, strength, andreadiness of our Joint Force form a global defense posture that provides
unsurpassed capabilities allowing us, uniquely, to lead efforts that strengthen
security across all regions. Our approach to leading will differ according to theunique combination of challenges we face. We must address immediatechallenges and posture ourselves to account for long-term trends.
Strengthening
Strengthening international and regional security
international andrequires that our forces be globally-available, yetregional security
regionally-focused. Missions can change rapidly andrequires that our
we will continue to shape our joint force to be able toforces be globallyaggregate capabilities quickly. We will improveavailable, yet
synchronized planning and force flow between
regionally-focused.
regional theaters. With partner nation support, we
will preserve forward presence and access to the commons, bases, ports, andairfields commensurate with safeguarding our economic and security interests
worldwide. We must thoughtfully address cultural and sovereignty concerns inhost countries. Global posture remains our most powerful form of commitment
and provides us strategic depth across domains and regions.
North America – Our Nation’s most vital interests are the safety and security ofour people and territory and our way of life. We will defend the homeland andplay a critical role in supporting homeland security. We will work with the
Department of Homeland Security, particularly the Coast Guard, to improveair, maritime, space, cyberspace and land domain awareness to help secure theapproaches to our continent and Nation. In response to an attack, cyberincident, or natural disaster, we will focus on rapidly providing planning,10command and control, consequence
management, and logistics support to the
Department of Homeland Security, state andlocal governments, and non-governmentalorganizations. We will continue to dedicate,fund, and train a portion of the National
Guard for homeland defense and defense
support of civil authorities.
Soldiers of the Alabama National Guard build
Working with Canada and Mexico, we will
and maintain miles of HESCO barriers toremain prepared to deter and defeat direct
protect Dauphin Island, Ala., beaches from theBP oil spill, July 23, 2010.
threats to our North American homeland.
We will also partner with Canada on regional security issues such as an
evolving Arctic, and look to build an increasingly close security partnershipwith Mexico. As part of our shared responsibility to ensure security on bothsides of our border, we shall assist Mexican security forces in combating
violent transnational criminal organizations. Efforts to disrupt illicit trafficking
sources and transit zones must be coordinated across North, Central andSouth America, and the Caribbean.

Caribbean, South and Central America – Our Nation seeks progress on bilateral,
hemispheric and global issues with South America. In support of this, theJoint Force will help build regional security cooperation in South and Central
America and the Caribbean to enhance security and stability in the Western
Hemisphere. We welcome efforts by Brazil and our other regional partners toestablish economic and security mechanisms, such as the South American
Defense Council. These efforts can help build interdependence and further
integrate partner states into a South American security architecture that will
improve regional stability.
Broader Middle East – Our Nation has
important interests in the greater Middle
East. The most significant threat toregional stability remains an Iranianregime that continues to seek thedevelopment of nuclear weapons, as wellas continuing to provide support toterrorist organizations throughout thebroader Middle East. To support andU.S. Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Charlieadvance our Nation’s interests, the Joint
Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment,
Force will pursue security cooperation
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
provide support to the 2nd Battalion, 50th Brigade,and help strengthen the defense
14th Iraqi Army Division in a cordon and searchcapabilities of our allies and regional
outside Joint Security Station Basra Operations
Command, Iraq, July 25, 2010.
partners. We will support efforts tocounter transnational and sub-state militant groups, and combat the spread of
WMD and related materials. We will maintain an appropriate presence capable11

of reassuring partners and allies and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear
arms.
Our Nation seeks a long-term partnership with Iraq, including in security
affairs. The Joint Force must continue to transition well as we shift the focus
of our assistance from Iraq’s internal domestic security to its external national
defense. We will help build an Iraqi defense force while carefully considering
the interests of all Iraqis as well as Iraq’s neighbors. We will help to further
strengthen security relations between Iraq and its neighbors.
Africa – Our Nation continues to embrace effective partnerships in Africa. The
United Nations and African Union play a critical role in humanitarian,peacekeeping and capacity-building efforts, which help preserve stability,
facilitate resolutions to political tensions that underlie conflicts, and foster
broader development. To support this, theJoint Force will continue to build partner
capacity in Africa, focusing on critical states
where the threat of terrorism could pose athreat to our homeland and interests. We
will continue to counter violent extremism in
the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia andthe Trans-Sahel. We will work in other areas
to help reduce the security threat toinnocent civilians. We must identify andencourage states and regional organizations
A boarding team made up of crew membersthat have demonstrated a leadership role tofrom U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Legare (WMEC912) and representatives of the Cape Verdecontinue to contribute to Africa's security.
Coast Guard and Judiciary Police approach a
We will help facilitate the African Union’s
fishing boat during boarding operations in the
Atlantic Ocean Sept. 3, 2009."
and the Regional Economic Communities’
development of their military capacity, including the African Stand-by Force, toaddress the continent’s many security challenges.
Europe – NATO will remain our Nation’s preeminent multilateral alliance andcontinue to drive our defense relations with Europe. The Joint Force willcontinue to cooperate to combat violent extremism, focusing on our mission in
Afghanistan and support to Pakistan. We will also support the new strategic
concept including space and cyberspace security, Ballistic Missile Defense,
counter-trafficking, and nonproliferation – and pursue mission specializationthat contributes to complementary capabilities. We will pay close attention to
how this institution adjusts to its members’ reductions in defense expenditures
to ensure the Alliance maintains the capability for full spectrum operations.
NATO members act as a stabilizing force on its perimeter, which ranges from
the Middle East and the Levant, Northern Africa, the Balkans, and theCaucasus. Turkey can play a uniquely critical role in this regard. We will
actively support closer military-to-military relations between the Alliance and12Europe’s non-NATO nations, some of which have reliably contributed to transAtlantic security for decades. As we strengthen our European alliance, we will
increase dialogue and military-to-military relations with Russia, building on
our successful efforts in strategic arms reduction. We seek to cooperate with
Russia on counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, space, and Ballistic Missile
Defense, and welcome it playing a more active role in preserving security andstability in Asia.
Asia and Pacific – The Nation’s strategic
priorities and interests will increasingly
emanate from the Asia-Pacific region. The
region's share of global wealth is growing,
enabling increased military capabilities.
This is causing the region’s security
architecture to change rapidly, creating
new challenges and opportunities for our
national security and leadership. Thoughstill underpinned by the U.S. bilateralalliance system, Asia's security architecture
is becoming a more complex mix of formal
and informal multilateral relationships andexpanded bilateral security ties amongstates.

Four F-16 Fighting Falcons fly over the Piung
Harbor during a U.S. and Republic of Korea Air
Force Coalition flight in celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the Korean War.

We expect to maintain a strong military presence in Northeast Asia for decades.
We will work with the Japan Self-Defense Forces to improve their out-of-area
operational capabilities as the nation adjusts its defense posture. The Republicof Korea has proven a steadfast ally supporting U.S. security efforts around theworld; our commitment to the Republic of Korea is unwavering as North Korea
remains a provocative threat to regional stability. We will retain operational
control over combined forces on the Korean peninsula through 2015 andprovide assistance to South Korea as it expands its security responsibilities.
We will continue to work with Japan and South Korea to help improve security
ties between them, enhance military cooperation, and preserve regional
stability.
As our presence and alliance commitments remain the key to preserving
stability in Northeast Asia, we must also invest new attention and resources inSoutheast and South Asia. We will look for security opportunities to support
our Nation’s increased emphasis on its relationship with ASEAN and othermultilateral forums. Bilaterally, Australia's leadership in regional security
affairs, and our shared values and longstanding historical ties provide thebasis for an increasingly important relationship. We will make our alliance amodel for interoperability, transparency, and meaningful combined fullspectrum activities.

13

As military capability and capacity increases in Asia, we will seek new ways tocatalyze greater regional security cooperation.
Leveraging our convening power, we will
expand the scope and participation ofmultilateral exercises across the region. We
seek expanded military cooperation with India
on nonproliferation, safeguarding the global
commons, countering terrorism, andelsewhere. We will expand our military
security cooperation, exchanges, and exercises A Royal Thai Marine Corps reconnaissanceteam conducts jump training with Marines
with the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam,
assigned to Force Reconnaissance Company,
Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, and
3rd Reconnaissance Battalion during exercise
Gold 2011 at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navyother states in Oceania – working with them to Cobra
Airfield, Chanthaburi province, Thailand, Jan.
address domestic and common foreign threats
21, 2011.
to their nation’s integrity and security. This
will also help ensure we maintain a sustainable and diversified presence andoperational access in the region. Lastly, we strongly encourage thedevelopment of security ties and commitments that are emerging among ourallies and partners in the region. This helps strengthen regional norms anddemonstrates increased responsibility and cooperation in addressing regional
security challenges.
Our Nation seeks a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship with
China that welcomes it to take on a responsible leadership role. To support
this, the Joint Force seeks a deeper military-to-military relationship with China
to expand areas of mutual interest and benefit, improve understanding, reduce
misperception, and prevent miscalculation. We will promote common interests
through China’s cooperation in countering piracy and proliferation of WMD,
and using its influence with North Korea to preserve stability on the Korean
peninsula. We will continue to monitor carefully China’s military developments
and the implications those developments have on the military balance in the
Taiwan Strait. We remain concerned about the extent and strategic intent ofChina’s military modernization, and its assertiveness in space, cyberspace, in
the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea. To safeguard U.S. andpartner nation interests, we will be prepared to demonstrate the will andcommit the resources needed to oppose any nation’s actions that jeopardize
access to and use of the global commons and cyberspace, or that threaten the
security of our allies.

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Transnational Challenges – In combination
with U.S. diplomatic and development efforts,
we will leverage our convening power to foster
regional and international cooperation in
addressing transnational security challenges.
Response to natural disasters andtransnational threats such as trafficking,piracy, proliferation of WMD, terrorism,
While conducting counterpiracy operations in
the Gulf of Aden as part of Combined
cyber-aggression, and pandemics are often
Maritime Forces (CMF) Task Force 151, thebest addressed through cooperative security
Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Portland (F79) detected, intercepted and boarded two
approaches that create mutually beneficial
suspicious skiffs preventing a possible pirate
outcomes. Working to address these threats
attack.
provides a rough but adaptable agenda
Combatant Commanders can tailor to their region and coordinate acrossregional seams.
Theater Security Cooperation and Humanitarian Assistance – The Joint Force,
Combatant Commanders, and Service Chiefs shall actively partner with other
U.S. Government agencies to pursue theater security cooperation to increase
collective security skills with a wider range of partners. We seek to facilitate
interagency and enable international interoperability before crises occur.
Preparation is indispensable when conditions demand collaboration. In turn,
we must plan and exercise extensively across Combatant Commanders’ seamsof responsibility for full spectrum contingencies to support U.S. diplomatic anddevelopment efforts and help mitigate and contain the human and economic
impact of crises. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities employ
the Joint Force to address partner needs and sometimes provide opportunities
to build confidence and trust between erstwhile
adversaries. They also help us gain and maintain
access and relationships that support our broader
national interests. We must be prepared to support
and facilitate the response of the United States Agency
for International Development and other U.S.
government agencies’ to humanitarian crises.
Security Sector Assistance – Security assistanceencompasses a group of programs through which we
provide defense articles and services to internationalorganizations and foreign governments in support ofnational policies and objectives. To improve theeffectiveness of our security assistance, our internal
procedures need comprehensive reform. To form
better and more effective partnerships, we require
more flexible resources, and less cumbersome
processes. We seek authorities for a pooled-resources
approach to facilitate more complementary efforts

15

Coalition special operations forces
assault a building in search of amock high-value target inDarwsko, Poland, Sept. 20, 2010,
during the opening ceremony forexercise Jackal Stone 2010

across departments and programs, integrating defense, diplomacy,development, law enforcement, and intelligence capacity-building activities.
D. Shape the Future Force.
Our focus on leadership, not simply power, necessitates that we emphasize ourvalues and our people as much as our platforms and capabilities. The allvolunteer force will remain our greatest strategic asset and the best example ofthe values we represent. In addition, we must continue to find innovative andaffordable ways to provide the full range of capabilities necessary to fulfill thisstrategy while making difficult tradeoffs between modernization, capacity,
capability, posture, and risk.
Our People
To shape the future force, we must grow leaders who can truly out-think andout innovate adversaries while gaining trust, understanding, and cooperationfrom our partners in an ever-more complex and dynamic environment. The
enduring challenges we face and the whole-of-nation approaches they require
demand leaders that have the qualities of flexibility, agility, and adaptability,
and the ability to build unique teams of teams to accomplish missions.
We must think and engage more broadly
Our focus on leadership, notabout the civil-military continuum and thesimply power, necessitatescommitments embedded within. Just as ourthat we emphasize our
Service members commit to the Nation whenvalues and our people as
they volunteer to serve, we incur an equallymuch as our platforms andbinding pledge to return them to society ascapabilities.
better citizens. We must safeguard Service
members’ pay and benefits, provide family support, and care for our wounded
warriors. We will place increased emphasis on helping our Service members
master the challenging upheavals of returning home from war andtransitioning out of the military back to civilian life. Through the power of their
example, the success of our veterans can inspire young Americans to serve. In
all these endeavors, we must constantly reinforce our connection to U.S. values
and society.
We will maintain the trust and confidence of our elected leaders and the publicby providing frank, professional military advice; being good stewards of publicresources; and vigorously executing lawful orders. The military’s adherence tothe ideals comprised in our Constitution is a profound example for othernations. We will continue to affirm the foundational values in our oath:civilian control of the military remains a core principle of our Republic and wewill preserve it. We will remain an apolitical institution and sustain thisposition at all costs.

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An all-volunteer force must represent the country it defends. We will
strengthen our commitment to the values of diversity and inclusivity, andcontinue to treat each other with dignity
and respect. We benefit immensely fromthe different perspectives, and linguistic
and cultural skills of all Americans. We
will develop leaders who are capable ofoperating in interagency and multinational environments and providing
liaison to other U.S. agencies, allies, andpartners.
Our leaders are the strongest advocate
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, the Unitedfor our Nation’s commitment to caring forStates Division-South commander, administers theoath of enlistment during a mass re-enlistment
our wounded veterans and their families.
ceremony to Soldiers from 3rd Armored Cavalry
We will build greater resilience into our
Regiment in Babil province, Iraq, Nov. 11, 2010.
Service members and their families fromthe first day they enter the military. But we must balance this commitment by
better managing the increased costs of health care. We will focus on early
preventive actions to diminish the tragic risks of suicide, traumatic brain
injury, substance abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, and otherchallenges. Despite increased attention, suicide remains a severe challenge forevery service. Traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress have become
similarly devastating, affecting hundreds of thousands of service members andveterans. In many ways, these issues are the greatest threat to our people andpresent a strategic risk to our institution.
We must work to end the stigma that prevents our service members, veterans,
and their families from seeking help early, and simplify the number andcomplexity of programs we currently offer to help. This is a difficult, vexing,
and complex problem that only leadership can reverse. To do so, we will tap
into the capabilities of other government agencies and civil organizations(community, state, and national) to improve care for veterans. We must focus
on and expand those programs that work best and eliminate those that do not
perform. While we must and will do more, we can only effectively move forward
by establishing care that includes public and private partnerships.
We will carefully review legacy personnel systems, particularly whether we havethe appropriate balance between uniformed, civilian, and contract
professionals, and active and reserve components. The emerging war-fighting
domain of cyberspace requires special attention in this regard. The Reserve
component, too, is essential as it provides strategic and operational depth to
the Joint Force. In turn, preserving it as an accessible, operational force also
requires sustained attention.

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We have made significant progress in the readiness of our reserve component,
and this will remain a key focus area. The missions we undertake are growing
more diverse as we work more with our civilian counterparts. In turn, theskills and experiences of our Reserve and National Guard forces have become
ever more relevant. To capitalize on the progress made, we must continue toutilize the Reserve Component and National Guard in an operational capacity
as a trained, equipped, ready, and available force for routine, predictabledeployments.
Capabilities and Readiness
Both our Nation and military will face increased budget pressures and wecannot assume an increase in the defense budget. As we adjust to thesepressures, we must not become a hollow force with a large force structure
lacking the readiness, training, and modern equipment it needs. Instead, we
will maintain a whole, Joint Force that retains quality people, sustains anddevelops the right capabilities, and maintains a sustainable tempo to effectively
mitigate operational, institutional, force management, and future challenges
risk. We must continue to maintain our margin of technological superiority
and ensure our Nation’s industrial base is able to field the capabilities andcapacity necessary for our forces to succeed in any contingency. At the sametime, we will pursue deliberate acquisition process improvements and selective
force modernization with the cost effective introduction of new equipment andtechnology.
Our strategy, forged in war,
Capabilities – Our strategy, forged in war, isis focused on fielding
focused on fielding modular, adaptive, generalmodular, adaptive, general
purpose forces that can be employed in the
purpose forces that can be
full range of military operations. Joint Forces
employed in the full range ofwill improve their ability to surge on shortmilitary operations.
notice, deploy agile command and control
systems, and be increasingly interoperable with other U.S. government
agencies. Forces will operate with an aptitude for precise and discriminate
action and increasingly possess security force assistance expertise. Joint
Forces must become more expeditionary in nature and will require a smaller
logistical footprint in part by reducing large fuel and energy demands.
Additionally, Joint Forces must train and exercise in degraded air, sea, cyber,and space environments.
The Joint Force must ensure access, freedom of maneuver, and the ability to
project power globally through all domains:Land – Joint Forces will be capable of full spectrum operations, and beorganized to provide a versatile mix of tailorable and networked
organizations operating on a sustainable rotational cycle.

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







Maritime – Joint forces will include an appropriate mix of small, missiontailored and large, multi-mission capable units, formations andplatforms. This will provide the ability to conduct the full range of naval
operations across the spectrum of maritime environments.
Air – Joint Forces will perform full spectrum operations to secure,maintain, and assure unhindered domain access, global strike, rapid
global mobility, globally integrated intelligence, surveillance, andreconnaissance (ISR), command and control, and retain the ability to
project power into distant, anti-access environments.
Space – Joint Forces will pursue resilient architectures, space situationalawareness, provide options for self-defense and reconstitution, maintainsymmetric and asymmetric capabilities to deter adversaries, and train for
operations in space-degraded environments.
Cyberspace – Joint Forces will secure the ‘.mil’ domain, requiring aresilient DoD cyberspace architecture that employs a combination of
detection, deterrence, denial, and multi-layered defense. We will improve
our cyberspace capabilities so they can often achieve significant andproportionate effects with less cost and lower collateral impact.

Joint nuclear forces will continue to support strategic stability throughmaintenance of an assured second-strike capability. We will ensure our
nuclear forces remain effective, safe, and secure. We will retain sufficient
nuclear force structure to hedge against unexpected geopolitical change,technological problems, and operational vulnerabilities.
Joint special operations forces will remain decentralized and flexible, haveregional expertise, and maintain a wide range of capabilities to support our
Nation’s counter-terrorism efforts and other missions that require their unique
attributes. We will increase enablers critical for the success of special
operations forces.
In today’s knowledge-based environment, theweight of operational efforts is increasingly
prioritized not only by the assignment offorces, but also by the allocation of ISR
capabilities. The ability to create precise,desirable effects with a smaller force and alighter logistical footprint depends on a
RQ-1 Predators, like the one shown here, arerobust ISR architecture. Across all domains,
being deployed from Creech Air Force Base,
Nev., to provide intelligence, surveillance
we will improve sharing, processing, analysis,
and reconnaissance capabilities in supportand dissemination of information to betterof relief efforts in Haiti.
support decision makers. We will make ourcommand and control more survivable and resilient through redundancy, andimprove human intelligence capabilities. To do so, we must change ourmindset from simply increasing the density of ISR capabilities to evaluating our19methodologies for employing and integrating ISR assets. Joint Force processes
must efficiently employ and allocate all ISR assets from across the Services,and strengthen the linkage between ISR and cyberspace operations where they
leverage each other or operate in the same space.
No other military can match the Joint
Force’s strike, logistics, strategic
mobility, planning, and command andcontrol capabilities. We will explore joint
operational concepts leveraging mobile
and more survivable bases, sea-borne
mobility, and innovative uses of space.
We will maintain this superiority and thecapacity to extend these competitive
advantages to others – our uniquecapabilities amplify their efforts.

U.S. Service members retrieve cargo dropped from a
U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III near Forward
Operating Base Todd in Afghanistan's Badghis
province on Jan. 6, 2011.

Lending these niche capabilities to partners, or surging them in times of crisis,
is the right partnering investment, and builds long-lasting goodwill.
Readiness – Readiness, too, must remain a top priority, as our forces, systems,
and capabilities will continue to be under extraordinary stress. Readiness isthe ability to provide and integrate capabilities required by CombatantCommanders to execute their assigned missions. Restoring readiness will help
improve our strategic depth to conduct full-spectrum operations, which has
been degraded by sustained combat.
Short term efforts to improve readiness will focus on resetting equipment andreconstituting units, in some cases--most notably rotational and expeditionary
forces--this will be in stride. As we reset, we will conduct more full-spectrum
joint, combined, interagency, and multinational training, exercises andexperimentation. Forward presence and engagement will take on greater
importance during this time. Long-term modernization efforts will improvereadiness by developing essential capabilities and capacity to outpace emerging
threats. A further degradation of readiness for the full range of military
operations would undermine our ability to fulfill our national defense objectives– an unacceptable risk.
We will develop more effective ways to assess joint and unit readiness thatemphasize “joint” capabilities and concepts. While accounting for missions
that require continual readiness, we must develop strategic concepts thatmeasure joint readiness across the services to deter conflict and respondpromptly during contingencies. We will streamline the requirements-tocapabilities process, synchronizing force-providers with force-commanderneeds.

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IV. Conclusion.
This strategy is derived from a thorough assessment of the strategic
environment and how to advance our national interests within it. It describes
how the Joint Force will redefine America’s military leadership by enabling
whole-of-nation approaches to address national security challenges. It calls fora broad portfolio of leadership approaches – facilitator, enabler, convener, andguarantor - to address problems that are truly international in nature. Ourleadership approaches magnify the capabilities we possess, making them justas important to assuring favorable outcomes. Our ability to lead will determine
how well we advance America’s interests through this strategic inflection point.
This strategy also sets a vector toward transition from a force that has been
engaged in sustained combat operations to a Joint Force that is shaped for the
future. As the challenges we face require a Joint Force that is flexible, agile,
and adaptive, it emphasizes people as much as platforms. It recognizes thatthe unique character of our Service members, working hand-in-hand withother government agencies and in support of public-private partnerships, is aformidable advantage. We must continue to care for Service members andtheir families, and set conditions for their continued success – in and out of
uniform. This will require significant support from Congress, the American
people, and a thoughtful, reflective military leadership. By successfully
contributing to America’s security and prosperity, we will continue to advanceour Nation’s enduring interests well into the 21st Century.

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