Catalyst for Change: The Department of Defense as a Forcing Function for the Whole-of-Government Approach

The ability of the United States to achieve its national strategic objectives is dependent on the effectiveness of our government in not only employing the instruments of national power, but effectively understanding them. “It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” One cannot balance, integrate, or employ what one does not understand. Despite an improved understanding of the strategic environment and a consensus that a whole-of-government approach must be employed to achieve our vital national interests, our Nation falls short. This deficit requires the DoD to be prepared to conduct a whole-of-government approach alone or with limited support from the other government agencies and departments. However, the DoD is currently unprepared, untrained, and under resourced to effectively implement this approach.