103-06A-RH11 - State Input - VA - Regional Hearing - 7-7-2005 - National Capital Area Page: 99 of 206

                                
7/6/2005                                                            DCN: 4861
DRAFT
The NSF was founded in 1950 to leverage the nation's S&T resources for the civilian
economy just as the military had leveraged those resources for the war effort in World
War II. As such, the target clientele of both the NSF and the defense research
organizations are the same leading edge civilian S&T researchers.
This co-location with NSF in Northern Virginia has enabled unique synergies of effort
and expertise for these defense organizations. Together they have become this Nation's
Center of Excellence. The DOD organizations benefit significantly from the strong
"gravitational pull" that NSF exerts on the civilian research community in the United
States, the same community that the DOD organizations is trying to recruit to support
DOD missions.
Re-location of the DoD organizations away from NSF's orbit Would decrease the ability
of the DOD organizations to recruit researchers, lower the "foot traffic" of the civilian
research community for the DoD organizations, and severely damage the synergy of
effort that currently exists among these civilian and military organizations with a
common purpose and clientele.
Again, Secretary Rumsfeld understands well the fundamental importance of DoD's
access to and reliance on non-government civilian S&T research. In-house government
research alone cannot maintain the nation's technology edge in defense. His QDR 2001
report is quite clear:
"During the Cold War, U.S. government programs were a primary impetus
*  for research into new technologies, particularly in areas such as
computers and materials. Today and well into the foreseeable future,
however, DoD will rely on the private sector to provide much of the
leadership in developing new technologies. Thus, the Department has
embarked on an effort (a) to turn to private enterprise for new ways to
move ideas from the laboratory to the operating forces, (b) to tap the
results of innovations developed in the private sector, and (c) to blend
government and private research where appropriate. This "quiet
S revolution" will take advantage of science and technology and continue to provide
U.S. forces with technological superiority." QDR 2001, p.41. (Underline added.)
These organizations rely on their ability to recruit S&T talent to the needs of the Defense
Department. This is not always easy.
The military culture and community and the civil academic S&T culture and community
are not, shall we say, natural overlaps. All-military and civilian alike--love our nation
and want to give it their best, but the gaps between the two communities are often large.
And therefore, like recruitment centers for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force,
these research organizations need to be open, easily accessible and within the civilian
community-while at the same time having ready, easy access to Defense leaders at the

Pentagon.