The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress Page: 18 of 26
26 pages.View a full description of this report.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress
peacetime training, peacekeeping, overseas contingency operations, and major combat operations,
and the risks associated with such support."32
The most recent NMS was published in June 2015.33
Current NMS Mandate. Significant changes to the substance of the NMS occurred in the
FY2013 NDAA, which sought to "consolidate and clarify" the NMS requirement and, as with the
DSR, added a degree of specificity to the questions the document is to explore.4 Each NMS is
required to
" articulate how the U.S. military will help achieve objectives outlined in the
National Security Strategy, Defense Strategy Review, and the Secretary of
Defense's annual report to Congress;
" include a description of the strategic environment, challenges, and opportunities
the United States faces; international, regional, transnational, hybrid, terrorist,
cyber, asymmetric, and weapons of mass destruction threats (along with others
the Chairman identifies);
" include the implications of force planning and sizing for the strategy; the
capability, capacity, and availability of U.S. forces to achieve identified missions;
" identify areas wherein U.S. forces seek to synchronize with interagency and
multinational partners and areas in which the U.S. military may be augmented by
other coalition partners and organizations (such as NATO);
" identify requirements for operational contractor support; and
" state all the assumptions leading to the conclusions derived in the above
assessments.
Chairman's Risk Assessment (CRA)
Formal strategy-making and planning include, by definition, a consideration of risk. Statute
requires that CJCS regularly assess the risks associated with the most recently issued NMS (or
update), including defining the strategic and military risks associated with the NMS, as well as
the intellectual framework CJCS utilized to define those risks. In providing the Joint Staff and the
Military Services with guidance in drafting the CRA, the CJCS has defined two types of risk
associated with this assessment:
" Military Risk: The ability of the U.S. Armed Forces to adequately resource and
execute military operations in support of the strategic objectives of the National
Military Strategy.
" Strategic Risk: The potential impact upon the United States-to include our
population, territory, and interests-of current and contingency events given their
estimated consequences and probabilities.35
32 See P.L. 111-383, 942, Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for FY2011, as well as Title X, 153, U.S.
Code (2011), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title10/html/USCODE-2011-title10-subtitleA-partI-
chap5-secl53.htm.
33 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, The National Military Strategy of the United States of America 2015: The
United States Military's Contribution to National Security, June 2015. Available at http://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/
Documents/Publications/2015_National_MilitaryStrategy.pdf.
34 H.Rept. 112-706, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, December 8, 2012, p. 838.
35 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "CJCSI 3100.01B: Joint Strategic Planning System," December 12, 2008, p.
(continued...)Congressional Research Service
15
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
Lucas, Nathan J. & McInnis, Kathleen J. The 2015 National Security Strategy: Authorities, Changes, Issues for Congress, report, February 26, 2016; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc824490/m1/18/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.