Contractors on the 21st century battlefield

The following article is taken as an excerpt from the proceedings of the annual Acquisition Research Program. This annual event showcases the research projects funded through the Acquisition Research Program at the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy at the Naval Postgraduate School. Featuring keynote speakers, plenary panels, multiple panel sessions, a student research poster show and social events, the Annual Acquisition Research Symposium offers a candid environment where high-ranking Department of Defense (DoD) officials, industry officials, accomplished faculty and military students are encouraged to collaborate on finding applicable solutions to the challenges facing acquisition policies and processes within the DoD today. By jointly and publicly questioning the norms of industry and academia, the resulting research benefits from myriad perspectives and collaborations which can identify better solutions and practices in acquisition, contract, financial, logistics and program management. For further information regarding the Acquisition Research Program, electronic copies of additional research, or to learn more about becoming a sponsor, please visit our program website at: www.acquisitionresearch.org. For further information on or to register for the next Acquisition Research Symposium during the third week of May, please visit our conference website at: www.researchsymposium.org.;Victory in the Cold War brought reduced military budgets and lower end-strengths. Contemporaneously, operations' tempo rose dramatically. This, plus government policies favoring outsourcing, led to a growth in importance of contracted support for military operations, and, correspondingly, an increasing prevalence of contractor personnel in proximity to combat. This paper reviews the legal status of civilian contractors in proximity to combat; control, discipline and force protection of such personnel, and the impact and cost effectiveness of contract support on combat operations. Particular attention is paid to the contracting process and its impact on the effective delivery of combat support. The adequacy of traditional contracting policies and processes for combat support functions and the need for possible changes are examined.The research found there had been a lag in updating policy and doctrine based on lessons learned and that on occasion a business as usual approach has decreased the efficiency of contracted contingency support. Serious deficiencies in organization and training for contingency contracting in support of joint operations persist. Contracting in a stressful environment has demonstrated the inadequacy of certain government contracting procedures.Second Annual Acquisition Research SymposiumApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited