The Fragmentation of DOD: Changing Role of the Services and What it Means for Space Force

With the creation of the Space Force, the United States welcomes its first new military service in 70 years. The leaders of the Space Force must now determine how best to establish this new organization at a time when the DOD budget, once largely controlled by the military services, is split between the military and the Fourth Estate. This fragmentation of the DOD is prompting concerns that military services are increasingly weakened when a portion of the DOD budget is dedicated to SOCOM, MDA, and classified programs unrelated to the military. However, military services remain the largest organizations within the DOD. Understanding the broader trends occurring within the DOD will enable Space Force leaders to successfully design the first service of the 21st century.

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