Over the next sixty days, the Atlantic Council will convene a task force to conduct strategic analysis and to make actionable recommendations regarding the alignment and structure of the geographic combatant commands.  The task force will be comprised of former senior US government officials, both from the Department of Defense and Department of State, as well as respected thought leaders and experts.

I would like to invite you to participate as a member of the task force.

The task force will meet at the Atlantic Council for half-day roundtable discussions once or twice over the coming two months, with the first meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 14th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.  Lunch will be served at 12:30 pm.

The discussion will focus on the following areas:
 

• How to optimize Combatant Command geographic alignment, given US strategic interests and dynamic regional challenges and issues;
• How to optimize Combatant Commands (number/size) based on fiscal constraints;
• How to best structure Combatant Command leadership/chain of command to meet US strategic interests; and,
• How to enhance the composition of Combatant Commands in order to maximize interagency collaboration.

These discussions will culminate in a set of cogent, realistic, and actionable policy recommendations.  The discussions and recommendations will then be captured in a report whose intended audience is the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the interagency policy community, and the Combatant Commanders.

The Atlantic Council would be very grateful for your participation.  If you are able to participate in any capacity, please have your staff contact the project rapporteur Lt Col Kim Campbell.

Many thanks in advance and we hope that you can join this very important effort.