Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Media Tip Sheets
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Media Tip Sheets

‘Space Force’ To Create Countless Bureaucratic Fist Fights

Wednesday, February 20, 2019, By Daryl Lovell
Share
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public AffairsMilitary

This week President Trump signed Space Policy Directive-4 that orders the Pentagon to begin the process of establishing a “Space Force” as the sixth branch of the armed forces.

Sean O’Keefe is a University Professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and former Administrator of NASA. The graduate courses he leads include national security policy and technology management.

O’Keefe says:

“This directive won’t save the organizational expense of this separation and will create countless bureaucratic fist fights over what goes into which part of this new Department of the Air Force enterprise. Moreover, the operational chain of command will remain unaffected by this structure. Separately, the Defense Department is recreating the U.S. Space Command which will place all of the operational assets of the military services under another four star general.

“In the end, this is a lot of organizational box shuffling to give the president an opportunity to sign a directive which still must be officially created by the Congress. That branch of government will surely have its own ideas of what goes into the new military service.

“This solution is still searching for a problem – and along the way, creating new problems to be adjudicated.

“This an organizational compromise that creates ‘Space Force’ as a subcomponent of the Air Force much like the Marine Corps structure within the Department of the Navy. This avoids the necessity to establish a new civilian leadership chain to the Secretary of Defense since the Secretary of the Air Force is a direct report and already has a support structure of Assistant Secretaries, General Counsel, etc.

“But beneath that level will be a new military four star General as Chief of Staff for Space Force who will be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and all the associated military support structure that will mirror what you see in the Department of Defense today for each military service – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, the National Guard Bureau and now Space Force.

“The upside is that the civilian chain of the command isn’t any more complicated than it already is.  But 95 percent of the overhead cost is wrapped up in all the process units to be built around the typical functional stove pipes for budget, programs, personnel, contracts, and the very complex acquisition support. The Marine Corps is comparatively lean and much smaller than the Army, Navy or Air Force – but all these organizations dedicated to Marine Corps matters are under the Department of the Navy which has a parallel collection of units that support Navy matters. The Secretary of the Navy is at the top of this dual set of stove pipe organizations, the same way the Secretary of the Air Force will have two different military services reporting in to ‘recruit, train and equip . . .’ – the standard responsibility of all of the military departments.”

 

To request interviews or get more information:

Daryl Lovell
Media Relations Manager
Division of Communications and Marketing

T 315.443.1184   M 315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu | @DarylLovell

Syracuse University

  • Author
  • Faculty Experts

Daryl Lovell

  • Sean O’Keefe

  • Recent
  • Christine Stallmann Named University’s Chief Compliance Officer
    Thursday, September 28, 2023, By Jennifer DeMarchi
  • Ian Hosein Awarded New Patent For Process that Generates Energy from Saltwater
    Thursday, September 28, 2023, By Kwami Maranga
  • What to Expect With the Link Hall Renovations
    Thursday, September 28, 2023, By Kwami Maranga
  • New Student Association Leaders Aim to Get More Students Involved
    Thursday, September 28, 2023, By John Boccacino
  • Chancellor Syverud Addresses Athletics, Benefits, Sustainability at University Senate
    Wednesday, September 27, 2023, By News Staff

More In Media Tip Sheets

Expert Available to Discuss Rupert Murdoch Stepping Down at Fox News

If you are looking for an expert to discuss Rupert Murdoch stepping down at Fox News, Lynne Vincent, associate professor of management at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, is available for interviews. If you’d like to schedule an interview…

Education Expert: Massive Public Investment Needed to Solve Teacher Shortages 

School districts across the country continue to struggle with teacher shortages as a new school year begins. There has been a lot of talk about the reasons behind the shortages and what can be done to improve the situation.  George…

Featured Media Coverage – Week of Sept. 11

Syracuse University thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this week: Eric Grode, director of the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications program at Newhouse, was quoted in the Associated Press story “Largest US newspaper…

Experts Available to Discuss UAW Strike

The historic UAW strike has begun. If you are looking for experts to interview for your story, consider these Syracuse University faculty members who are available for interview. You may also quote their comments below. Matthew Huber, professor of geography…

Featured Media Coverage – Week of Sept. 4

Syracuse University thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this week: George Saunders, a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in Library of Congress “George Saunders to Receive 2023 Library…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • 2015-16 Remembrance Scholars
  • 25th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
  • About
    • SU Today Publishing Schedule
  • Authors
  • Campus Email Intake Form
  • Communications Contacts
  • Connect with SU
  • Contact
  • Defenses and Examinations
  • Exhibitions
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
    • Media Experts: Syracuse University Researchers on COVID-19
  • Home
  • Inside SU Landing Page
  • Lawrence B. Taishoff Center Q&A
  • Media Coverage
  • Orange Appreciation Days/Winter Break Information
  • Past Stories
  • Resource Library: Blogs
  • Resource Library: Crisis Management
  • Resource Library: Media Relations
  • Resource Library: Media Training
  • Resource Library: Op-Eds
  • Resource Library: Research
  • Resource Library: Social Media / Social Networking
  • Resource Library: Useful Web Links
  • Sections
  • Statement from Syracuse University Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina Regarding Law School Student Blog Matter
  • Student Spotlights
  • SU News Services Resource Library
  • Submit an Announcement
  • Submitting News and Events
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Submit an Event
  • Subscribe
  • Syracuse Views
  • Topics
  • University Community Harvest Farmers’ Market
  • Videos
  • What’s New
  • Yearly Archive
  • ’Cuse Conversations Page With Subscription Box
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2023 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.