Includes bibliographical references (pages 437-448) and index.
Contents:
Prologue: Welcome to my world -- Part one: A user's guide to the military-industrial complex. How not to waste $700 billion ; Working at war speed ; A scientist in the Pentagon -- Part two: Many hands on the tiller. The White House is on the line: serving the President while serving the nation ; A board of directors with 535 members: the arts of dealing with Congress ; Communicating with the press and the public -- Part three: Troops in action. Chain of command: how military plans and orders are developed and executed ; Combat readiness in a crisis-prone world ; Clarity of purpose: defeating Isis -- Part four: The big picture : defense strategy in a time of transition. Strategic transition: major adversaries on the global chessboard ; The world's hottest hot spots: Iran, Korea, and beyond ; Maintaining America's high-tech edge: a necessity for strategic success -- Part five: People matter most. Choosing leaders ; Force of the future ; The troops deserve the truth -- Epilogue: a to-do list for a future Secretary.
Summary:
"The twenty-fifth Secretary of Defense takes readers behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the Pentagon, its vital mission, and what it takes to lead it. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the single largest institution in America: the Department of Defense. The D.O.D. employs millions of Americans. It owns and operates more real estate, and spends more money, than any other entity. It manages the world's largest and most complex information network and performs more R&D than Apple, Google, and Microsoft combined. Most important, the policies it carries out, in war and peace, impact the security and freedom of billions of people around the globe. Yet to most Americans, the dealings of the D.O.D. are a mystery, and the Pentagon nothing more than an opaque five-sided box that they regard with a mixture of awe and suspicion. In this new book, former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter demystifies the Pentagon and sheds light on all that happens inside one of the nation's most iconic, and most closely guarded, buildings. Drawn from Carter's thirty-six years of leadership experience in the D.O.D., this is the essential book for understanding the challenge of defending America in a dangerous world--and imparting a trove of incisive lessons that can guide leaders in any complex organization. In these times of great disruption and danger, the need for Ash Carter's authoritative and pragmatic account is more urgent than ever." -- From Amazon.com summary. The Pentagon is the headquarters of the single largest institution in America: the Department of Defense. The security and freedom of billions of people around the globe depend on the D.O.D, yet to most Americans the Pentagon nothing more than an opaque five-sided box that they regard with a mixture of awe and suspicion. A former Secretary of Defense, Carter takes readers behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the Pentagon, its vital mission, and what it takes to lead it. An essential book for understanding the challenge of defending America in a dangerous world-- and a trove of incisive lessons that can guide leaders in any complex organization. -- adapted from jacket
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.