Government Executive December 2002 Vol.34, No.16

In warfare, getting troops to the fight and keeping them supplied is half the battle. Despite recent improvements in airlift and sealift, moving troops and supplies to the battlefield remains an enormous challenge. Warfighters worry that relying heavily on the private sector could leave them short of critical supplies. Over the past decade, the United States has used partnerships, contractors and pre-positioned equipment to establish a network of overseas bases. Technology firms still are waiting for Uncle Sam to open the tap on a gusher of homeland security spending. special section if any start departments Merging the data and computer programs of 22 agencies will be no small feat for the new Homeland Security Department. Congress is mounting more raids than ever on the military readiness budget to pay for goodies to impress the voters back home. After almost a decade of tinkering, the Defense Department says it's ready to fix the way it moves employees and service members. A strong brand identity is what separates the haves from the have-nots when it comes to agency funding. The Defense and Energy departments discover that performance-based management is the key to providing public service. If the new Homeland Security Department is denied the flexibility it needs to counter the threat of terrorism, it will fail. - COLUMNS =