The political and defense communities of 2006 had the wrong debate about former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Instead of 'should he stay or should he go,' the debate should have been whether we even need the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). It is perhaps time to admit that the great post-World War II American experiment called 'unification' has failed. The recent civil-military relations spat over the handling of the Department of Defense (DoD) by its former chief is merely the occasion for this essay. The conflict was not as much about Rumsfeld's personality as some would have us believe. The criticism that Rumsfeld received in 2006 and prior has precedence in the tenures of Secretaries past, including James Forrestal, Louis Johnson, Robert McNamara, and a host of others whom many have forgotten. It would seem that when problems continually reoccur, we need to look at their cause systemically instead of indulging in the scapegoating common to American culture. The problem is deeper than any political appointee; the source is the office itself. Simply put, the Secretary of Defense and his supporting staff are too powerful. The wisdom of the creation and relevance of the original organization are what need to be reconsidered. The following recommendations are offered for consideration. First, abolish the Office of the Secretary of Defense with new Defense reform legislation. Next, move the civilian Secretaries of the Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Army back into the Cabinet on a full-time basis, just as Navy and War were prior to and during World War II. Third, retain the JCS organization and staff, but enhance the Chairman's statutory membership role on the National Security Council (not the Cabinet). Additional staff and operations functions at the OSD level can be moved under the Joint Staff. Agencies could be renamed; letterheads would have to change, but many organizations could be retained almost completely as they are organized now.


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