Senior Military, Civilian Leaders Discuss QDR Topics

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2005 - Senior military and civilian leaders discussed a number of topics that will be addressed in the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review during a Nov. 21 Pentagon meeting, a senior Defense Department official said here today.

Special operations forces, intelligence, communications, force structure and language training were among the topics addressed at the QDR meeting, which featured input from visiting combatant commanders, Lawrence Di Rita, the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, told Pentagon reporters.

QDRs are conducted every four years to ascertain what the military will need in manpower and materiel to address anticipated missions envisioned 20 years in the future.

"How will the world look in 20 years?" Di Rita asked, noting QDRs can also be used to help defense leaders prioritize departmental needs regarding force size and the acquisition of military hardware.

There's been much discussion among senior leaders during more than a dozen QDR meetings, he said, noting that no decisions have been made yet.

Di Rita said the 2005 QDR is the first to draw on lessons learned from fighting the global war against terrorism that began when terrorists attacked the U. S. on Sept. 11, 2001. Previous QDRs were conducted in 1997 and 2001.

The completed 2005 QDR is expected to be presented to Congress in February, Di Rita said.

Biography:

Lawrence Di Rita [http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/dirita_bio.html]

Related Article:

Decisions Made Today Will Give Edge to Tomorrow's Force [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2005/20051107_3260.html]

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