On July 1, 1998 Secretary of Defense William Cohen signed the Charter for the 21st Century National Security Study, a 2 ½ year, $10.4 million effort designed "to be the most comprehensive security analysis" since the National Security Act of 1947.

    In effect, this is the next Quadrennial Defense Review. Many recommendations of the May 1997 QDR have been incorporated into Pentagon plans and the FY1999 budget, including weapon system programs and personnel end strength figures. Other recommendations have fallen by the wayside (e.g., base closures – at least for now) or have been incorporated into other actions such as the Defense Reform Initiative inaugurated in November 1997.

    Over the coming months, the focus of the QDR messages and the QDR website at http://www.cdi.org will gradually shift from the 1997 QDR process to the 21st Century National Security Study. The following is the first entry on the latter. The Charter itself will soon be posted on the CDI website, and, as with the QDR, CDI will undertake a running analysis of the process.

    The following is the October 13, 1998 DoD News Release naming the members of the "Senior Advisory Board" for the study.

DOD ESTABLISHES THE BOREN-RUDMAN COMMISSION
Press Release 527-98, October 13, 1998

    Secretary of Defense William Cohen announced the formation and first meeting of the National
Security Study Group, which will be headed by former Sens. David Boren and Warren Rudman.

    The National Security Study Group, known as the Boren-Rudman Commission, will be a two and one-half year effort to: determine the global security environment of the first quarter of the 21st century; analyze the character of the nation during that timeframe and develop an appropriate
national security strategy; and to recommend alternatives to the current national security apparatus and processes to implement the new strategy.

    Cohen stressed the bipartisan nature of what is described as the most comprehensive review of the national security environment, processes, and organizations since the National Security Act of 1947. Boren and Rudman indicated that the work of the commission will be focused on the future with the goal of providing the next administration and the 107th Congress with a roadmap for ensuring a viable security strategy and structure for the first 25 years of the new century.

    The charter for the group was published on July 1, 1998, and the initial meeting was held on Oct. 6, 1998, at which Cohen provided his guidance. Speaker Newt Gingrich also attended, pledging congressional support for this important endeavor.

    Invited to participate as members of the Boren-Rudman Commission are:

Stephen Ambrose, noted historian and author.

Anne Armstrong, former U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom and chairperson of the
President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

Norm Augustine, former chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin.

Lynne Cheney, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Bud Dancy, former NBC White House and diplomatic correspondent.

John Galvin, retired general and former NATO commander.

Les Gelb, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Gary Hart, former senator from Colorado.

Lee Hamilton, retiring congressman from Indiana.

Lionel Olmer, former undersecretary of Commerce and member of the President's Foreign
Intelligence Advisory Board.

Don Rice, chief executive officer UroGenesys and former commander of NATO Atlantic
forces.

Pete Wilson, retiring as governor of California.

Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

    A study group consisting of more than 30 scholars, retired military officers, and former career
intelligence and Foreign Service officers will support the work of the commission. In addition, the commission will seek extensive input from a wide range of experts in business, academia, the private sector and key former and current security experts, both in the United States and abroad.
Retired Air Force Gen. Chuck Boyd will serve as executive director of this study group.

On line at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct1998/b10131998_bt527-98.html