Outsourcing Functions - Essay Example

Topic: Outsourcing Functions of the U.S. Army The functions and services that form the core competencies in army are outlined in Department of Defense Directive 5100.1. The main functions to perform in the army are organizing and training of army personnel to operate quick and long term war operations on land. Air and missile defense, space and space mapping functions and joint amphibious & airborne operations are part of army functions < http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/1/ch3.htm>.The core competencies of the army are the capabilities of the service, which may not be distinct to the army but are basic actions to safeguard the country from enemy actions.

Army takes active support of the capabilities of special operations forces, for the functioning of landlines of communication, and other civil programs. A whole range of missions is assigned by the National Command Authorities for the army to play its crucial role with the support from the core competencies. Thus, the core competencies relate to structuring the country’s security environment, quick action against natural or human created crisis, mobilizing the army to be a part of the action on war front, crossing the enemy physical borders by forcing entry, long term hold of foreign lands to resolve the conflicts, closing with and defeating of enemy forces through precision fires and maneuvers by using information technology to its advantage.

These are the critical skills that an army must develop and nurture so that it is looked upon with great respect by the powers that matter < http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/1/ch3.htm>.Other core capabilities of army include commanding and control of Joint and Multinational Forces that require inter-organization collaboration on united handling of capabilities to foster competency. Army manages and safeguards people, land and natural resources as well. It organizes sustained operations of essentials to the army that includes supply, engineer, finance, medical, and personnel units.

Army supports the civil authorities in domestic and global urgencies as well. These are such functions, which the army should outsource to outside companies that have greater expertise to competently perform the related tasks. It will leave enough room for the army to pay attention to more demanding tasks for which it is formed .The Corps of Engineers is one such organization, which is a part of the army. It is in the same way facing hardships in managing the assigned tasks in private and public sector.

The Corps has outsourced its engineering capabilities. It develops facilities for civil as well as military because of its sheer size and mixed skills. It builds dams, bridges and other important infrastructure. Other than that, it provides the design and construction work for air-force, army, Department of Defense customers, federal, state, and other global companies. The Corps has fixed limit on its construction budget for military and civil projects. In stead of initiating new construction projects, it has limited it only to operations and maintenance of old ones.

It has formed a strategy to attend to short term goals first and taking long term projects later. On the lines of the corps of engineers, the army should also outsource some of its strategic functions like logistics, engineering, finance, medical, and personnel units (Federal Facilities Council, National Research Council 2010).Works Cited“Chapter 3: The Army in Military Operations.” GlobalSecurity.Org. 27 April 2005. 18 May 2010 .“U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.” Government/industry forum on capital facilities and core competencies. 1998. 18 May 2010.

< http://books.google.co.in/books?id=DvJ4Vb6wmH0C&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=core+competencies+army+to+be+outsourced&source=bl&ots=N-f510zVOs&sig=13I1EpyxaR7wXA6Hqu9kfTbDz6M&hl=en&ei=bgHtS9H2C4XGrAfbl9TOBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=core%20competencies%20army%20to%20be%20outsourced&f=false>.http://books.google.co.in/books?id=DvJ4Vb6wmH0C&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=core+competencies+army+to+be+outsourced&source=bl&ots=N-f510zVOs&sig=13I1EpyxaR7wXA6Hqu9kfTbDz6M&hl=en&ei=bgHtS9H2C4XGrAfbl9TOBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=core%20competencies%20army%20to%20be%20outsourced&f=false