About This Report iii
Summary iv
Figures and Tables viii

CHAPTER 1 1
Broad Indicators of Systemic Personnel Problems 1
 The Military Personnel Crisis in Europe 1
 The Military Personnel Crisis in East Asia 6

CHAPTER 2 10
Why? And How Are Allies and Partners Responding? 10
 Drivers of Negative Trends 10
 Attempts to Address Negative Personnel Trends by Conscription 17
 Attempts to Address Negative Personnel Trends in All-Volunteer Forces 22

CHAPTER 3 28
Effects on Collective and Bilateral Defense 28
 Direct Effects 29
 Indirect Effects 31
 Strategic Effects 32

CHAPTER 4 36
Rethinking Personnel Paradigms 36
 Starting with a System Approach 36
 Eight Radical Options 39
 Reform Option 1: Integrate Conscription into Total Force Management 40
 Reform Option 2: Eliminate the Officer Corps as a Distinct Status 41
 Reform Option 3: Promote a Continuum of Service 43
 Reform Option 4: Adapt Fitness Standards to National Conditions 44
 Reform Option 5: Expand the Conditions of Service 46
 Reform Option 6: Expand the Recruitment of Noncitizens 46
 Reform Option 7: Increase Privatization and Civilianization of Security Missions 48
 Reform Option 8: Increase the Free Market for Internal Labor 49
 From Radical Options to a Research Agenda 50

CHAPTER 5 51
Recommendations 51
 Policy Recommendations 51
 Directions for Future Research 52

APPENDIX 54
Key Terms Used in This Report 54

Abbreviations 55
References 56