Panel To Review Pentagon’s Approach to Military Space

OMAHA, Neb. —


An expert panel began




a review of U.S. military space requirements and organization




Oct. 8, according to Pentagon officials. The review, which was called for in the 2007 Defense Authorization Act, is intended to examine the Pentagon’s approach to military space in the years that




followed the




reorganization of military space in 2001. The reorganization was based on the recommendations of the Commission to Assess U.S. National Security Space Management and Organization, the officials said.

The language that called for the review was authored by U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), the officials said. Allard has announced plans to retire following this session of Congress.

The new panel is headed by A. Thomas Young, a former senior NASA official and former president and chief operating officer of Martin Marietta Corp., and includes Ronald Fogleman, a retired Air Force general who served as the service’s chief of staff; Lester Lyles, a retired Air Force general who served as commander of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center as well as Air Force Material Command; Hans Mark, a former Air Force secretary and deputy NASA administrator; Lyle Bien, a retired Navy vice admiral who served as deputy commander of U.S. Space Command; Ed Anderson, a retired U.S. Army three star general who served as deputy commander of U.S. Space Command; and James Woolsey, a former CIA director, the officials said.

The panel originally was planned to include Martin Faga, former director of the National Reconnaissance Office, who withdrew following a recent heart attack, the officials said.

The language in the authorization bill that called for the review imposed a delivery deadline




of one year after the legislation




was signed into law, which took place




Oct. 17, 2006. However,




Pentagon officials said it took months to get the review started due to a combination of factors, including a lack of both interest and resources within the military.

While some Pentagon officials said they expected the review to be completed by February, others said it could wrap up later next year.

The legislation asked the panel to examine possible improvements to: coordination of U.S. government space work; integration of classified and unclassified space work; career management; and space education within the military.

The panel is expected to meet twice a month, the Pentagon officials said. The Oct. 8 meeting featured a presentation from Joseph Rouge, acting director of the National Security Space Office, who gave a lengthy overview of the recommendations from the Rumsfeld commission, including which were implemented, which were not, and which that were implemented that have since been undone, the Pentagon officials said.