Bureaucracy: It's Easier to Fix the Blame Than Fix the Problem

The United States Federal Government is rampant with bureaucracies, and it seems to be growing every day. Many of these agencies and departments have grown into somewhat of a monstrosity, hardly retaining even a shadow of what a bureaucracy should be. However, one small bastion in the midst of the red tape is the Department of Defense. Not to say that the DOD does not have its own share of bureaucratic formalities to bog down efficiency, but it is the best and most clearly-defined of establishments in the federal government today.

The Department of Defense, or DOD, has strict levels of hierarchy. All tasks and missions come from the top, or at least high up, the chain of command, and run downward all the way to the lowliest buck private. Conversely, accountability for that same buck private will run all the way back up, even to the department head, should he do well or fail miserably. The DOD is divided into quite a few sub-departments, including the Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, Department of the Air Force, National Guard Bureau, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and numerous civilian departments. These are the first – and most noticeable – division of labor, with civilians taking up support roles to the military portion, such as managing TRICARE, human resources, and civilian contractors, among other things. The actual subject of defense falls to the aforementioned sub-departments, with their recognizable division of labor via rank: both enlisted – E-1 to E-9 – and officer – O-1 to O-10 – and level of command.

Each department has written rules, some shared across the board, some differing widely. One of these regulations this writer has had personal experience with is the issue of tattoos: the Army allows any number of tattoos anywhere below the collar line, whereas the Air Force regulates visible tattoos, requiring them to be 40% or less of any exposed skin surface. Ironically, the Marine Corps tends to be strictest on tattoos, due in part to the new Commandant of the Marine Corps and his boss, the Chief of Staff of the Navy. Communications are a huge part in the DOD, with each branch of the military having an entire corps devoted to communication. The Defense Information Systems Agency, a civilian sub-agency, is devoted to intercommunication between all facets of the DOD, and assuring it all goes smoothly.

Finally, the last factor of a bureaucracy, impersonality and replaceability. Again, this writer has had persona experience with this, as the standards of conformity in the military are designed to strip most elements of personality and force the subject to conform and mesh with a unit of people. One is reminded every day that they are vital to the mission of their respective department, agency, or unit, yet they can be replaced in a heartbeat, should their performance be unsatisfactory. It is also interesting to note that anyone can be replaced, regardless of clout or political stature, as was the case with General Stanley McChrystal, the Army commander in Afghanistan who was removed from his post after a scathing article in Rolling Stone magazine.

In a nation with rampant bureaucracy run amuck, growing bigger by the day, the Department of Defense is a stronghold in the fray, staying true to its mission and to its original structure, without swelling into a monstrosity, as is seen with copious other agencies and departments within the Federal Government.

References

Department of Defense (2013). About The Department of Defense (DOD). Retrieved from http://www.defense.gov/about/