"The Role of Naval Forces in the Global War on Terrorism"

Richard L Wade, M.P.H., Ph.D., Principal Scientist and Center Leader, Center for Public Health & Industrial Hygiene, was the Co-chair of a report entitled "The Role of Naval Forces in the Global War on Terrorism". This report of the National Academy of Sciences, Naval Studies Board, was the result of two years of study on international terrorism and US Military response and options to fighting a protracted war on terrorism. The Naval Studies Board is composed of nationally recognized academic and industry leaders with strong science and engineering backgrounds. The Board founded in 1864 provides ongoing science, technology and policy guidance to the US Navy and Marine Corps.

The full report, which is classified, was accompanied by a public version of the report that issued on May 28th, 2007. The report recommends a number of specific ways in which the US Navy and Marine Corps can more effectively serve the country in this war on terrorism. The report recommends the Navy advance more littoral combats ships, the development of river marine fighting capabilities, career paths for Navy and Marine Corps civil affairs officers, implementation of greater space and sub surface tracking technology, strengthening and reorientations of special forces, and the better integration of US Coast Guard and US Navy forces in regards to home land security. The current Navy doctrine is centered around how to fight large national adversaries in conventional and nuclear warfare in open oceans. This report advances ways the US Navy and Marine Corps should provide greater force protection from asymmetric warfare and force projections in both homeland security as well as fighting terrorist on their own ground.

Dr. Wade has been as member of the NAS Naval Studies Board since 2000 and has participated in 10 major Naval Board studies including space warfare, underwater surveillance systems, naval weapons experimentation protocols, chemical and biological warfare, sea basing, manpower requirements for modern Naval warfare electronic warfare, and protection and advancement of electronic, time and space warfare requirements.

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Posted: June 11, 2007

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