In: Operations Management
Should the ODNI or USD(I) take the lead in creating a Joint ISR Initiative and appoint a Joint ISR Capabilities Manager to bring together a range of organizations, or would this just be another bureaucratic layer?
In my views, the appointment of a Joint ISR Capabilities Manager will not do much value addition and will just be an added bureaucratic layer in the organization. This is so because the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act passed in the year 2004 has vested extensive authorities to the DNI. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) can have supreme control on the overall efforts contributed towards maintenance and safeguard of the nation’s intelligence. He even has the power to control the funds and budgets of the organization and so he must lead the ISR. He can allocate work to his subordinates but the overall responsibility of ISR is his job requirement as well as responsibility. Even if a Joint ISR Capabilities Manager is appointed, he will have to report to DNI, thus leading to duplication of efforts. SO, it will be economically as well as practically viable if the DNI is heading ISR as well.
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/intel/R41295.pdf