Mullen Issues Guidance Listing Priorities for Joint Staff

WASHINGTON --- Dealing with the greater Middle East, avoiding the militarization of U.S. foreign policy, resetting the forces and speeding up the Joint Staff are among the priorities the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has set for the coming year.>> Navy Adm. Mike Mullen issued his guidance for the coming year yesterday. Some of the guidance has not changed since last year, when Mullen first took office, some has been fine-tuned after the experiences of the past year, and some new items have made the list.>> The chairman said he issued the guidance to give the 1,500 members of the Joint Staff the path ahead and to prioritize the strategic objectives for the future.>> Mullen said the U.S. military is the most combat-hardened force in the world today, and that the force has global responsibilities and will continue to have them.>> The sustained presence and persistent engagement of our forces are the most effective way to develop the lasting relationships and cooperation necessary to secure our vital national interests, Mullen wrote in the guidance.>> The chairman said the U.S. military advantage could slip if not maintained. Still, he said, not all problems in the world will respond to a military solution.>> We cannot meet the challenges of today and those of tomorrow with military power alone, he wrote. We must guard against further militarization of our foreign policy.>> The chairman said he wants not only military capabilities, but also the capabilities of other U.S. agencies and foreign partners, to be successful against the threats facing the free world. He called on Joint Staff members to think ahead on the strategic level, stay current at the operational level and be informed by tactical developments. He said the U.S. military and Joint Staff still are more reactive than anticipatory.