<p> Throughout the Cold War, the United States maintained a military prepared to confront a technologically advanced Soviet adversary. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the structure and purpose of the armed forces were called into question. In time, the U.S. military transformed from one prepared to conduct large-scale war, to one prepared to carry out a variety of missions ranging from war to humanitarian efforts. Throughout the 1990s, the U.S. Army's senior leaders engaged in a campaign to transform the organization from its warrior-oriented mindset to a service-oriented one. I report in this dissertation my findings from an analysis of the efforts of the Army's senior leaders in support of this transformation from 1991 to 1995. Specifically, I report my findings from an analysis of the discursive dimensions of their efforts.</p><p> Theoretically, this dissertation contributes to two emergent perspectives in organizational analysis: the institutional logics and institutional work perspectives. These perspectives highlight the fact that individual and collective actors are not only influenced by the structural, normative, and symbolic dimensions (i.e., the institutional logic) of the institutional environments in which they act, but those environments are shaped by their actions (by institutional work). Through my analysis of the efforts of the Army's senior leaders to disrupt and replace the Cold War institutional logic, I identified three distinct forms of institutional work. Environment work included efforts to construct an extra-organizational environment that demands change, and an intra-organizational environment hospitable to change. Organizational identity work involved the establishment of an organizational sense of self that encompassed new practices. Institutional logic work involved a recursive process of textualization that established a post-Cold War logic constituted in a well-structured discourse. </p><p> In conclusion, I consider the institutional work I identified as situated within the institutional field of the armed forces. I demonstrate how the management of organizational change can influence the logic that prevails within the broader institutional field. I conclude by highlighting the utility of focusing on the organizational level of analysis in studies of institutional change, and the benefits of considering the institutional logics and institutional work perspectives as complementary.</p>

<p> The initial hypothesis of this dissertation was that Afghan insurgents' attacks on Afghan civilians have lowered popular confidence in the Afghan government and its institutions. The goal of the insurgents has been to convince Afghans that their local, provincial, and national governments and security forces cannot protect them. Insurgents harm and kill civilians as part of their strategy of intimidation. Conversely, counterinsurgents try to convince the Afghan people that their government is responsive, that the economy is promising, that the rule of law is strong, and that Armed Forces of Afghanistan are viable. For the counterinsurgency to have been successful, the level of national confidence would need to have been high. </p><p> National confidence is intangible, often fleeting, and sometimes difficult to gauge. There are standard measurements of human development, such as economic growth; longevity; access to medicine and health clinics, levels of literacy, potable water, security, and others. However, measuring confidence presents unique challenges for the researcher. </p><p> The Taliban were, by far, the most powerful and largest of the insurgent groups, but there were others. The strategy of the insurgents to break confidence in the Afghan local, provincial and national governments was based on three basic principles: crippling the economy, terrorizing their domestic enemies; and destroying the will of foreign states to continue their support for Kabul. All these tactics were predicated on violence. In this dissertation, quantitative methods associated the impact of violent incidents, which were the independent variables, to various indicators of national morale, which are the dependent variables. </p><p> The results confirmed some elements of the hypothesis and disproved others. Several components of national confidence declined from 2008 and 2010, but only marginally. For the scales that were measured, there was a decline of national confidence in four scales, but an increase in one scale. There were decreases in the confidence of economic prosperity in villages and neighborhoods where citizens live, and a decline in the confidence of citizens in national and provincial governments. In security, there was a very slight decline. However, there was an increase in the confidence of citizens in institutions, organizations, and officials. </p><p> The findings suggest that the overarching counterinsurgency strategy of building national confidence through sustained human development was successful in the years analyzed in this dissertation. Despite a spike in insurgent attacks during 2009, national confidence in 2010 was not significantly eroded. This dissertation represents the views of the author and not, necessarily, the views of any agency of the Department of Defense.</p>

<p> Within the Air Force&rsquo;s performance evaluation systems, there is a lack of standardization resulting in Air Force personnel spending extraneous hours generating, editing, and reediting performance evaluations. The amount of man-hours required to complete a single evaluation has never been quantified. The purpose of this quantitative, ex post facto study was to identify the variables: Rank of the Reviewer, Rank of the Ratee, the Organization, Method of Review, and Time contributing to the man-hours associated with completing performance reviews, and to provide leadership with data to support the need for change in order to reduce personnel costs by eliminating unnecessary manhours. Archival data consisted of 79 evaluations from six organizations. The most important finding suggested that organizations differ greatly in how they spend time, ranging from 10 to 24 hours to process a single evaluation, with a majority of the time spent correcting previous iterations due to lack of standardization. A recommendation of this study is to serve as a benchmark for replication and to encourage other organizations to streamline and standardize evaluations.</p>

<p> This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the use of self-regulatory resource management strategies and academic achievement in student veterans with PTSD symptoms. There have been several studies conducted pertaining to the transitional issues veterans face while enrolling in education and self-reports of veteran&rsquo;s perceived support from faculty and the adequacy of campus resources. There have not been any studies performed to evaluate why some veteran students excel in post secondary education while others fail to succeed. </p><p> Twenty-five veterans were recruited through email to participate in a three-part questionnaire survey. In veterans students it can be concluded that there is a correlation between individual questions related to GPA and the Resource Management Strategies, combat experiences and PTSD symptoms, number of deployments and PTSD symptoms, combat experience, number of deployments, and PTSD symptoms. However, there is no significant correlation between the average of the Resource Management Strategies and GPA.</p>

<p> This thesis explores three topics in the field of cost estimation for Unmanned Autonomous Systems. First, we propose a common definition of an Unmanned Autonomous System. We accomplish this through exhausting the literature in the areas cost estimation, autonomy in its current form, and how such advanced systems might be integrated into their environment. Second, we introduce a method to estimate the cost of Unmanned Autonomous Systems utilizing existing parametric cost estimation tools: SEER &ndash; HDR, COCOMO II, COSYSMO, and two cost estimating relationships &ndash; weight and performance. This discussion is guided by focusing on how current tools attempt to account for emergent systems. We also attempt to address challenges surrounding autonomy. To address these challenges from a cost perspective, this thesis recommends modifications to parameters within COCOMO II &ndash; via the use of object-oriented function points in lieu of current methods, and COSYSMO &ndash; via the introduction of two cost drivers namely, TVED and HRI-T. Third, we conduct analysis on four current Army Unmanned Autonomous Systems in an attempt to establish early trends within existing estimates. Finally, we explore areas of further research and discuss the implications of how pursing a more adequate cost model will lead to a better understanding of this ill-defined paradigm. </p><p> *This material is based upon work supported by the Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program under Grant No. N00244-15-1-0008. The views expressed in written materials or publications, and/or made by speakers, moderators, and presenters, do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Naval Postgraduate School nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.</p>

<p> The purpose of the quantitative, correlational research study was to evaluate the relationship between organizational culture and the quality of management support for mentoring among Air Force Enlisted members assigned to a Communications Squadron. Organizational culture theory and organizational support theory were the theoretical foundations for this study. Organizational culture was the predictor variable, and it was assessed using Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) to discern the type of perceived organizational culture type&mdash;clan, adhocracy, market, or hierarchy. The perceived quality of management support for mentoring was the criterion variable, and it was assessed using the Quality in Mentoring Framework (QIM). A purposive sample comprised of 60 Air Force enlisted members provided data for this study. The enlisted members were part of a larger target population of 27,500 United States Air Force enlisted members working in communications career fields. Based on the survey results, there was not a statistically significant correlation between perceived organizational culture and perceived management support for mentoring. The small response rate may have attributed to the study outcome. Recommendations for future research include expanding the study to Air Force officers and government civilians to examine different organizational levels and gain an organizational perspective of organizational culture and management support for mentoring.</p>

<p> This phenomenological study sought to understand the life experience of retired Flag/General Officers who transitioned from highly visible and accomplished careers in the US Military into executive leadership roles in other sectors. Participant selection was limited to those executive military leaders with a minimum of three years (for those currently employed) or five years (for those fully retired) of executive level leadership experience in the civilian sector and was focused on bringing clarity to the challenges they faced. Specifically, it explored how their leadership style and professional identity may have been influenced by the change in culture and mission and, most importantly, what they learned about themselves as a result of the lived experience. </p><p> Twelve participants were purposefully selected across all branches of the US military and a semi-structured protocol was utilized in accordance with Barnard's (1988) recommendation. Individual profiles were developed and interview data was analyzed using Moustakas' (1994) phenomenological analysis method. Through phenomenological reduction, five themes and seventeen sub-themes emerged.</p><p> The leadership transition experience of the participants was captured by crafting structural and textural descriptions, by integrating structural-textural descriptions, and by synthesizing the emergent meanings and essences of the phenomenon as a whole.</p><p> This study offers the following five conclusions: </p><p> 1. The experience of career transition is expressed in terms of boundaryless opportunity and professional transformation </p><p> 2. The ability to adapt to a new organizational culture is dependent upon ones openness to accept and embrace change </p><p> 3. Success is rooted in a commitment to ones core leadership principles and an intuitive willingness to flex ones leadership style as needed </p><p> 4. Professional identities adjust in response to new environments, new networks of relationships, and new role expectations </p><p> 5. Professional transformation is a process of self-discovery and self-renewal </p><p> The conclusions that emerged from the findings of this study illuminate the meaning and significance of the career transition experience of the twelve participants and contribute to the career transition literature.</p>

<p> The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Stoplight Diet on triglyceride (TO) levels. Additionally, this study investigated the efficacy by mode of intervention (Usual Care MOVE!, ASPIRE-Group, ASPIRE-Phone). Specifically, this study examined the percent change in TO levels by: (a) percent change in the consumption of "red" foods and (b) mode of intervention (Usual Care MOVE!, ASPIRE-Group, ASPIRE-Phone).</p><p> In this study, 84 purposely selected participant log books were collected from the three ASPIRE-VA study groups: Usual Care MOVE!, ASPIRE-Group, and ASPIRE-Phone. Among those selected, 18 were excluded from this study due to incomplete meal records (3 or more entire days missing) or absent TO measurements, thus resulting in a total of 66 participants who were analyzed; 27 from ASPIRE-Phone, 22 from ASPIRE-Group, and 17 from Usual Care MOVE!. Data on participants' TO levels and dietary intake of red foods was analyzed at baseline and 3 months which was then coded and entered into SPSS (version 20.0, 2012).</p>

<p> The United States Air Force (USAF) organization has a hierarchical leadership structure and multi-generation work force. The problem addressed in this study is the absence of USAF Millennial generation (born between 1982 and 2005) officer voices to inform USAF senior leaders about Millennials&rsquo; formal and informal leadership development perspectives. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how USAF Millennial officers describe their lived leadership development experiences. During indepth interviews six male and five female USAF Millennial officer respondents discussed their experiences of being led and learning to lead. Thematic analysis of interview responses and USAF doctrine revealed Millennial respondents supported sustaining the USAF Core Values, cultural heritage, and hierarchical leadership structure. This perspective aligns with the Millennial civic generation type that values community and loyalty in relationships. Recommendations emerged for USAF senior leaders to meet Millennial officer leadership development needs, increasing retention, and enhancing recruitment strategies. Findings indicated minimizing hierarchical position power when developing USAF leaders will meet Millennial officer needs and increasing the importance of valuing generation diversity and Millennial generation cohort contributions will influence USAF Millennial officers to continue their USAF employment. Modifying USAF mentoring using a systems thinking approach will increase USAF Millennial officer interest to help USAF senior leaders plan for change. Leveraging USAF Millennial generation cohort characteristics that align with those of the G.I. Generation cohort (born between 1901 and 1924) provides USAF senior leaders with options to accommodate current and future USAF generation employees.</p>

<p> For much of the Cold War period, a significant majority of legislators were veterans. These Americans provided a bridge between civilian and military leadership. Today, that bridge is disappearing. Scholars now provide warnings about a chasm developing between the military and civilian worlds. Will a Congress of nonveterans enact different, less, or worse defense policies than a Congress dominated by veterans? Will they be less active, or less likely to invest the necessary amount of time, energy, and staff in the oversight of the military? To discern the policy impact of electing veterans to Congress, I examine whether veterans in the 92d (1971-1973), 103d (1993-1995), and 112th (2011-2013) Congresses are more likely to support and advocate for defense policy than their nonveteran colleagues, once one accounts for ideological, district, and institutional influences. </p><p> Utilizing a specially created database, I investigate House members' commitment to defense policy through their activity in roll-call voting, bill sponsorship, bill cosponsorship, amending the National Defense Authorization Act, and their participation in committee hearings. By contrasting various forms of behavior throughout the legislative process and across multiple generations of veterans, as well as during times of war and peace, I demonstrate how behavioral differences among veterans and nonveterans affect the decision calculus concerning whether or not to pursue certain policy initiatives. Finally, instead of utilizing a dichotomous construct to distinguish between veterans and nonveterans, I differentiate among veterans based upon members' military service histories. </p><p> By carefully studying behavior throughout the legislative process, I demonstrate that even though veterans and nonveterans often vote a party line, politically significant social identities, like being a veteran, do influence the nature of proposals placed on the national agenda and the choices made about those proposals. However, the translation of preferences into policy is often mediated by the position of members within the institution, their relationship to their party caucus, and the member's level of military experience. Untangling the impact of military service on policy preferences and legislative choices allows us to consider the implications of the decline of veterans in Congress and sheds light on what the future might hold.</p>