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The New National Defense Strategy: An Investment in Our People

For the first time in history, the DoD concurrently conducted three major reviews.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III briefs the press from the Pentagon Briefing Room, Washington, D.C. (DoD Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders)

The Department of Defense (DoD) has released its declassified National Defense Strategy (NDS), after delivering the classified version to Congress, back in March. Additionally, the Nuclear Posture Review and Missile Defense Review have also been released. During a press conference on October 27, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III highlighted the strategy’s key points and spoke on its implementation over the last several months.

“The key theme of the NDS is the need to sustain and strengthen U.S. deterrence with the People’s Republic of China as our pacing challenge,” Austin says, reaffirming the PRC’s power to reshape international order. The China Task Force is continuing to initiate various recommendations in an effort to focus on the challenge.

The strategy describes Russia as an “acute” threat; a word chosen carefully as the DoD does not currently believe that the country can systematically challenge the United States in the long term. Austin did, however, note that Russia’s aggression poses “an immediate and sharp threat to our interests and values, and Putin’s reckless war of choice against Ukraine, the worst threat to European security since the end of World War II, has made that very clear for the whole world.”

Additionally, Austin brought attention to North Korea and Iran, due to their nuclear and missile capabilities expansions. “Iran … is supporting dangerous armed proxies and even exporting drones that Russia is using to terrorize Ukrainian civilians, and we remain vigilant against the ongoing threat from global terrorist networks, as well as from climate change, pandemics and other dangers that don’t respect borders.”

Along with outlining key factors of all released reviews, Austin spoke on the NDS’ demand for “deeper investment in our people.” Referencing President Joe Biden’s recent announcement of a budget that includes a 4.6 percent pay raise for service members, Austin highlighted that they are “this department's most valuable resource and the bedrock of American security.”

That is why Austin has recently taken action to ease service strains, including housing, childcare, military spouse career growth and more. “You know, our outstanding service members and their families do everything that we ask of them and more. Doing right by them is a national security imperative and it’s a sacred trust,” he said.

Concluding his press briefing, Austin quoted President Biden while saying, “we will not leave our future vulnerable to the whims of those who do not share our vision for a world that is free, open, prosperous and secure. And we’re confident that we’ve got the right defense strategy to tackle the challenges ahead and to defend the American people and to strengthen our outstanding all-volunteer force and to safeguard the democratic values that are the soul of America.”