Assignment: Pentagon : How to Excel in a Bureaucracy

Preface to the Fourth Edition ix Introduction 1(6) PART I. THE PENTAGON: AN INTRODUCTION A View of the Building 7(10) The Pentagon: Realities and Myths 17(10) Pentagon Truisms 27(18) The Strange Language of the Puzzle Palace 45(20) PART II. THE KEY PLAYERS Where Were You When the Page was Blank? The Agony and Ecstasy of the Action Officer 65(18) The Branch and Division Chiefs: A Forgotten Breed 83(10) Flag Officers, Senior Civilians, and Political Appointees: The Need for Leadership 93(16) The Services 109(8) The Joint Staff 117(12) The Office of the Secretary of Defense 129(12) The Interagency Arena 141(6) Working With Defense Contractors 147(6) The Pentagon's Constituents 153(8) PART III. RUNNING THE PENTAGON The Complex Pattern of Rivalry and Competition 161(6) Understanding the Process (and Keeping the Gears Turning) 167(10) Operating in the Tank: A View From the Inner Sanctum 177(6) How to Give and Receive Briefings in the Pentagon 183(8) PART IV. ENJOYING THE TOUR Rules of Thumb: Helpful Hints on How to Get Ready to Work, Survive, and Thrive 191(18) Difficult Bosses 209(6) Military Ethics in the Pentagon 215(6) The Heartbreak of House Hunting 221(6) Family, Cultural, Academic, and Job Opportunities 227(4) Conclusions: Back to the Future 231(32) APPENDIXES A. Recommended References 241(6) B. Transition Into the Pentagon Checklist 247(2) C. Interviewing 249(2) D. Glossary 251(10) E. Department of Defense 261(2) Index 263(8) About the Authors 271