Kristin Leuschner

Historicamente, las organizaciones basadas en la fe (OBF) han desempenado una funcion importante en la prestacion de servicios sociales y de salud en paises en desarrollo; sin embargo, poco se ha investigado sobre su papel en la prevencion y la atencion del VIH, particularmente en America Latina. Este trabajo describe la participacion de las OBF en el abordaje de la epidemia del VIH/sida en Belice, Guatemala y Honduras. Los autores describen la variedad de actividades que desarrollan las OBF, y analizan las ventajas y los desafios de dicha participacion, asi como las posibles acciones que las OBF pueden adoptar para mejorar su labor, tanto en forma independiente como en colaboracion con otras organizaciones, tales como los ministerios de salud.

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically played an important role in delivering health and social services in developing countries; however, little research has been done on their role in HIV prevention and care, particularly in Latin America. This title describes FBO involvement in HIV/AIDS in three Central American countries hard hit by this epidemic: Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The authors discuss the range of FBO activities and assess the implications of FBO involvement in addressing HIV/AIDS, such as churches' diverse presence and extensive reach, the unwillingness of some FBOs to discuss condom use, and their lack of experience in evaluating the impact of programs. A Spanish translation of this report is also available.

An examination of policies and alternatives for increasing the contribution of The Army School System (TASS) to Army readiness and improving the integration of the Active Component (AC) and Reserve Component (RC) training systems. The study recommends that the Army adopt private-sector models in developing interactive media instruction, develop a more effective local school system to better meet future unit training needs, and improve the integration of AC-RC training institutions to leverage existing resources and expand options.

Looks at how Department of Defense (DoD) education, training, and development institutions are affected by the consolidation of DoD facilities and changes in governance structure. The Department of Defense (DoD) often improves its efficiency by consolidating facilities (mainly through base realignment and closure, or BRAC) and changing its governance structure. These shifts significantly affect the education, training, and development (ET&D) institutions that support DoD personnel, with such impact as relocation. With an eye toward the 2005 BRAC, RAND researchers look at four case studies of the 1990s and from them make recommendations for ET&D institutions that may be affected by future shifts in defense infrastructure. (PW)

One liner: Each of the three defense reviews of the last decade fell short of fully apprehending the demands of the emerging threat environment, and the budgets that would be needed and afforded, resulting in a growing imbalance between strategy, forces, and resources over the decade. The end of the Cold War ushered in an era of profound change in the international arena and hence in the policymaking environment as well. Yet the changes that have characterized the post-Cold War era have often proceeded at different paces and have at times moved in opposing directions, placing unprecedented strain on policymakers seeking to shape a new national security and military strategy. This report describes the challenges policymakers have faced as seen through the lens of the three major force structure reviews that have taken place over the past decade; the 1990 Base Force, the 1993 Bottom-Up Review, and the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review. The report focuses on the assumptions, decisions, and outcomes associated with these reviews as well as the planning and execution of each.It concludes that all three reviews fell short of fully apprehending the demands of the emerging threat environment, and the budgets that would be needed and afforded, resulting in a growing imbalance between strategy, forces, and resources over the decade. Accordingly, the report recommends that future defense planners adopt an assumption-based approach in which key planning assumptions are continually reassessed with a view toward recognizing--and rapidly responding to--emerging gaps and shortfalls. [AF]