Center for Defense Information

Summary

The Center for Defense Information (CDI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C. It specialized in analyzing and advising on military matters.[2]

Center for Defense Information
AbbreviationCDI
Merged intoProject on Government Oversight
Formation1971; 53 years ago (1971)
FounderAdm. Gene La Rocque, Adm. Eugene Carroll
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., U.S.
Director
Mandy Smithberger[1]
Websitewww.pogo.org/center-for-defense-information/

History edit

The Center for Defense Information was founded in 1971 by an independent group of retired military officers including Adm. Gene La Rocque and Adm. Eugene Carroll.[3]

In 2005, the Center for Defense Information expanded by creating the Straus Military Reform Project [3] for the purpose of promoting military reform in the Pentagon and Congress. Winslow T. Wheeler, a former Capitol Hill staffer and General Accounting Office assistant director, directs the Straus Military Reform Project at CDI. The Project was launched by a matching grant from Philip A. Straus Jr. Straus and his family have long supported activities at CDI and continue to be major supporters of the Project's endeavors.[4] In May 2012, CDI joined the Project on Government Oversight.[5]

After the 2008 United States elections, CDI released America’s Defense Meltdown: Pentagon Reform for President Obama and the New Congress, a collection of briefing papers by a dozen defense intellectuals and retired military officers. In 2010, CDI released a second anthology, The Pentagon Labyrinth: 10 Short Essays to Help You through It.[6] Since the mid-2000s, CDI has focused on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II as what it says is the embodiment of the Pentagon's acquisition problems—being both unaffordable and a huge disappointment in performance.[citation needed]

Formerly, CDI operated under the umbrella of the World Security Institute. In 2012, the World Security Institute closed,[7] and CDI merged with the Project On Government Oversight (POGO).[8] In addition, POGO continued the publication of The Defense Monitor.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Board & Staff". Center for Defense Information. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  2. ^ "Center for Defense Information". The International Relations and Security Network.
  3. ^ a b "About the Straus Military Reform Project and the Center for Defense Information". Project On Government Oversight. Archived from the original on 2014-05-18. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  4. ^ Annual Report 2012: Uncover Something Big. Project On Government Oversight. pp. 8–9.
  5. ^ "CDI Joins POGO". pogo.org.
  6. ^ The Pentagon Labyrinth: 10 Short Essays to Help You Through It. Project On Government Oversight. Archived from the original on 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  7. ^ "World Security Institute". isn.ethz.chThe International Relations and Security Network.
  8. ^ "CDI Joins POGO". Project On Government Oversight.
  9. ^ "Defense Monitor". pogo.org.

External links edit

  • Official website