About the Comments

The numbered comments on this site were (and are still being) written by Franklin C. (Chuck) Spinney. Chuck retired in May 2003 as an analyst in the Tactical Air shop of the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD/PA&E.) He has written on (among many subjects) accountability, or lack thereof, in the Federal government and on the systemic biases in our procurement system that routinely lead to cost growth, program stretch-outs, and performance degradations.

Chuck is a well-known figure in the defense community, having testified before Congress numerous times, published several articles in the Proceedings of the US Naval Institute, the Wall Street Journal, Strategic Review, and elsewhere, and appearing on the cover of Time Magazine in 1983. He is also the author of Defense Facts of Life: The Plans Reality Mismatch (Westview, 1985)

Chronological list of comments.

Several other briefings by Chuck Spinney appear at chetrichards.com under the “Belisarius.com” link on the menu bar.

A Note on Format

Because of the emerging nature of copyright law on the Internet, we have tried to scrupulously comply with the fair use provisions of Title 17, Section 107, U. S. Code. All extracts from copyrighted works are either quoted by permission or are intended solely for the purpose of commentary. Where possible, we have linked to the original source, or to the web site of the copyright holder.