Above and Beyond?

The Joint Improved Explosive Device Defeat Organization's recently released annual report includes a line in its "Way Ahead" section that piqued our interest.

"JIEDDO will participate in the Office of the Secretary of Defense Capability Portfolio Management Process to oversee transition of initiatives into programs of record and enduring Service capabilities," it states there.

The CPM initiative, created by former Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, is akin to a second set of eyes on the services' resource allocation plans. Each of the nine CPM teams can submit so-called issue papers to defense leaders if they believe certain service budget plans run counter to DOD-wide interests.

The report offers no reason to believe JIEDDO officials aren't talking extensively to the services when it comes to determining what counter-IED projects should be handed off to which service. But are they going the extra mile to also engage through the CPM process, as the document suggests?

Apparently not. When pressed, a JIEDDO spokeswoman said there are no formal processes set up for routing JIEDDO transition plans through the CPM assessment teams.