Independent QDR Panel

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-OK) today announced their appointments to the independent panel that will provide outside analysis of the Pentagon's 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review.

Levin has appointed retired Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright and former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michèle Flournoy, while Inhofe's appointments are retired Air Force Gen. Gregory Martin and retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Maples.

"General Cartwright and Michèle Flournoy enjoy exceptionally high respect throughout U.S. and international security policy communities for their life-long experience, deep understanding, and commitment to keeping America strong and safe," Levin said in a committee statement, adding: "Their contributions to the independent panel's assessment of the Defense Department's strategic review will help ensure that the entire process provides Congress and the nation with the best possible security analysis and recommendations as we continue to anticipate and adapt to these challenging times."

"The many years of military service, defense policy experience, and deep understanding of national security issues Gen. Martin and Lt. Gen. Maples bring will be invaluable to the panel as it evaluates the department's review of the strategic environment and makes its recommendations to adapt policies, programs and strategy for the challenges our national defense needs to address in the years ahead," Inhofe said in the same statement.

The statement further reads:

In requiring the QDR, Congress called for establishment of an independent panel of civilian experts to review the Defense Department's work. The independent panel is required to review the department’s force structure and resource recommendations and, within three months of the QDR's completion, to submit an assessment of the QDR to the congressional defense committees.

The 10-member independent panel is to include two appointees each from the chair and ranking members of the Senate and House defense committees, and a chairman and vice chairman appointed by the secretary of defense.

The QDR is a congressionally mandated, once-every-four years review of national defense strategy, force structure, modernization plans, infrastructure, budget plans and other elements defense policy. The 2014 QDR will be the fifth since Congress established the requirement in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997.

Check out InsideDefense.com's latest coverage of the upcoming QDR:

General: Defense Strategy Assessment Needed To Steer QDR
(DefenseAlert -- 03/04/2013)

Senior Official: Panetta Plans To Leave QDR Guidance To Hagel
(DefenseAlert -- 02/21/2013)

Official: Budget, Force Structure, Sizing May All Be QDR Topics
(Inside the Navy -- 01/28/2013)