NCJ Number
67624
Date Published
1969
Length
33 pages
Annotation
THE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT ALTHOUGH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, THERE IS LITTLE OR NO CENTRALIZED DIRECTION AND CONTROL TO EFFECT UNITY.
Abstract
NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS (NCS) OBJECTIVES WERE TO PROVIDE NECESSARY COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AGENCIES UNDER ALL CONDITIONS RANGING FROM A NORMAL SITUATION TO NATIONAL EMERGENCIES AND INTERNATIONAL CRISES. MANY PROBLEMS REMAIN TO BE SOLVED BEFORE A UNIFIED, CENTRALIZED NCS CAN BE ACHIEVED. A MAJOR PROBLEM IS THE ABSENCE OF A LONG-RANGE PLAN OR BLUEPRINT, AND THE ADDITIONAL ABSENCE OF A CENTRALIZED POLICY GUIDANCE TO CHART THE NCS DEVELOPMENT. PRESENT ORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO THE EARLY ACHIEVEMENT OF NCS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE, WELL-FUNDED, EXECUTIVE BRANCH ORGANIZATION WITH SOLE CONTROL OVER THE NCS DEVELOPMENT IS NECESSARY TO SERVE AS A FOCAL POINT FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLANNING AND POLICY. IT SHOULD HAVE A BROAD RANGE OF AUTHORITY AND ACTIVITY. FURTHER, THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DIRECT THAT ATTENTION BE GIVEN TO CLARIFYING WHAT A UNIFIED NCS SHOULD BE, TO RESOLVING THE QUESTION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTEGRATED TRUNKING SYSTEM, AND TO DECIDING ON THE COMBINATION OF SEPARATE VOICE NETWORKS OPERATED BY DOD AND GSA. A LETTER, IN THE APPENDIX, ACKNOWLEDGES WHITE HOUSE RECEIPT OF THE REPORT.