Assignment: Pentagon: How to Excel in a Bureaucracy

Preface to the Fifth Edition
Part 1. An Introduction to the Pentagon
1. A View of the Building
2. Realities and Myths of the Pentagon
3. Pentagon Truisms
4. The Strange Language of the Puzzle Palace
Part 2. The Key Players
5. Where Were You When the Page Was Blank? The Agony and the Ecstasy of the Action Officer
6. The Branch and Division Chiefs: A Forgotten Breed
7. Flag Officers, Senior Civilians, and Political Appointees: The Need for Leadership
8. The Services
9. The Joint Staff
10. The Office of the Secretary of Defense
11. The Interagency Arena
12. Working with Defense Contractors
13. The Pentagon's Constituents
Part 3. Running the Pentagon
14. The Complex Pattern of Rivalry and Competition
15. Understanding the Process (and Keeping the Gears Turning)
16. In Search of Research, Development, and Innovation
17. Operating in the Tank: A View from the Inner Sanctum
18. How to Give and Receive Briefings in the Pentagon
Part 4. Enjoying the Tour
19. Rules of Thumb: Helpful Hints on How to Get Ready to Work, Survive, and Thrive
20. Difficult Bosses
21. Military Ethics in the Pentagon
22. The Heartbreak of House Hunting
23. Family, Cultural, Academic, and Job Opportunities
24. Conclusions: Back to the Future
Appendix A: Recommended References
Appendix B: Transition into the Pentagon Checklist
Appendix C: Interviewing
Appendix D: Glossary of Acronyms and Abbreviations
Appendix E: Department of Defense
Index
About the Authors