CDFM National Defense Strategy 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The National Defense Strategy (NDS) describes the relationship between what two key elements?
- Ends (objectives) and means (resources) (Correct answer)
- Allies and partners
- Threats and capabilities
- Budget and manpower
Correct answer: Ends (objectives) and means (resources)
The NDS articulates the relationship between ends (strategic objectives) and means (available resources and capabilities) to guide defense planning.
Question 2: Which concept in the NDS refers to the ability to operate effectively across all domains simultaneously?
- Multi-domain operations (Correct answer)
- Joint integrated deterrence
- Campaigning
- Dynamic force employment
Correct answer: Multi-domain operations
Multi-domain operations refers to military operations conducted simultaneously across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace domains.
Question 3: How does the NDS define 'integrated deterrence'?
- Using a combination of capabilities across domains, theaters, and the spectrum of conflict to prevent adversary aggression (Correct answer)
- Relying solely on nuclear weapons to deter attack
- Forming alliances to share defense burdens
- Deploying forward military forces to contested regions
Correct answer: Using a combination of capabilities across domains, theaters, and the spectrum of conflict to prevent adversary aggression
Integrated deterrence combines conventional, nuclear, cyber, space, and information capabilities across domains and partners to deter conflict.
Question 4: Under the NDS framework, which of the following best describes 'campaigning'?
- Conducting sequenced military and non-military activities to achieve strategic objectives short of armed conflict (Correct answer)
- Planning and executing offensive combat operations
- Allocating defense budgets across fiscal years
- Training allied forces to meet NATO standards
Correct answer: Conducting sequenced military and non-military activities to achieve strategic objectives short of armed conflict
Campaigning involves persistent, coordinated activities across the competition continuum to achieve strategic goals without triggering armed conflict.
Question 5: The NDS identifies China as which type of strategic challenge?
- The pacing challenge (Correct answer)
- The acute threat
- A near-peer competitor
- A rogue state
Correct answer: The pacing challenge
The 2022 NDS specifically identifies China as the 'pacing challenge' — the competitor whose capabilities set the pace for U.S. defense modernization.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of the Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) in relation to the NDS?
- To detail nuclear weapons policy and strategy aligned with broader NDS objectives (Correct answer)
- To authorize nuclear weapons procurement
- To set the defense budget for nuclear programs
- To negotiate arms control treaties
Correct answer: To detail nuclear weapons policy and strategy aligned with broader NDS objectives
The NPR elaborates nuclear policy and force structure decisions that support and are nested within the overarching National Defense Strategy.
Question 7: The CDFM must understand how the NDS influences the defense budget primarily because:
- The NDS drives strategic priorities that determine resource allocation across the DoD (Correct answer)
- The NDS sets specific appropriations for each military department
- The NDS replaces the need for a Program Objective Memorandum (POM)
- The NDS is used to justify reprogramming requests to Congress
Correct answer: The NDS drives strategic priorities that determine resource allocation across the DoD
The NDS establishes strategic priorities that cascade through planning documents and ultimately shape how defense resources are allocated in the budget.
CDFM National Defense Strategy 2
The National Defense Strategy (NDS) describes the relationship between what two key elements?