Which Source of Support — Contractor or Military — Best Suits the Circumstances of a Particular Activity?
Given the factors considered above, an analyst or policymaker can systematically weigh the factors to determine whether a contractor or military source best answers the needs of a given mission. In all likelihood, the analysis of the needs for any given conflict will suggest a mix of contractor and military sources. This occurs because of the inherent advantages contractors offer in some circumstances (e.g., maintenance of equipment in the process of being fielded) and because using a contractor may enable the Army to overcome constraints unrelated to decisions about source of support (e.g., desire for low military profile).
