Following the end of the Cold War, the United States became the world's sole superpower. With this status came an unchecked and impressive global force posture. While the United States dramatically cut the number of personnel in Western Europe, it remains fully engaged throughout the world and has personnel deployed or stationed in over 150 countries. These personnel and facilities ostensibly exist to help the U.S. support its vital national interests. While the United States wished to draw down forces after combat and stability operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military remains globally committed in support of a variety of missions and operations. In the current fiscal environment, this desire to engage and intervene using military force is no longer sustainable. This thesis reviews strategic guidance documents, evaluates the current prepositioned equipment concepts, and evaluates Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) as a case study for Force Posture. The conclusion offers five recommendations for the future of United States global force posture and actions that support access.
