Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

The U.S. Marine Corps employs training to reproduce expected behaviors within its ranks. While military culture is widely acknowledged for rigidity and authoritarianism, there is a cultural expectation that personnel with the appropriate rank and authority give orders, interpret and apply rules and policies. The way rules and policies are interpreted does not permeate all rank structures equally. For example, new recruits have limited access to policies and rules and they tend to primarily follow orders.

Delegating authority allows space for decision makers to develop solutions that fit situations as they evolve but it also results in varying meanings and interpretations of rules and policies. Consequently, policy decisions and actions may reflect immediate concerns, needs and values of local implementing Marine units in ways that may appear out-of-scope or nonsensical to someone outside of a unit.

Far removed from the lived experience of Marines and civilians who make up the Marine Corps, Executive Order 13587 (E.O. 13587) and a corresponding Presidential memorandum established polices designed to address concerns about countering insider threats. The mandated policies and monitoring procedures implemented in 2011 are designed to counter acts by trusted personnel (U.S government employees, uniformed personnel) that intentionally or unintentionally threaten national security interests. Threats vary to include: disclosure of classified information, data modification, acts of terrorism or physical actions.

One policy outcome has been increased use of machine-based monitoring of activities and behaviors in work spaces. A non-mechanized tool for implementing the policy is expecting personnel be aware of behaviors indicative of insider threat activity and to report suspicious behavior.

This presentation summarizes data from ongoing face-to-face interviews, focus groups and observations designed to understand Marine Corps civilian and uniformed personnel tacit and implied understandings, practices and cultural habits related to countering insider threats. The study provides explanations about disconnects between policy requirements and actual practices. The applied purpose is to use the study findings to support improved training and reporting practices.

This presentation addresses the conference theme: Rising to the Challenge: Engaging Diverse Perspectives on Issue and Evidence in the following ways:

1. This study is a qualitative study conducted by a woman of color. Given the interpretive nature of qualitative research, this creates an opportunity for a diverse and unique voice in the policy research community, in this case, the inclusion of critical discourse and consideration of power in policy dynamics.
2. This proposal and study are demonstrative of applied research. Not every policy student will work in academia. It is important for members of the policy community to have exposure to research and perspectives that are developed purposefully for non-academic audiences.
3. The study, while not explicitly designed to be comparative, includes diverse stakeholders and participants (i.e. military and civilian actors). The presentation will also highlight perspectives from stakeholders located in different geographical location (i.e. North Carolina, Virginia, Okinawa, Japan and California). The findings may reveal differences in meanings and interpretations related to geography, role of participants, rank and possibly gender.