In October 1989 the Department of Defense introduced its Corporate Information Management (CIM) initiative to reengineer its business practices and make better use of information technology. In May 1990, a Medical Functional Group was established within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to institutionalize the CIM process within the Military Health Services System. This letter addresses our review of CIN's implementation in military health services--one of the eight functional areas selected for initial CIM implementation. At a time when health care costs are rising dramatically, CIM offers opportunities to reduce not only health care information technology expenses but, more important, the overall costs of providing care.

Recruiting an all-volunteer military is a formidable task. To successfully enlist one eligible recruit, the Army must contact approximately 120 young people. The National Research Council explores the various factors that will determine whether the military can realistically expect to recruit an adequate fighting force-one that will meet its upcoming needs. It also assesses the military's expected manpower needs and projects the numbers of youth who are likely to be available over the next 20 years to meet these needs. With clearly written text and useful graphics, Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Aspirations of American Youth offers an overview of important issues for military recruiters, touching on a number of important topics including: sex and race, education and aptitude, physical and moral attributes, and military life and working conditions. In addition, the book looks at how a potential recruit would approach the decision to enlist, considering personal, family, and social values, and the options for other employment or college. Building on the need to increase young Americans' "propensity to enlist," this book offers useful recommendations for increasing educational opportunities while in the service and for developing advertising strategies that include concepts of patriotism and duty to country. Of primary value to military policymakers, recruitment officers, and analysts, Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Aspirations of American Youth will also interest social scientists and policy makers interested in youth trends.