The Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques in United States Air Force Environmental Conflicts

Abstract

The use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in government disputes is mandated by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1990. The use of ADR to resolve disputes typically provides a quick and inexpensive resolution when compared to litigation. The Air Force has a very strong ADR program to resolve acquisition and workplace disputes; however, the varied conditions and situations of environmental issues have prevented the Air Force from achieving similar success in this area. This research analyzes the experiences of twenty-six Environmental Conflict Resolution practitioners who have resolved environmental disputes using ADR techniques. Content analysis and pattern matching were used to provide insight into the current use of ADR techniques in military environmental disputes. The insight gained from this research provides the Air Force with information to better understand the current practices in environmental ADR and also provides areas for further research.