The Air Force considers itself a leader in ADR, according to the reports and memoranda published on its site. It currently uses ADR to resolve civilian personnel disputes and contract disputes, but the plan for the future is to expand the program to Air Force-wide use. The material did not indicate just how much the Air Force was prepared to embrace alternative dispute resolution and its inherent egalitarianism, but I find it hard to imagine a mediator, one who facilitates an agreement, or an arbitrator, one who can render a judgment, being interjected into a dispute between, let's say, an officer and an enlisted person. Such an intriguing prospect, however, could make regular monitoring of the site for future developments quite worthwhile.
The Air Force site was notable also for its links to other ADR sites, both public and private. The government links run the gamut from the ADR sites of the three branches of the federal government to state and local government sites, and even include tribal government sites. The private links include ADR associations, such as the American Arbitration Association, Academy of Family Mediation, and the Society for Professionals in Dispute Resolution, all well-known and influential conflict resolution groups. The list also includes links to three universities actively engaged in the study of conflict resolution, Nova University, the University of Colorado, and Harvard University. Finally, the Air Force site lists links to general ADR sites from which one can do research on the legal and ethical aspects of conflict resolution in a variety of contexts.
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