Memo reviewed by, Guido Torres, HKS NSF, Manual Ortiz-Senior, HKS MPA/MC, and Shivani Gupta, HKS MPA/ID

The memo titled ‘Next Steps on Suicide Prevention’ serves to address the critical concern of suicides within the Department of Defense. The memo effectively grabs the reader's attention. It emphasizes the importance of the Department's most precious resource - its people. However, the content and writing of the memo could use some work.... Read more about Memo from the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, "Next Steps on Suicide Prevention in the Military," 03/16/2023

Memo Review by Ashley Hong, MPP

Memo: Commissioner Hardesty Office Memo on Gun Violence in PortlandLinks to an external site.

This is a public memo from the Policy Director of Portland's Commissioner to the Mayor's Office of Portland. In advance of an upcoming City Council Work Session, the author argues that public interest in reinstituting the city's Gun Violence Reduction Team is not based on data and that, historically, the initiative disproportionately overpoliced Black Portlanders. The purpose of this memo was not to offer a discrete policy solution, but request Councilmembers seriously consider implications related to reinstating the Team.... Read more about Commissioner Hardesty Office Memo on Gun Violence in Portland

Memo Review by Alex Dubin, HKS MPP

            The end of the Cold War and the disintegration of the Soviet Union generated an enormous peace dividend and left the U.S. as the world’s sole superpower. However, the question of how to effectively engage with post-Soviet Russia loomed large over U.S. policytowards Europe.... Read more about 1995 Moscow Summit, "Moment of Truth": Memo to President Clinton from Strobe Talbott, 4/15/1995

Memo Review by Alex Dubin, HKS MPP

President Gerald Ford and National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft. The U.S. National Archives

The Space Race began in October 1957 when the Soviets shocked the United States by launching Sputnik 1 into orbit. The U.S. soon followed with a satellite of its own, eventually overtaking and beating the Soviets by landing humans on the Moon in 1969. The Space Age, however, was beginning to create a nascent infrastructure of satellites in space, the capabilities of which the U.S. and world were increasingly relying on.... Read more about U.S. and Soviet Anti-Satellite Capabilities: Memo to President Ford from National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft, 07/24/1976