Structural reorganization rarely solves the problem of compartmentalization because it treats a human behavioral issue like a plumbing problem. You can redraw lines on an organizational chart or merge departments, but you cannot instantly erase the tribalism that grows within specialized units. Officers often view information as a source of power or a tool for job security. This creates a natural instinct to guard data, even when sharing it would benefit the broader mission.
True change requires more than a new hierarchy. It demands a shift in how agencies reward performance. If a manager only promotes people who protect their own unit's secrets, the culture will stay closed. If the system punishes those who "leak" internal data to other departments, silos will persist. We see this tension play out every time a new reporting line is established; the bureaucracy simply adapts to the new rules while keeping the old habits of secrecy intact.
Dismantling this mindset is a slow, grinding process. It relies on changing the incentives that drive individual behavior. Unless the culture shifts from "owning" information to "using" information, even the most expensive reforms will fail to bridge the gaps between agencies.
