Installations The Bedrock of America’s Army

Installations The Bedrock of America’s Army

June 01, 2015

The United States Army continues to adapt to an evolving and unstable security environment. The future joint operating landscape will consist of diverse enemies who employ traditional, unconventional and hybrid strategies to threaten U.S. vital interests. Much of this complex environment is unknown— what is known is that the emergence of myriad global threats coupled with an unprecedented fiscal uncertainty poses significant challenges to national security now and in the future. Moreover, the increasing nexus among food, water and energy, as well as rising urban populations, heighten the competition for critical resources. Amidst these challenges, the U.S. military, and the Army in particular, must maintain strategic responsiveness—the ability to project power rapidly—to deter adversaries and signal the nation’s commitment to allies and partners, thereby contributing to global and regional security and stability. Integral to sustaining this ability are unit and individual readiness—Soldiers, Department of the Army (DA) civilians, families, veterans and survivors—especially with so few Army forces forward-stationed.Army installations are the bedrock of unit and individual readiness. Specifically, installations play four indispensable roles that ensure the Army’s readiness: solidifying the Army’s relationship with the civilian world through public and private partnerships; providing the infrastructure and technology to support force projection; undertaking initiatives that promote more resilient and efficient uses of energy; and providing the services that ensure a high quality of life for Soldiers, families, DA civilians, veterans and survivors. To build the installation of the future in this complex environment, installation professionals must harness a continuum of learning, adapting and innovating and Congress must provide full funding in a timely and predictable manner