The U.S. Army has been engaged for nearly seven years in continuous conflict while undertaking a revolutionary modernization of its forces to better meet the many challenges facing the nation and its warfighters. The purpose of this transformation is to equip America’s Soldiers with better weapons, defenses and technologies, organize Soldiers into more agile, responsive units and ensure victory in any combat situation.In addition to facing today’s challenges, the Army is keeping a firm focus on the future. It is accelerating the fielding of Future Combat Systems into the current force, developing new weapons, communication, surveillance and security technologies, and recapitalizing facilities for Soldiers and their families. Continuous modernization is the key to enhancing our capabilities and maintaining a technological advantage over any enemy we will faceReconciling these two elements—current and future requirements—is a focus of the Fiscal Year 2009 Army budget. It places an emphasis on the concept of restoring balance—the need to generate land force capabilities beyond current operations. To execute current operations, reset our forces while maintaining a high operational tempo, and develop future capabilities to sustain the highest-quality force requires timely, predictable and comprehensive funding. The next year will bring a new administration with its own strategy for pursuing the war on terrorism; the Army cannot afford to languish without proper funding during the transition.Fiscal Year 2009 Army Budget—An Analysis details the resources required for the Army to accomplish its missions today and tomorrow. It examines the Army’s proposed budget in the context of the federal and DoD budgets and breaks down requests according to funding authority and programs, from Soldiers’ pay to research and development. The analysis explains budget terminology and procedures, including the supplemental funding process that is necessary for the Army to sustain the current level of operations and provide for Soldiers and their families.The Association of the United States Army fully supports the Army—active Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Army civilians and the families and communities who stand behind them all—as it faces its many challenges. Fiscal Year 2009 Army Budget—An Analysis is just one of many ways we speak out on issues important to the American Soldier, American landpower and the security of the nation and the world.