Torchbearer Issue Papers

Torchbearer Issue Papers are discussion papers on key strategic issues relevant to the U.S. Army and its role in national defense. These messages are sent to the military and civilian leadership of the United States Army and the Department of Defense, selected segments of the American public, members of Congress, key congressional staff, industry and the administration.

This series was published from 2001 to 2016. 

2016

Delivering Materiel Readiness: From "Blunt-Force" Logistics to Enterprise Resource Planning
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2016)

The Mad Scientist Initiative: An Innovative Way of Understanding the Future Operational Environment
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, May 2016)

Sustaining the All-Volunteer-Force: A Readiness Multiplier
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2016)

2015

The U.S. Army in Europe: Strategic Landpower in Action
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2015)

Strategically Responsive Logistics: A Game-Changer
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2015)

Rapid Equipping and the U.S. Army's Quick-Reaction Capability
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2015)

The U.S. Army's Expeditionary Mission Command Capability: Winning in a Complex World
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, September 2015)

Enabling Reserve Component Readiness to Ensure National Security
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, September 2015)

Installations: The Bedrock of America's Army
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2015)

The U.S. Army in Motion in the Pacific
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2015)

Force 2025 and Beyond: The U.S. Army's Holistic Modernization Strategy
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, January 2015)

2014

Strategic Landpower in NATO: Vital for U.S. Security
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2014)

The U.S. Army in Korea: Strategic Landpower at the Forward Edge of Freedom
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2014)

Soldier for Life
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2014)

Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness: Building Resilience, Enhancing Performance
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, March 2014)

2013

The Army's Organic Industrial Base: Providing Readiness Today, Preparing for Challenges Tomorrow
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2013)

Addition Through Subtraction: Empowering the Soldier by Lightening the Load
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2013)

U.S. Army South: Fostering Peace and Security in South America, Central America and the Caribbean
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2013)

The Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex: Winning the Future Fight
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2013)

Déjà Vu: Servicemembers' Earnings are Under Attack Again
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2013)

2012

Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program: Building Communities of Readiness
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2012)

Capability Set Production and Fielding: Enhancing the U.S. Army's Combat Effectiveness
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2012)

First Army: Training for Today's Requirements and Tomorrow's Contingencies
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2012)

Third Army: Empowering Theater Responsiveness by Synchronizing Operational Maneuver
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, March 2012)

2011

U.S. Army North/Fifth Army: Building Relationships for a Secure Homeland
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2011)

The U.S. Army in Europe: A Pillar of America's Defense Strategy
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2011)

Military Retiree Health Care Faces a Triple Whammy: Today's Soldiers are Tomorrow's Retirees
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, November 2011)

U.S. Army Pacific Contingency Command Post: A Theater-Army Expeditionary Capability
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2011)

2010

The Army National Guard's Path to Greater Resilience
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2010)

New Educational Opportunities for Soldiers and Families
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2010)

Army Strong Community Centers: Serving Army Families
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2010)

Strengthening and Sustaining Army Families
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2010)

Building Resilience: Comprehensive Soldier Fitness
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2010)

Army Software Transformation: Delivering Applications to the Warfighter
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, February 2010)

2009

A 21st Century Campus for Battle Command Training
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2009)

2008

Army Prepositioned Stocks: Indispensable to America's Global Force-projection Capability
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2008)

The 2008 National Defense Strategy: Implications for the United States Army
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, September 2008)

Future Combat Systems: Leap-ahead Capabilities Now
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2008)

Disposal of Excess, Obsolete and Unserviceable Ammunition: Help for the Warfighter
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2008)

The U.S. Army in Korea in the 21st Century
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, March 2008)

Revolution in Army Doctrine: The 2008 Field Manual 3-0: Operations
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, February 2008)

The Rebalance of the Army National Guard
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, January 2008)

2007

Transforming the U.S. Army Reserve to an Operational Force
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2007)

Stryker Brigade Combat Team Warfighter's Forum: A New Army Paradigm for Home Station Unit Training
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2007)

2006

Army Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Strategy: Meeting Current and Future Needs
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2006)

2004

Air and Missile Defense: An Integral Part of Army and Joint Transformation
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2004)

Future Combat Systems: The Future is Now
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2004)

ES2: Every Soldier is a Sensor
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2004)

The Rapid Fielding Initiative: Equipping Soldiers to Succeed
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2004)

Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems: A Cost-Effective Combat Multiplier
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2004)

Stryker is the Current Force
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, February 2004)

2003

Rapid Equipping Force: Innovative Materiel Solutions to Operational Requirements
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2003)

The Army's Continuing Education System
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2003)

GI-to-Jobs is COOL: Credentialing Opportunities On-Line
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2003)

Future Tactical Truck System: Taking Tactical Wheeled Vehicles to the Next Level of Jointness and Efficiency
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2003)

eArmyU: Education Enabler for an Agile, Versatile, Adaptive Force
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2003)

Aerial Common Sensor: Knowledge at the Point of Decision and Key to Objective Force Success
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, February 2003)

VPROTS: Virtual Planning, Operations, Rehearsal, Training and Simulation
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, February 2003)

Aviation Recapitalization: An Imperative for Today and Tomorrow's Army
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, January 2003)

2002

RAH-66 Comanche + Unmanned Aerial Vehicles = The Army's One-Two Punch
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, September 2002)

Army Special Operations Forces—An Essential Tool in the Fight Against Terrorism
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, September 2002)

Future Combat Systems—Enabling Soldiers to Meet Tomorrow's Challenges
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, August 2002)

Stryker: Closing the Gap Between Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Objective Force Operations
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2002)

Aircraft Survivability Equipment: Ensuring Lethality and Dominance of Army Aviation Over Tomorrow's Battlefield
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2002)

The Theater Support Vessel: Force Projection Capability for a Transforming Army
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, May 2002)

2001

The Interim Brigade Combat Team: A Combat Force for Today, A Proving Ground for Tomorrow
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, December 2001)

Contribution of Land Forces to Access Assurance: The Army's Role
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2001)

Skipping Another Generation of Weapons—A Bad Idea
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, July 2001)

The Value of Engagement and Forward Presence
(Torchbearer Issue Paper, June 2001)