 |
October 19, 2006
Our largest ever Annual Meeting exceeded all of our expectations in scope, size and strategic outreach in our role as the Voice for the Army in Support for the Soldier.
This annual event embraces the total Army family: active Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Army civilians, Army families and Army industry partners. It is a homecoming, a clan gathering, and an opportunity for Army leadership to dialogue nationally on strategic Army communications messages with congressional, administration, international and joint service leaders and counterparts.
While it was great visiting with old friends and comrades, learning from the professional forums and from the outstanding exhibits, there remained the seriousness of the messages from Army leaders, Soldiers and industry partners.
Our Army remains engaged in the long war on worldwide terror—a war against an innovative, insidious, adaptive and persistent enemy, an enemy determined to wipe out what we as Americans and our society stand for in the world today.
We were reminded that, while decisively engaged with this enemy, we, as one Army, were simultaneously shaping ourselves into a brigade centric force with expeditionary capabilities for joint warfare.
Both General Schoomaker and Senator Warren Rudman spoke of cycles of unpreparedness in our history, not unlike the dilemma of TF Smith from the days of the Korean War. These were words of caution—not hand-wringing.
Secretary Harvey and others reaffirmed how well our Army is performing across the spectrum of operations that our Soldiers find themselves in today. The Secretary announced the new “Army Strong” campaign of strong Soldiers, values, units and families ready for the fight. Army Strong resonates well, identifies well with our Soldier as the centerpiece and sends the right message to Soldiers, families and influencers.
Our AUSA Call to Duty is to ensure that the critical instrument of warfare is Boots on the Ground, Strong Army Boots.
Our focus and resolutions from our 52nd Annual Meeting call for support for four key areas:
§ Providing full, timely and predictable funding to sustain the Army’s national and global commitments.
§ Obtaining legislative authority for assured access to our reserve component units, who have become our operational reserve rather than a Cold War strategic reserve.
§ Providing wartime authorities and resources needed to equip and protect our Soldiers.
§ Of greatest importance—maintaining the support of the American people whom the Army serves.
These four areas will be the centerline of our national resolutions procedure as we make the transition from the success of our 52nd Annual Meeting to bring the message of Army Strong to the 110th Congress and its constituents, the American people.
| |
|
|