June 29, 2006
On 14 June 2006 in the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Paris France, CSM Jimmie Spencer, USA, Ret., Director, NCO & Soldier Programs and I celebrated the 231st Army Birthday commemorating fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and civilians by dedicating a wreath in their honor. It was a glorious day with perfect weather for the ceremony assisted by a sharp color guard from the 1st Infantry Division in Germany. CSM John Fourham, 1st Infantry Division and his troops did a magnificent job in presenting the colors and honors.
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| General Sullivan and Honor Guard from the 1st Division placing a wreath at the Suresnes American Cemetery on the Army Birthday. |
The Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial is situated on the wooded east slope of Mont Valerien, 4 miles west of the center of Paris, in the city of Suresnes. The cemetery was established in 1917 by the Graves Registration Service of the Army Quartermaster Corps. A majority of the World War I Dead buried there died of wounds or sickness in hospitals located in or near Paris.
The cemetery was dedicated by President Woodrow Wilson during Memorial Day ceremonies of 1919.
Administration of the cemetery passed to the American Battle Monuments Commission (www.abmc.gov) in 1934. At the end of World War II, it was decided that this particular cemetery should serve to commemorate the dead of both world wars, and an additional grave plot was created as an eternal resting place for unidentified remains of 24 World War II Unknowns. The World War II section was dedicated in 1952 with an impressive ceremony presided over by Gen. George C. Marshall, then Chairman of the Commission, and attended by distinguished representatives of the American and French governments.
As I reflected on the sacrifices of the fallen for freedom in a far away land, I recognized that our country was at war again, “over there.” Except today, the “over there” is half a world away. The enemy, while cloaked in different uniforms, tactics, and political and religious zeal, is still an enemy of freedom and our cherished way of life.
Today our Army, at our nation’s 230th birthday this July 4, is still engaged in brutal, daily fights as in World War I and World War II. In this war, as in most of our national wars, the soldiers, “boots on the ground,” carry the day. Today, their engagements are nobly and professionally supported by our wonderful air and naval forces.
Today, as in the past, there have never been enough resources, men and materiel, to execute the mission to its fullest. Granted, it is a different Army, but the challenges of resourcing the force are just as great.
My concern is that we might not be fully focused as a nation as we were when our servicemen and women made their sacrifices in World War I and World War II.
I am starting to see signs of a shifting of priorities in the funding stream without a change in strategy or requirements. Without appropriate fiscal resources, provided in a consistent stream, the Army cannot be expected to execute the national strategy and every other mission in as effective a manner as originally intended. This funding stream must flow for the next six years at least or the responsible parties must recast the National Defense Strategy as well as accept that all enabling programs are not feasible. Unless all appreciate the relationship of dollars to programs, priorities will dictate tough choices and Army capabilities will diminish.
Part of my concern is that many opinion leaders in Congress and elsewhere believe that as long as the war goes on, their funding focus must be on current operations and not funding modernization programs like the Future Combat Systems, modularity and equipment reset so critical for active and reserve force readiness. Likewise, while all would applaud a successful outcome in Iraq and Afghanistan, I fear that should hostilities end, the funding stream might end abruptly in order to recreate the illusion of a “peace dividend” instead of continuing for reset for at least two years as well as enabling the Army to refresh itself. In the coming days, I believe we must begin to speak out and let the public know that Army funding must be supported in the near term, but viewed in the long term during which multiple, high cost, long-term missions of increasingly complexity such as those envisioned in the QDR and National Defense Strategy will continue.
I hope I am wrong, but I fear that I am not. It is time to watch things very closely and accept the fact we might soon be facing a serious strategy resource mismatch which will in turn stretch our magnificent Army to the breaking point.
See more photos from the ceremony.
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