January 18, 2006
As we look forward in the coming weeks to the release of the defense budget and the unveiling of the Quadrennial Defense Review with all their implications for the Army in the coming year, I would like to share with you some of the views the chief of staff offered us at the most recent Institute of Land Warfare Breakfast on what he sees on the road ahead.
Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker said he expects 2006 to be “one of the busiest years we have ever had” as the Army continues to modularize the force – transforming while still at war, the first steps in Base Realignment and Closure are made, the impact of global rebasing of forces moves into high gear and longer-range impact of the QDR is being measured.
“We are focusing on a fully resourced Army – active, guard and reserve.”
Being fully resourced is critical to the Army as it carries out the four key strategies outlined in its posture statement.
The four strategies are:
- Providing relevant and ready landpower to the combatant commanders.
- Training and equipping Soldiers to serve as warriors and growing adaptive leaders.
- Attaining a quality of life for Soldiers and their families that matches the quality of their service.
- Providing infrastructure to enable the force to fulfill its strategic roles and missions.
To maintain its momentum in accomplishing these force strategies, the Army will need to be the right size and to be funded with the right level for Fiscal Year 2007 and the foreseeable future.
As the chief said in his address, several decisions will come to bear on the Army, and it is important that the right level of resources accompany these decisions – the Army cannot self-fund implementation of any of them.
The QDR, BRAC, global rebasing and transformation – coupled with the requirements of the ongoing global war on terror and in conjunction with recruiting, retaining, resetting, refurbishing, and quality of life and compensation issues – leave our Army stretched, strained and underfunded.
The Association of the United States Army’s message is straightforward and succinct: To have a campaign-quality force with joint and expeditionary capabilities, the Army must be better resourced and fully manned. At AUSA, we believe that requires a budget share of at least 28 percent and a funded endstrength of some 550,000 Soldiers.
We are fortunate that bipartisan support for our strategic initiatives in Iraq and Afghanistan remains strong. Congress has been supportive of the Administration’s budget requests and supplemental appropriations. Congress and the nation see the wisdom of continuing our military and diplomatic efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. But unfortunately we are approaching a paradoxical situation wherein virtually every American pledges unconditional support for those who serve in the armed forces but far fewer make the individual commitment to answer their nation’s call.
We are a nation at war, and it is time for all Americans to recognize the extreme threat global terrorism poses to our way of life. We cannot sit idle and allow the current forces to carry the burden of this battle of wills. Without more trained and equipped Soldiers and Marines, it will be very difficult to sustain the fight at the manpower levels we see today in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere around the world. Building indigenous forces will require dedicated American troops in significant numbers, and the continuing security during the rebuilding of two war-damaged economies will absorb the efforts of many more. Additional troops are needed in the training base and strategic reserve, not only to provide direct support to forces already committed but also to prepare for future challenges and to generate greater time with families for troops between deployments.
The need for leaders to encourage national support for our forces during long wars is nothing new. It takes time and resources to transform economic and social potential into the tangible military capabilities needed to achieve victory. We have been continuing that process within our society while helping similar processes to mature in the war-torn societies that we are liberating. Doubt and fatigue often crop up during that long period when victory seems distant. Leaders at every level must help their constituencies overcome those tendencies—and this leadership effort must remain above partisan politics.
In his ILW address, the chief recalled attending a reenlistment ceremony in Iraq for soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Division. He said that one soldier – a Staff Sgt. Barr, who had been badly wounded in the spring, but had returned to his unit by the fall – was standing with several others from his unit.
When he asked the soldiers why they were re-enlisting, “they said because of him,” motioning toward Barr.
“That’s what the Army is about. …It’s not just about equipment. I have a great deal of optimism as I look to the future.”
We at AUSA are optimistic as well.
We live in freedom because every generation of Americans has produced patriots, like Staff Sgt. Barr, willing to serve a cause greater than themselves. The future security and well-being of our country depends on our nation’s ability to meet the evolving threats of the 21st century. For the nation to be successful, its people must be willing to serve. Is it worth the sacrifice? Without a doubt, it is.
|