AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare has recently released new publications on emerging topics."Addition Through Subtraction: Empowering the Soldier by Lightening the Load" (Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2013) explores the Army’s efforts to revolutionize Soldier Power for the soldier and squad.The soldier and squad will remain fundamental to national security throughout the 21st century. Soldier-worn devices enhance situational awareness, speed the decision cycle and connect soldiers and squads at the lowest level with one another and their higher headquarters to produce significant advantages over the adversary.The increased digital capability of soldier-worn devices generates an increased demand for power. Dismounted soldiers traditionally carry up to 23 batteries to sustain soldier-worn devices for up to 72 hours before resupply (approximate weight is 10 pounds or 9.8 percent of a 102-pound combat load).PEO Soldier introduced the Soldier Power portfolio to help overcome the real cost of more power – additional batteries that add weight and consume more space in the combat load. The Soldier Power portfolio is an ongoing acquisition success story that leverages research and development partnerships, lessons learned and evaluation and testing at the Network Integration Exercises.The past five years have seen great progress in Soldier Power and energy, but there is still potential for improvement. Ongoing research and development in improved battery technology; harvest of thermal, solar and kinetic energy; advancement in wireless charging; and smart textiles may individually or collectively help the Army realize leap-ahead improvements for Soldier Power."U.S. Army South: Fostering Peace and Security in South America, Central America and the Caribbean" (Torchbearer Issue Paper, October 2013) discusses the role of the Army’s land force in support of national security objectives in that region.Joint, interagency, intergovernmental and multinational commitment has quietly but effectively prevented major armed conflict in the region for some time, but maintaining an engaged, committed presence is imperative. U.S. Army South (ARSOUTH) combines regionally-aligned active and reserve forces to provide a scalable, flexible, agile and responsive team with unmatched experience.Transnational threats – drug trafficking, smuggling, gang violence, forgery, money laundering and many others – are a growing U.S. national security concern. ARSOUTH leads partner nations to a regional approach to security, providing planning, training and infrastructure development support to improve their capabilities to counter illicit networks.ARSOUTH is the largest component of U.S. Southern Command and is tasked to form the core of a joint task force for contingency response. Capable of deploying within 72 hours in response to natural disasters and catastrophic events throughout the area of responsibility, ARSOUTH maintains scalable mission command resources that can operate effectively in time of crisis.Army forces also integrate theater security cooperation efforts with their sister services, regionally aligned forces and National Guard State Partnership Program units to shape security conditions. In addition to exercises, exchanges and sustained engagements, ARSOUTH conducts the Staff Talks Program on behalf of the U.S. Army chief of staff to synchronize activity for bilateral security cooperation between the U.S. Army and Brazil, Chile, Colombia and El Salvador.The nation depends on ARSOUTH engagement as a low-cost, small-footprint means to achieve security objectives. Timely and predictable funding together with leveraging half-century-old enduring relationships between the Army and its partner nations’ militaries are keys to fostering peace and security in this vital region."A Crisis in Military Housing: Basic Allowance for Housing Under Attack" (Torchbearer Alert, October 2013) explains why proposed cuts to funding for military housing would have significant negative effects.The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is intended to provide eligible servicemembers with housing compensation approximating civilian rental costs in the area where they are stationed, based on rank and number of dependents.After many years of chronic underfunding, the services have made a long-term commitment over more than a decade to appropriately resource servicemembers’ quality of life. Cutting funding for the BAH now, when this commitment’s goals have nearly been reached, would directly impact progress made to date.In addition, there are many second- and third-order negative effects. New housing construction in communities near military bases could be stunted and local economies significantly harmed. The privatization of housing on military posts could also be jeopardized, thereby endangering the progress made in this area as well. Worst of all, the recruiting and retention of military professionals will be placed at even greater risk.If the nation wants to keep its prized all-volunteer force, it must sustain its commitments to military professionals and their families. AUSA continues to advocate the preservation of the full value of servicemembers’ earned compensation.These and other ILW publications are available online at http://www.ausa.org/ilw and can also be obtained by calling (800) 336-4570, Ext. 4630, or by e-mailing a request to ilwpublications@ausa.org.