The Army chief of staff released "Marching Orders – America’s Force of Decisive Action" Jan. 30 to the worldwide force."My intent," Gen. Raymond T. Odieno said in the Army publication, "is to sustain a high-quality All-Volunteer Army that remains the most decisive, responsive and effective land force in the world."According to Odierno, the Army must provide depth and versatility to the joint force, and is agile, responsive and effective for the combatant commanders while ensuring the necessary "flexibility for national security decision-makers in defense of the nation at home and abroad."Ensur...
The Army will remain capable through its planned drawdown of 80,000 soldiers and at least eight brigade combat teams, its chief of staff said.Gen. Raymond T. Odierno told reporters during a Pentagon news briefing Jan. 27 that he is comfortable with the cut in end strength because it reflects changing national security needs, and will be spread over six years."An Army of 490,000 in 2017 will be fundamentally different and more capable than the Army of 482,000 that we had in 2001," he said, noting that today’s troops are combat-seasoned from 10 years of war.The drop from the current 570,000...
As U.S. forces were leaving Iraq, they moved most of their equipment and assets out of the country, but they handed off some to the Department of State to support the diplomatic and security cooperation missions.The 402nd Army Field Support Brigade (AFSB) provided maintenance support for all Army equipment transitioned to the Department of State and the Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq.The 402nd have personnel at all State Department sites in Iraq, and they will establish maintenance hubs in three: Basrah, Kirkuk and Taji.There will be about 180 contracted personnel and a handful of...
"Echoes," the Army’s official 16-page newsletter for retired soldiers, surviving spouses, and their families, is published three times a year and mailed to more than 980,000 worldwide.Its purpose is to keep retired soldiers and family members up-to-date on their entitlements and benefits, keep them connected as part of the Army family, and to inspire goodwill and a desire to support the Army within their civilian communities.The Army Retirement Services Office has felt the impact of the current financial crisis.In anticipation of further budgetary cuts, in September 2011, the Army executed...
President Barack Obama signed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act Dec. 31, while acknowledging "serious reservations" about parts of the act, particularly provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists."I have signed the act chiefly because it authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, crucial services for service members and their families and vital national security programs that must be renewed," Obama said in a statement.The $662 billion act also contains critical initiatives to control spiraling...
1st Session of the 112th Congress ends.To do list for Congress:Pass the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2012. CheckFund the Defense Department for the remainder of fiscal 2012. CheckPermanently repeal the failed Medicare physician payment formula. FailWell then, provide another temporary patch so that physicians will not face a nearly 30 percent drop in reimbursement rates Jan. 1 when the current patch expires. FailBoth the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the defense spending bill cleared Congress and as this publication is headed for the press.Mili...
A Message –Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn The magnitude of what this nation and our soldiers have accomplished in Iraq is unprecedented."We have never been more proud of our Army – our soldiers, civilians and our families."You freed over twenty-five million people from tyranny and given hope when hope was forsaken. Our Army provided new opportunity for the people of Iraq. No other Army in the world could have accomplished what you have done – only American soldiers."Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, our soldiers embodied physical and mental toughness and courage...
A Message –Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn The magnitude of what this nation and our soldiers have accomplished in Iraq is unprecedented."We have never been more proud of our Army – our soldiers, civilians and our families."You freed over twenty-five million people from tyranny and given hope when hope was forsaken. Our Army provided new opportunity for the people of Iraq. No other Army in the world could have accomplished what you have done – only American soldiers."Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, our soldiers embodied physical and mental toughness and courage...
A Message –Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn The magnitude of what this nation and our soldiers have accomplished in Iraq is unprecedented."We have never been more proud of our Army – our soldiers, civilians and our families."You freed over twenty-five million people from tyranny and given hope when hope was forsaken. Our Army provided new opportunity for the people of Iraq. No other Army in the world could have accomplished what you have done – only American soldiers."Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, our soldiers embodied physical and mental toughness and courage...
There is much discussion in the halls of the Pentagon these days about the role of the Army, and I'd like to share with you my thoughts on the issue.Without question, 10 years of war and today's austere economic environment will have a profound impact on our Army.But to put it simply: in these uncertain times – perhaps especially in these uncertain times – the Army is central to our nation's defense.Specifically, the Army has three roles to play.First, our Army must prevent conflict.Prevention requires a credible force with sufficient capacity, readiness and modernization.Our ability and will...
President Barack Obama Jan. 5 announced a defense strategy he said will allow the military to defend the United States and its national interests while cutting military spending in a responsible, balanced manner.The president spoke about the conclusions of the defense strategy review at the Pentagon briefing room today.The strategy review’s bottom line is that the United States armed forces will remain the pre-eminent military force in the world, the president said in a letter attached to the review.White House and Pentagon planners will use the strategy to fund the budget Obama will submit to...
Soldiers recently finished evaluation of three variants of the Company Command Post Node as part of Network Integration Evaluation 12.1.The three-week evaluation, which ended Nov. 19, helped demonstrate the ability of each of the systems to deliver communications capability to those in the lowest echelons of the Army – the soldiers who physically execute the Army's mission "at the tactical edge.""I see the company as a massive intelligence and information-gathering point," Capt. Scott DeWitt, who previously served as a company commander with 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division (2/1 AD), said.The...
A wounded warrior limped into Ryan Blanck's office at the Center for the Intrepid at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, one day with a plea for help.The doctors at Brooke Army Medical Center had saved the service member's leg after a combat injury, but due to the pain, he couldn't walk comfortably, let alone run.Blanck, a leading prosthetist at the state-of-the-art rehabilitation center, found himself in an unfamiliar position – at a loss."There wasn't a go-to option," he said, referring to devices for wounded warriors with lower leg injuries.So Blanck created one.He designed the Intrepid...
Maj. Gen. Patricia D. Horoho was promoted to lieutenant general and became the first nurse and first woman to become the Army's surgeon general in a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Dec. 7.She was nominated to this position by President Barack Obama May 10 and was later approved by the Senate.She succeeds Lt. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, who will retire in January."Over the past decade, Army medicine has led the joint health effort in the most austere environments," Horoho said. "As part of the most decisive and capable land force in the world, we stand ready to adapt."A decade of...
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, USA, Ret., has been unanimously elected by the Association of the United States Army’s Council of Trustees Executive Committee to serve on the Association’s Advisory Board of Directors.Preston will complete the unexpired portion of the term on the board held by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack Tilley, USA, Ret., who was previously elected by the council to serve as AUSA’s vice chairman for noncommissioned officer and soldier programs.He will also serve, as did Tilley, on the Advisory Board’s Awards Committee.Preston served as the 13th sergeant major of the...