Brito: ‘It is Time for a Change’
Brito: ‘It is Time for a Change’
The Army is at a point in history where change is vital, said Gen. Gary Brito, commanding general of the Army Training and Doctrine Command.
Speaking July 26 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2023 Warfighter Summit and Exposition in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Brito said the Army must make some adjustments to prepare for future wars.
This includes additional training, adjustments in military occupational specialties and advances in weapons and equipment, Brito said. TRADOC’s part will be new training for individuals and units to prepare for warfare in 2030 and 2040. “This is a big, big mission,” said Brito, who has served as the 18th TRADOC commanding general since September.
New warfighting concepts must be developed, and weapons systems need to be modernized, he said. “This is a big deal,” Brito said.
Brito described the Army as being at an “inflection point right now,” facing revisions like those the Army made at the start of the all-volunteer force and the creation of TRADOC and Army Forces Command 50 years ago.
His remarks follow the theme of AUSA’s second annual Warfighter Summit, “America’s Army: Ready for Today, Modernizing for 2030 and Beyond.”
“It is time for a change. It is important that we do that change now,” Brito said.
Brito is not criticizing today’s force. “Our Army has always been lethal, always been able to kick butt and always been ready,” he said. However, he said, “we have some challenges, obviously,” including difficulty recruiting and a world filled with what he called “disrupters.”
Advances in weapons and capabilities are also important, he said. Although the nature of war hasn’t changed, the character of war has, Brito said, stressing a theme shared years ago by Gen. Mark Milley when he was Army chief of staff. Milley is now chairman of the Joint Chiefs and soon to retire.
“From an acquisition lens, 2030 is really tomorrow,” Brito said.