Driscoll Pledges to Prioritize Readiness, Modernization
Driscoll Pledges to Prioritize Readiness, Modernization

Army secretary nominee Daniel Driscoll promised to be “the soldiers’ secretary” who, if confirmed by the Senate, would prioritize readiness and modernization to make sure troops have the training, equipment and leadership they need to succeed.
Driscoll, who testified Jan. 30 before the Senate Armed Services Committee, is a third generation soldier whose father served during Vietnam and grandfather during World War II. After his Army service, Driscoll attended Yale Law School, graduating in 2014, and began a career in finance, he wrote in a written response to senators.
A cavalry scout who deployed to Iraq in 2009, Driscoll said during the hearing that he joined the Army as a “middle-class, public-school kid” from North Carolina. “The values and experiences I gained through military service molded me into the man I am today and opened the way for opportunities I could scarcely have imagined when I enlisted,” Driscoll said.
He added, “During my time in the Army, I was fortunate to serve and deploy to combat alongside soldiers who represent the very best of America. … I saw firsthand the immense sacrifices they and their families make to uphold the freedoms we hold dear.”
If confirmed by the Senate as the 26th Army secretary, Driscoll would lead the force during a pivotal time. The Army is working to transform—and transform quickly—for an increasingly challenging battlefield and keep up with fast-evolving technology and capabilities such as drones and artificial intelligence. It also remains busy, supporting disaster relief efforts at home and missions across the globe, while contending with competition from China and Russia.
The Army also continues to work hard on recruiting talented young people after struggling for the past two years to meet its goals.
Among his top priorities, if confirmed, are readiness and modernization, Driscoll said.
“The world is changing rapidly, and we must ensure the Army is prepared to operate in new, complex and contested environments,” he said. “From advancing our capabilities in multidomain operations to cutting-edge technologies, my sacred duty to our Army is to ensure our soldiers have the world’s finest training, equipment and leadership to accomplish any mission.”
Reinvigorating the defense industrial base is another priority, Driscoll said, as is recruiting.
After missing its recruiting goals for two years, the Army has made strong progress, meeting its goal for fiscal 2024 and continuing to build on its success this year. Driscoll said the Army can “take the momentum” and build a “backlog and pipeline.” He cited as an example the success of the Future Soldier Preparatory Course, which helps potential recruits meet the Army’s academic or physical fitness standards. “If confirmed, I would want to take a look and see if that can be scaled even further,” he said.
He added that as the Army prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday in June, the service has “a unique opportunity” to tell its story to future soldiers.
“If confirmed, America’s soldiers and their families will be my mission,” Driscoll said.