Throughout its 230-year history, the U.S. Army’s mission has remained constant: to secure and defend our homeland and decisively defeat those enemies who strive to disrupt our freedoms. Throughout its history, the U.S. Army has fielded the world’s best-trained Soldiers and maintained technological advantage to successfully achieve its mission. Throughout its history, the U.S. Army has remained an important pillar of American society, shaping leaders and upholding constitutional principles.Nevertheless, throughout its history, the U.S. Army has changed. These changes reflect better training methods, new technologies and the evolving scope of global issues and attitudes. War today is fundamentally different from the War for Independence for which the Army was formed 230 years ago. In fact, the way we wage war today is markedly different from the type of warfare the nation was anticipating just 15 years ago. This new warfare requires new organization, new tactics and new technology, but the same steadfast, efficient and effective Soldier upon whom the nation has relied for 230 years.Profile of the U.S. Army—a reference handbook is published by the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare to describe and define the Army as it is organized today and being shaped for tomorrow. It is intended to be a user-friendly reference book for people familiar with the Army and an easy-to-read introduction for family members, civilian employees, contractors and future Soldiers.This Profile takes a top-down approach, first describing the Army’s role as a key element in the national security structure and then flowing into the “why” and “how” of the Army’s organization and structure, including the current transformation to the Modular Force—one of the most significant organizational changes in the Army’s history—with details on the new brigade combat teams and modular headquarters. Profile also contains information and helpful graphics on the Soldier, the Army’s institutions, Army families and the Army’s current operations. For readers wishing to seek more details, each chapter includes a list of relevant websites. Appendixes include information on major Army commands (MACOMs), Army posts, a glossary of acronyms and maps illustrating locations of current Army combat corps and divisions, Army National Guard units of employment and brigade combat teams and Army Reserve regional readiness commands and divisions. Also included is a map illustrating the future active division and brigade combat team stationing and flag designations announced by the Pentagon on 27 July 2005.Additionally, this Profile will be available on the AUSA website (www.ausa.org/ilw), where it will be periodically updated as new information becomes available.Profile of the U.S. Army is your guide. We welcome your comments and suggestions on how to make future editions as useful to you as possible. The Association of the U.S. Army and the Institute of Land Warfare hope this book gives you greater understanding and appreciation of the men, women, families, institutions, organizations and constitutional authority that go into creating the world’s greatest army