ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

After more than a decade of operating under temporary spending bills, the Army has gotten “used to” the uncertainty, but spending is inefficient and programs are delayed and disrupted, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said.

“At one level, we’re a little bit used to this, but I think it’s important to not lose sight of the fact that every time we go into a continuing resolution, we’re essentially spending the money we have much less efficiently,” Wormuth said Nov. 14 during a defense summit hosted by Politico.

As a new unprovoked invasion ignites war in the Middle East, the U.S. Army is watching—and it’s better prepared to assist now than it was two years ago.

That’s the message from Douglas Bush, assistant Army secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology. Speaking Oct. 9 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., Bush hailed the transformation that has taken place within Army acquisition in the past year, motivated by the urgent need to support Ukraine in its defensive war against Russia. 

Army modernization programs are gaining momentum as the service works to build the Army of 2030 and beyond, a senior Army leader said. 

“We are in the process of developing new systems we're now delivering today, like [Joint Light Tactical Vehicles] and Integrated Air and Missile Defense,” Army Undersecretary Gabe Camarillo said during the 2023 Defense News Conference. “Now you see a lot of momentum with programs that are … making that transition to the next phase.” 

As the Army undergoes its biggest transformation in decades and prepares for large-scale combat operations against near-peer adversaries, soldiers must always “have the best equipment to fight and win our nation’s wars,” a senior Army leader said.

Maj. Gen. Thomas O’Connor, commander of the Army Aviation and Missile Command, stressed the importance of honoring the past while transitioning to the future. “Those that have come before us—the impact they’ve had, the conditions they set, their innovative and creative ways to solve problems—we use that as a starting point,” he said.

The future of Army aviation will require soldiers to increase realistic training that effectively mimics hostile environments, a senior Army official said at a one-day seminar sponsored by the Association of the U.S. Army.

The Army’s transformation push becomes more important every day, said Gen. James Rainey, commanding general of Army Futures Command.

Speaking July 27 at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Warfighter Summit and Exposition in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Rainey said, “There are absolutely some seriously disruptive things happening in the world and happening in our profession right now.”

In a changing world, the XVIII Airborne Corps has expanded its focus on Army culture to improve installations, including housing and other facilities, reduce distractions and let soldiers concentrate on readiness.

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.

The Senate Armed Services Committee shows staunch support for Army modernization and transformation efforts in its version of the 2024 national defense policy bill.

Senators provide support for top Army priorities such as long-range fires, Future Vertical Lift, next-generation combat vehicles and air and missile defense programs. The committee also wants to know more about efforts to modernize small arms, including an assessment of the maturity of improved 5.56 mm ammunition.