ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The National Guard and the Army Reserve are ready to meet evolving national and global threats, said Gen. Andrew Poppas, commander of Army Forces Command.

“We saw flooding throughout the West, … record snowfall, tornadoes and wildfires throughout all of our communities,” Poppas said Oct. 14 in remarks at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Exposition. The reserve components’ response to these disasters “all sent one clear message: Your soldiers stand ready today to face whatever threats that come our way as a nation,” Poppas said.

Facing unprecedented global volatility, rapidly evolving technology and changes in the character of warfare, the U.S. needs all components of its Total Army, the service’s top officer said.

The Senate has confirmed the nominations of two general officers who are set to lead the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.

Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, who has been the adjutant general of Arkansas since January 2023, is slated to become the next director of the Army National Guard. He will receive his third star and succeed Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, who has led the Army National Guard since August 2020 and is expected to retire Aug. 5.

Influenced by images of Ukrainian soldiers in dug-in fighting positions, the Oklahoma National Guard is building a trench warfare training area to provide its citizen-soldiers more realistic combat scenarios.

Officials broke ground June 2 at the Oklahoma National Guard’s Camp Gruber Training Center, 60 miles southeast of Tulsa, and units are expected to be able to conduct trench warfare training as early as November, according to a news release.

Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be the next director of the Army National Guard, the Pentagon announced.

If confirmed by the Senate, Stubbs, who has been the adjutant general of Arkansas since January 2023, would receive his third star and succeed Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, who has led the Army National Guard since August 2020.

The National Guard and Army Reserve need increased support to modernize their equipment and manning for future conflict, the components’ top leaders testified June 18 on Capitol Hill.

After an early bout of severe weather, the National Guard is anticipating a busy disaster response season ahead, leaders from the component said.

“The operational tempo for the National Guard is pretty [high],” Col. Larry Doane, chief of the National Guard Bureau’s current operations division, said during a May 28 discussion with reporters. “With most of the country experiencing severe weather even early in the season, it doesn't look like that's going to change anytime soon.”