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Brownlee / Shoomaker Commentary
By R.L. Brownlee and Gen. Peter J. Shoomaker.
The last few weeks have seen a lot of discussion - much of it
confusing or inaccurate - about the condition and future readiness of
the U.S. Army. We owe it to our men and women in uniform, their
families, and our country to get the facts right.
No one disputes that there are currently strains on certain
segments of our armed forces. A solution some offer is to increase the
permanent end strength of our Army. But simply adding to the total
number of people in uniform does not really get to the heart of the
problem.
Let us explain. Today our Army has a total force of more than 1
million soldiers. Yet the vast majority of our Army is not currently
deployed. Approximately 123,000 - or less than 12 percent of the total
force - support operations in Iraq or Afghanistan. In fact, 123,000
members of the 350,000-strong Army National Guard have not been called
up.
Overall, 270,000 soldiers are forward deployed in more than 120
countries, but with a total force in excess of 1 million, this should
not stretch the force. Yet, it does. The strain on the force is caused
by a force structure that was built for the Cold War. The solution to
the problem is to create the right number of deployable soldiers with
the right skills in the right component.
This is why Army transformation is so critical. And so today, our
Army is in the midst of the most sweeping transformation since World
War II to significantly increase the number of deployable soldiers and
units available around the world.
Army transformation is proceeding along three main avenues.
First, we are restructuring the force into modular formations with
the right capabilities for our current and future security
environment. This restructuring increases the number of active-duty
combat brigades from 33 to 43 or more, using a combination of new
recruits and soldiers drawn from other parts of our Army. Our goal is
an Army with more cohesive and combat-ready formations.
Second, we are stabilizing the force with initiatives that will
eventually allow most soldiers to remain based at a single
installation for longer periods of time. Stabilization will yield a
more predictable lifestyle for our soldiers and their families.
Third, we are rebalancing our force between the active component of
the Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. This
initiative will give our Army more troops available with the skills we
need to fight the Global War on Terror.
The Department of Defense is expanding our active Army rapidly
without sacrificing standards or quality, using emergency authorities.
And we plan to grow the active component of the Army by a total of
30,000 troops over the next three years. It is important to note the
difference between growing our Army - a temporary measure granted
under the Global War on Terror authorities and paid for with
supplemental dollars - and increasing permanent end strength.
A mandated increase in permanent end strength means that the U.S.
Army would be required by law to maintain tens of thousands of
additional troops on the payrolls, regardless of the need or the cost,
and pay for them out of the Army's core budget. A mandated increase in
permanent end strength would take away dollars needed for current and
future programs, and threaten our transformation.
We are already growing our Army about as fast as we can. Our
soldiers are highly skilled and well trained, and it takes time and a
significant training base to develop them. This deliberate growth will
allow us to transform our Army in a way that gets at the heart of the
problem, relieves the stress on the force, and does not sacrifice our
Army's future.
We are able to grow our Army today because retention and recruiting
remain very strong. Despite the obvious dangers, hardships, and
sacrifices, tens of thousands of qualified soldiers choose to join or
stay in the U.S. Army every year. In the active Army, Reserves and
National Guard, we are meeting our retention goals for this fiscal
year. We are also close to meeting our recruitment targets, even as
our Army increased those recruiting targets by several thousand this
year.
Transforming the force while fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and
other theaters in the War on Terror is a tough management and
leadership challenge. It is not unlike tuning an engine while the car
is moving - complex, and potentially dangerous.
But when large organizations face demanding new circumstances, they
must change to meet those challenges. Our circumstances today, as an
Army serving our nation at war, are providing a tremendous strategic
opportunity. The convergence of our current momentum, our focus and
the increased resources provided by Congress, over our core budget, in
this time of war provide an opportunity for change that we cannot
afford to miss.
Simply stated, we have an ambitious task ahead, but with the
continued support of the American people, we will get it done. As we
overcome these challenges, our all-volunteer Army of active, Reserve
and National Guard soldiers are serving with tremendous skill and
courage around the world. We are honored to serve with each and every
one of them. Rest assured that our Army is not only taking actions to
be successful today, but we are seizing an opportunity to remain
relevant and ready tomorrow.
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