U.S. Army Reserve medical troops cranked up the pace – and the volume – to better train their Indonesian Army counterparts in Bogor, Indonesia recently.The medics, assigned to the Hawaii-based 1984th U.S. Army Reserve Hospital, put about two dozen troops of the Indonesian Army’s 1st Medic Battalion through medical first responder training under simulated combat conditions as part of Exercise Tendon Valiant, one of the Garuda Shield 13 (GS 13) events.GS 13 is the latest in a continuing series of exercises designed to strengthen military-to-military cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region while...
Troops from the Indonesian army and the U.S. Army gave free medical treatment and dental screenings to over 200 local residents at a public health day held at the Kostrad Medical Clinic in Cilodong, Indonesia, in June 19.The event was held at the close of Garuda Shield 13, a U.S. Army Pacific, or USARPAC, bi-lateral exercise between U.S. Army and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia Army, known as the TNI, which focused on developing the respective militaries’ ability to contribute to United Nations peace support.More than a dozen military doctors, dentists and medics performed general health...
AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare has recently released a new publication."Strategic Mobility: Enabling Global Responsiveness for America’s Force of Decisive Action" (Torchbearer National Security Report, July 2013) discusses the central role of strategic landpower in projecting power abroad.Strategic landpower – those joint forces capable of conducting prompt and sustained operations on land in pursuit of national objectives – is an inherently joint endeavor that demands access to a range of ready aircraft, ships and prepositioned stocks.The United States requires that the Army remain manned...
The essence of executing mission command rests on leader development, according to Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins, commander, Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.His comment set the stage for the panel, "Leadership and Education for Mission Command" at the Association of the United States Army’s Institute of Land Warfare Symposium held in Kansas City, Mo., June 18 –19.Perkins noted that many leaders in today’s Army understand the attributes of a good leader, but are challenged to figure out how to make or build a good leader in the midst of shrinking resources and fewer Combat Training...
Even as forces draw down in Afghanistan and budgets are reduced, modernization of the Army network will not stagnate, the service’s chief information officer said."We ensure soldiers have the best capability available to them, everything over IP; high-definition, full-motion video; unlimited bandwidth, whatever request they’ve needed, we’ve been able to get that technology to them very quickly," Lt. Gen. Susan S. Lawrence, the Army’s chief information officer, G-6, said at an Association of the United States Army Institute of Land Warfare Breakfast in Northern Virginia.As the Army’s CIO, G-6...
At a ceremony celebrating the 95th birthday of the Warrant Officer Corps, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. John F. Campbell asked those in the audience who were not warrant officers to stand."What’s the first thing that pops in your mind when you think about warrant officers?" Campbell asked to those who stood.Among the responses were words like "professional," "candor," "knowledgeable," and "passionate."Responses differed throughout the crowd. Some responses, like that of Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler, were stories, not a single word. But they all reflected the specialization...
I hope our headline got your attention.AUSA has always prided itself as being "The Voice for the Army – Support for the Soldier."The always understood but still unofficial ending to this motto is – "and their families."At AUSA, "Support for the Soldier" means support for all aspects of a soldier’s life to include, most importantly, their families.We value our Army families deeply.Since the creation of the Family Programs Directorate in 1999, AUSA has made a diligent effort to provide education and support aimed at increasing the quality of life of Army family members.But in 2013, we are at a...
The Army has announced the topics and invited lead speakers for the nine Contemporary Military Forums scheduled for the 2013 Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 21 – 23, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation’s capital.Reinforcing the theme of the Association’s 2013 Annual Meeting and Exposition – "America’s Army: Globally Responsive, Regionally Engaged" – the Contemporary Military Forums are an important part of AUSA’s role in promoting and enhancing professional development.The forums and lead speakers are:"Enhancing North American...
Senior leaders announced the new Army Mission Command Strategy during the Association of the U.S. Army Institute of Land Warfare Mission Command Symposium held in Kansas City, Mo., June 18.Brig. Gen. James E. Rainey, director, Mission Command Center of Excellence, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., made the announcement as part of his presentation in a panel on implementing mission command across the Army.He said the strategy was approved the week prior to the symposium by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, and this was the first time the Army has had an approved mission command strategy."What this...
Retiree dental program contract extended. The Defense Department recently announced that they have extended the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) contract through Dec. 31, 2013.Authorized by Congress in the fiscal 1997 National Defense Authorization Act, the current TRDP contract was scheduled to run from Oct. 1, 2012 through Sept. 30, 2013. The contract extension will bring it in-sync with the other healthcare contracts on a calendar year versus fiscal year basis.The contract extension brings no change in premiums or scope of benefits. However, the annual maximum for enrollees in the...
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III celebrated the Army’s birthday, June 14, with a visit to a local business that provides support and morale-boosting treats – cupcakes – to soldiers.Chandler said his visit to Georgetown Cupcake was a way to interact with the public and say thanks to businesses that support the military. He said that support helps keep soldiers "ready and resilient.""It’s very important for members of the public to see the military and for the military to engage with them," he said.Adding, "But it’s also about recognizing a business that chooses to volunteer their...
New York City officials honored the U.S. Army as it celebrated its 238th birthday in Times Square by proclaiming June 14, 2013, as "New York City United States Army Day.""We are honored and humbled to have New York City embrace the Army here today," Gen. John Campbell, Army vice chief of staff, said.Adding, "New York City has embraced all of our soldiers and our veterans and that’s what it’s really about. The Army is about people and for the last 238 years, the strength of our nation has been our Army and that's our people."On June 14, 1775, 10 companies of riflemen answered the call for a...
At a reception before launching the pageantry of the Army’s 238th birthday Twilight Tattoo, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. John Campbell asked the audience to continue supporting and remembering soldiers in harm’s way."Remember their families, remember our wounded warriors and remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice, we can never, ever forget that sacrifice," Campbell said.Adding, "Back in 1775, our nation needed a professional force. The Army stood up, and from 1775 to today, our soldiers have been the strength of our nation, and they continue to do that along with our...
Army birthday week began somberly in the nation’s capital June 10 with a wreath laying at the tomb of the Continental Army’s first general.Surrounded by several hundred visitors at the Mount Vernon estate of George and Martha Washington, Secretary of the Army John McHugh placed a wreath at the crypt of America’s first president, Gen. George Washington.The event marked the start of a week of celebrations surrounding the Army’s 238th birthday, which is officially June 14, 2013.Following the playing of Taps, McHugh, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler, and Ann Bookout, the 20th regent of the...
Greetings from the Association of the United States Army.As I write this article, I reflect on the recent celebrations of the United States Army’s 238th birthday.First, a special thanks to AUSA’s Francis Scott Key Chapter for inviting me to speak at a breakfast meeting and celebrate this special occasion with all of you at Fort Meade, Md.The highlight of this breakfast was participating in the cake cutting ceremony with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alfred H. M. Shehab, a veteran of WWII; Sgt. 1st Class (Ret.) Carlo DePorto a veteran of WW II, Korea and Vietnam; and Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Raymond J. Moran, a...