Command Sergeant Major Jimmie W. Spencer, USA, Ret.Director, Noncommissioned Officer and Soldier Programs Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List "This reading list is an important element in the professional development of all leaders in the Army. We can never spend too much time reading and thinking about the Army profession and its interaction with the world at large."These readings will deepen our understanding of the history of armies, the critical role of leadership in combat, and the strategic environment of today and the future."There is simply no better way to prepare for the...
Many of us have made a New Year’s resolution to get out of debt and become more financially healthy.Although a wonderful goal is not always attainable, especially in today’s economic climate, we asked Brenda Linnington, director of the Better Business Bureau Military Line and a friend of AUSA’s Family Programs, to comment on how to make the goal of financial readiness a reality.We appreciate the article she submitted. ****** Brenda LinningtonDirectorBetter Business Bureau Military Line The Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Military Line®, www.bbb.org/military, has partnered with The McGraw-Hill...
The decision by North Korea to conduct another missile launch is unfortunate and counterproductive to stability in the region, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Dec. 15.Gen. Martin E. Dempsey took a moment during his travel on his annual USO holiday tour for a one-on-one interview with American Forces Press Service to discuss North Korea’s recent actions and the U.S. strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific."My thoughts are that the North Koreans continue to be a force of instability in a region while we’re working diligently to increase stability," Dempsey said."So their decision...
Lt. Gen. Robert Brown, commanding general, I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), met with more than 100 senior soldiers and civilians from I Corps, the 7th Infantry Division and brigades across the installation in early December to discuss a near-future shift in mission focus for the base and to hear their concerns."It’s always important to communicate to members of a team, and we have a chain of command to do that, but at JBLM we really have a team of teams, and there’s so many organizations and so many folks," Brown, said at the post’s Carey Theater.Brown explained that I Corps has...
While the United States has military forces in Africa, they are mostly limited to small groups who have specific, time-limited tasks.That setup, Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander, U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, said is ideally suited to Africa, where militaries there are able to, and should take care of their own, with the help of some U.S. support."We think we do that best by developing and strengthening the defense capabilities of our African partners, so they are increasingly capable of providing for their own defense, and for contributing to regional defense, stability and security," Ham...
The president of the Association of the United States Army, Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., has announced the appointment of Lt. Gen. Guy Swan III, USA, Ret., as the Association’s vice president for education effective Dec. 10.Swan, who served more than 35 years in the Army and retired last year as the commanding general, U.S. Army North and Fifth Army, will lead AUSA’s educational mission by overseeing the Institute of Land Warfare, ARMY Magazine, and AUSA NEWS.He will also interact with the Association’s legislative staff in its outreach efforts to members of Congress, their staffs, the...
(Editor’s note: In response to an article that appeared in the Dec. 10 edition of Army Times titled ‘Experts mull lower readiness as budget trade-off’ by Andrew Tilghman, Military Times, Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., president of the Association of the United States Army responded in a Letter to the Editor that appeared in its Dec. 24 edition.) To the editor: The Army Times article of 10 December discussing the results of a budget exercise conducted by the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments seems to give credence to the idea that hollowing out the nation’s military – again –...
President Barack Obama has nominated Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, currently the Army vice chief of staff, to succeed Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis as the next commander of U.S. Central Command, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said.Austin is "one of the military’s most seasoned combat leaders," Panetta said, and will "bring an important combination of strategic thinking, regional knowledge and proven judgment to one of the most critical posts in the department."Austin was the final commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, holding that position from Sept. 1, 2010, until the command was...
Testers, soldiers, engineers and combat developers completed the fourth iteration of a series of semi-annual field exercises, called Network Integration Evaluations, at Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile Range, N. M., just in time to get everyone home for the holidays.Managed by the Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, "TRIAD" – Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC); System of Systems Integration Directorate; and the Brigade Modernization Command (BMC) – NIE 13.1 included several program tests for record, additional tests for record from distributed sites and less formal...
Yet again I must report that defense appropriations legislation remains unfinished more than two months after the beginning of the new fiscal year.The defense appropriations legislation is tied up in the current negotiations over the "fiscal cliff."Currently the Department of Defense is operating under a continuing resolution that funds the federal government at 2012 levels until March 27. Many of the "fiscal cliff" items, however, expire or kick in on Jan. 1.So, time is not on the side of Congress, though they insist that they will find a solution.Based on past performance – good luck with...
The three companies who won the contract to develop prototype replacements for the Humvee each made their respective cases as to why their designs ultimately should prevail, during the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington.Lockheed Martin Corp., Oshkosh Defense, and AM General Corp. each proudly displayed their respective prototype variants of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) on the exhibition floors, while providing narratives of how they are ready to meet the Army’s and Marine Corps’ performance, cost, and production requirements.On Aug. 22...
When Lisa Hallett’s husband John, an Army company commander in the 1-17 Stryker Battalion, was killed in Afghanistan three years ago, she instinctively turned to her favorite activity."Running is how I have always dealt with the challenges of military life," the surviving spouse said Oct. 23 during a Military Family Forum held at the 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Association of the United States Army.At the forum titled "Surviving Families: New Beginnings – New Strengths," Hallett added, "So two days after John died, I met with a friend and we pushed out on a run."I needed to run...
As far as professional forums and trade shows go, exhibitors’ offerings at the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition share a few commonalities with the military and other industry representatives.New products and services are highlighted with displays, handouts and literature aimed at fostering goodwill and promoting the company’s product.At this year’s meeting, however, one company decided to tie in their promotion activities with an effort to promote support for three organizations that are dedicated to improving the lives of service members and their families.A...
With the heavy presence of military, government and civilian personnel in hot spots like Afghanistan and the Middle East, the need for vehicles that can resist ambush attacks arguably has never been greater.To meet that need, the Streit Group has seen the demand for its armored vehicles has increased accordingly.At the Association for the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, held in Washington, Streit USA displayed a Chevrolet Suburban sport utility vehicle that offered passengers military-grade protection from such attacks.Built at the Streit USA facility in North Charleston, S.C...
With the emphasis on blast protection to mitigate the damage inflicted by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), one manufacturer believes it is producing a device that will improve vehicle passengers’ survivability.The Blast Seat Damper can fit into the seats of any tactical and combat vehicles, General Kinetics of Brampton, Ontario, and Manchester, N.H., claims.At the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, held in Washington, D.C., Oct. 22-24, company officials talked about the damper’s evolution.The device, which resembles a heavy-duty vehicle shock absorber, had...