The Army’s top two leaders insisted Monday, Oct. 10, that whatever size the Army will be under the sharply reduced future defense budgets, it will be a balanced, full-spectrum force, ready and able to meet all the security challenges the nation will face.Army Secretary John McHugh and Gen. Raymond Odierno, the chief of staff, rejected the frequently heard analyses that future conflicts will require primarily air and naval capabilities, not ground forces.Despite the budget cuts required by the deficit reduction act, "we still have an obligation to preserve the strategic options for the...
Although the Army must play its part in addressing the nation’s fiscal crisis, Gen. Raymond Odierno said Tuesday, Oct. 11, that his challenge as chief of staff is to ensure that the Army remains "the force of decisive action for the nation."The task facing the Army leadership is "how to address an increasingly complex and uncertain world in a fiscally challenging environment," Odierno told the Dwight D. Eisenhower Luncheon audience at the Association of the United States Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition.Although he does not know how austere the budget conditions will be, "I know our nation...
Few subjects have concerned the U.S. armed forces and government policy makers more in the past half century than the successful conclusion of military conflicts.Military strategists, planners, thinkers and policy enthusiasts cannot do better in finding a path toward solving this problem than to read Dominic J. Caracilo’s, "Beyond Guns and Steel: A War Termination Strategy," Praeger Security International.A life-long Army officer with brigade command and multi-national experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, Caracilo lays bare a complex topic with skill and succinctness.His analysis is a primer...
Association of the United States Army officials announced Sept. 6 that the AUSA Council of Trustees elected Marillyn A. Hewson to replace Christopher E. Kubasik, who resigned as a trustee and member of the council.The election followed the unanimous selection made by the Nomination Committee whose members include Lt. Gen. Julius Becton, USA, Ret.; Maj. Gen. Patricia Hickerson, USA, Ret., and Gen. Dennis Reimer, USA, Ret.Hewson is currently serving as executive vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic Systems Business Area.Electronic Systems’ portfolio includes maritime systems, missile...
Ryan Crocker, the United States ambassador to Afghanistan, recalled for the 3,000 attendees at the George Catlett Marshall dinner Oct. 12 a regular morning practice he has as he meets with his staff to look at what has happened the day before, what will be happening that day and what is expected in the future.Before the first item on the agenda is on the table for discussion, Crocker has the names of those killed in action that week read aloud during that morning staff meeting. "It is in their memory that I accept this medal with profound thanks."Crocker, who previously served as ambassador to...
After five days of grueling contests, the 2011 Soldier of the Year and NCO of the Year awards were presented to Pfc. Thomas M. Hauser and Sgt. Guy M. Mellor, respectively, during the Sergeant Major of the Army’s Best Warrior Competition Awards Luncheon at the 2011 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.Hauser is from Fort Drum, N.Y. and assigned to the 563rd MP Company, 91st Military Police Battalion, 16th MP Brigade. Mellor is from the Utah Army National Guard.The Best Warrior Competition took place from Oct. 3-7 at Fort Lee, Va., and included 26 soldiers."This competition brings together...
Dear President Obama:On behalf of the 100,000 members of the Association of the United States Army, I write to express how deeply troubling it is to read proposals from your Office of Management and Budget that would place military health care and retirement benefits in the crosshairs of attempts to solve our nation’s fiscal crisis.As Commander-in-Chief, you are aware of how much we ask of our military personnel.At a time when we are fighting in Afghanistan, and threats remain around the world, our military personnel — less than one percent of our population who volunteer for decades of...
Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, serving as the commanding general, United States Forces – Iraq, since Sept. 1, 2010, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the Army’s 33rd vice chief of staff, succeeding Gen. Peter Chiarelli who has served in that position since August 2008.The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.Austin replaced Gen. Ray Odierno to lead Operation New Dawn in Iraq before Odierno became the Army’s chief of staff on Sept. 7, 2011, succeeding Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, now chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.A 1975 graduate of the United States Military Academy...
The new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff outlined key themes for the military in a letter to the force released Oct. 1.In his letter, Army Gen. Martin Dempsey said service members are America’s "decisive advantage."First, the chairman wrote, is winning the wars of today."As long as our forces remain in harm’s way, we must ensure they have what they need to succeed," he said. About 98,000 American troops serve in Afghanistan today and another 45,000 in Iraq.But the military also needs to be ready for the future, whatever that might bring or the threats that may emerge, Dempsey noted.The...
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen transferred responsibility as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey during ceremonies at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Sept. 30.Dempsey vowed to maintain and strengthen the military during his term.Dempsey is the 18th chairman, and he thanked his predecessor and his wife, Deborah, for their patriotism and friendship."Although you’re a sailor and I’m a soldier, in the tradition of the horse cavalry, I want you to know that I will be proud to tell people that I rode with Mike Mullen during some of the most challenging times in our nation’s...
Story and photo by Sgt. Keven Parry, , CAB, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs Flying remote controlled aircraft is a hobby that requires an investment of time and patience. With a little dedication a person can learn to master the controls of various types of RC aircraft, causing small machines, and big imaginations, to take flight.The skill of flying RC aircraft has allowed Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric McKnight to serve other Soldiers, giving them a chance to get caught up in flying with him every Monday night at the Warrior Transition Battalion.McKnight is a platoon leader in F Company, 2-1...
With the help of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, U.S. Army Africa, or USARAF, partnered with U.S. Army Cadet Command to create a mutually beneficial opportunity to embed cadets in an Army Service Component Command to advance USARAF Theater Security Cooperation efforts, and help cadets achieve Cadet Command goals of cultural understanding and leadership development.This Cadet Overseas Training Mission, or COTM, which is the first of its kind for USARAF, embedded three Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets with USARAF country desk officers to accompany the cadets to Lesotho, Zambia...
Story by Capt. Justin KellyCAMP TAJI, Iraq – Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment recently had the opportunity to greatly affect the future of Iraqi armed reconnaissance and the greater aviation community.The 6-17th CAV is a scout reconnaissance helicopter squadron from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The unit’s fast-flying OH-58 Kiowa helicopters have been patrolling the skies of Iraq for much of 2011 in support of Operation New Dawn.During the week of 17 October, the squadron conducted training with pilots and ground support personnel from the Iraqi Army’s 21st Helicopter Squadron...
Story and photo by Spc. Matthew A. WrightCAMP TAJI, Iraq – The 640th Aviation Support Battalion, a California National Guard unit deployed here in support of Operation New Dawn, is preparing to split its operations between Iraq and Kuwait before finally heading home.The 640th ASB, the only aviation support battalion remaining in Iraq, has provided aviation support to all the Army aviation units assigned to the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade for the last nine months.“We are responsible for all logistics, communications and scheduled aircraft maintenance for the brigade,” Lt. Col. Lou Carmona, the...
Story and photo by Spc. Darriel SwattsCAMP TAJI, Iraq – Flight engineers play an integral role during CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter flights. They are the eyes in the rear of the aircraft providing vital information to the pilots, the muscle that handles cargo, and they ensure the safety of passengers that are strapped in for the ride. “I am a Chinook pilot and when we’re in the seat, we can’t see behind us,” said Capt. Benjamin Winborn, of the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, an Army National Guard unit from Minnesota and Iowa. Winborn is the commander of B...