ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

As the Army launches its latest modernization effort, Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville has made people the service’s No. 1 priority. Concurrently, the Army seeks to upgrade the equipment that supports its people. Both goals are laudable, but they won’t be sustainable unless the Army modernizes it maintenance systems.

While maintenance readiness has many facets, the key to doing it right involves the system of recording and reporting operational statuses. Although not a panacea for readiness ills, proper reporting is imperative to a sustainable maintenance solution. Evaluating the...

As the Army launches its latest modernization effort, Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville has made people the service’s No. 1 priority. Concurrently, the Army seeks to upgrade the equipment that supports its people. Both goals are laudable, but they won’t be sustainable unless the Army modernizes it maintenance systems.

While maintenance readiness has many facets, the key to doing it right involves the system of recording and reporting operational statuses. Although not a panacea for readiness ills, proper reporting is imperative to a sustainable maintenance solution. Evaluating the...

As the Army launches its latest modernization effort, Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville has made people the service’s No. 1 priority. Concurrently, the Army seeks to upgrade the equipment that supports its people. Both goals are laudable, but they won’t be sustainable unless the Army modernizes it maintenance systems.

While maintenance readiness has many facets, the key to doing it right involves the system of recording and reporting operational statuses. Although not a panacea for readiness ills, proper reporting is imperative to a sustainable maintenance solution. Evaluating the...

Radio nets are quiet as the task force commander monitors and adjusts planned actions from the assault position. Company A just secured an intermediate objective and foothold in the designated block of buildings—though making little contact, the company re-tasks an autonomous platoon into the sewers below the buildings to recon forward.

Company B’s unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) move to the next overwatch position and perch, providing persistent overwatch and extending a protected network bubble as the task force dispatches a robotic breach element four streets back to remove a hastily...

Radio nets are quiet as the task force commander monitors and adjusts planned actions from the assault position. Company A just secured an intermediate objective and foothold in the designated block of buildings—though making little contact, the company re-tasks an autonomous platoon into the sewers below the buildings to recon forward.

Company B’s unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) move to the next overwatch position and perch, providing persistent overwatch and extending a protected network bubble as the task force dispatches a robotic breach element four streets back to remove a hastily...

Radio nets are quiet as the task force commander monitors and adjusts planned actions from the assault position. Company A just secured an intermediate objective and foothold in the designated block of buildings—though making little contact, the company re-tasks an autonomous platoon into the sewers below the buildings to recon forward.

Company B’s unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) move to the next overwatch position and perch, providing persistent overwatch and extending a protected network bubble as the task force dispatches a robotic breach element four streets back to remove a hastily...

New lieutenants don’t arrive at their first unit fully knowing how to use initiative within the intent of higher commanders. I certainly did not. The same is true for newly promoted sergeants. Without doubt, the Army’s pre-commissioning and professional military education programs provide some insight, but the real learning happens in units. The primary teachers, therefore, are battalion commanders and command sergeants major.

The Army’s School for Command Preparation may provide command teams some tools to help exercise their Mission Command teaching responsibilities, but I’d like to share...

US Must Improve ‘Population-Centric’ Warfare

The American Way of Irregular War: An An.alytical Memoir. Charles Cleveland With Daniel Egel. Rand Corp. 276 pages. $40

By Lt. Col. Gregory Banner, U.S. Army retired

Retired Lt. Gen. Charles Cleveland had an eventful career as a Special Forces officer, both before and after the 9/11 attacks. His experiences included operations and assignments in Latin America, the Balkans, Southwest Asia and elsewhere, and he finished his service as commander of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. In The American Way of Irregular War: An...

On Dec. 4, I formally changed the U.S. Army Forces Command’s priorities to mirror the Army’s priorities: people first, then readiness and modernization.

This change was necessary to fuel the culture change that will occur across Forces Command (FORSCOM), and the Army as whole, to put and truly keep people first. The Army’s People  First Task Force will give us our explicit to-do list. Our culture change will drive the application of lessons learned to increase FORSCOM’s units’ readiness: “People First” is readiness.

Make Ourselves Better

In his initial message to the Army team, Chief...

The Army launched its Army Installations Strategy in mid-December, setting the course for installation decisions on policies, planning, priorities, programs and resources for the next 15-plus years. The strategy describes how the Army will transform installations by 2035 into multidomain operations-ready platforms that protect, support and enable the Total Army.

The Army Installations Strategy (AIS) is the strategic road map for “smart” and modernized installation capabilities: supporting multidomain operations, enhancing operational capacity and improving delivery of services and...

The Army launched its Army Installations Strategy in mid-December, setting the course for installation decisions on policies, planning, priorities, programs and resources for the next 15-plus years. The strategy describes how the Army will transform installations by 2035 into multidomain operations-ready platforms that protect, support and enable the Total Army.

The Army Installations Strategy (AIS) is the strategic road map for “smart” and modernized installation capabilities: supporting multidomain operations, enhancing operational capacity and improving delivery of services and...

The Army’s No. 1 priority and commodity is its people, and the success of the service depends on its ability to ensure the appropriate development and professionalism of its people.

There are people who are admired for their hard work, enthusiasm and drive toward achieving success. While it is true that hard work breeds success for an individual, we often overlook the individuals who are behind these high achievers, providing needed guidance and support. Regardless of the level of success anyone has, everyone gets some sort of motivation or follows proven principles laid down by another...

The Army’s No. 1 priority and commodity is its people, and the success of the service depends on its ability to ensure the appropriate development and professionalism of its people.

There are people who are admired for their hard work, enthusiasm and drive toward achieving success. While it is true that hard work breeds success for an individual, we often overlook the individuals who are behind these high achievers, providing needed guidance and support. Regardless of the level of success anyone has, everyone gets some sort of motivation or follows proven principles laid down by another...

When soldiers join the Army, they are bombarded with information about what it means to be a soldier. They master myriad technical details, learn Army procedures and absorb Army culture. While they can master the skill of standing at attention, they are not taught how to pay attention, despite the fact that paying attention is critical during large-scale combat operations.

Paying attention—being present in the moment and fully focused on the now—is a capability that can make the difference between good decisions and great decisions. During multidomain operations, improving attention can...

When soldiers join the Army, they are bombarded with information about what it means to be a soldier. They master myriad technical details, learn Army procedures and absorb Army culture. While they can master the skill of standing at attention, they are not taught how to pay attention, despite the fact that paying attention is critical during large-scale combat operations.

Paying attention—being present in the moment and fully focused on the now—is a capability that can make the difference between good decisions and great decisions. During multidomain operations, improving attention can...