ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The public forum has seen a flurry of debate about the politicization of America’s military. While this is an important issue to discuss, my suspicion is that not much of it is informed by the nuances of what “apolitical” means.

When people think of what constitutes an apolitical military, they often think in terms of the “Huntington Bargain.” That bargain, derived from a 1957 study by Samuel Huntington, refers to the hypothetical exchange between civil authorities and the military whereby the military promises to submit to civil control, stay out of domestic politics and maintain...

The way it has always been done will not cut it for the future of Army rotorcraft.

Army rotorcraft—helicopters and, someday, Future Vertical Lift—are the workhorse of the Army, capable of transporting soldiers and supplies, firing on enemy forces, reconnaissance and more. Despite the military’s reliance on them and decades of use during war and peacetime, there was not a set military standard to ensure the structures that make up rotorcraft are capable of not only completing the mission but also of protecting soldiers—until recently.

In order to build a fleet that maintains vertical lift...

The No. 1 priority of Gen. James McConville, the 40th chief of staff of the Army, is people. McConville believes that when we take care of the Army’s people, we are building readiness and a cohesive team that is trained, disciplined and fit to fight.

The U.S. Army Materiel Command has seven strategic focus areas. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), as a subordinate command to Materiel Command, is the primary lead on two of the seven strategic support areas (soldier and family readiness, and installation readiness) and support to a third (strategic power projection).

Furthermor...

The No. 1 priority of Gen. James McConville, the 40th chief of staff of the Army, is people. McConville believes that when we take care of the Army’s people, we are building readiness and a cohesive team that is trained, disciplined and fit to fight.

The U.S. Army Materiel Command has seven strategic focus areas. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), as a subordinate command to Materiel Command, is the primary lead on two of the seven strategic support areas (soldier and family readiness, and installation readiness) and support to a third (strategic power projection).

Furthermor...

As I approach my second year as commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command, I have observed a couple of things: Borrowing from Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville, people are the centerpiece of the Army, not interchangeable parts, and the Army’s readiness relies on our people. Our people—our combat-ready soldiers—enable us to win at the point of contact against any adversary.

However, it is the division, the Army’s highest-level tactical echelon, that sets the conditions for and enables our crews, squads and platoons to build ever-increasing proficiency by training tasks in repetitions...

When I was first assigned to Honduras after being stationed in Asia, I was determined to expand my knowledge of the language, the culture and the land. What struck me in that quest, which I am still on today, was the meaning of the country’s name. “Honduras” in Spanish, I learned, means “depths.” As I reflect on this year and the challenges it has presented to the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that phrase has stuck with me.

As the civil-military operations director at Joint Task Force-Bravo at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, I have come to know and appreciate that the task force’s sustained...

Mental health poses challenges for the profession of arms. As an active-duty health care provider who has worked primarily in line units over the past decade, I live and hear the same mantras over and over: We are unique. There are solutions. How are we going to address these challenges?

Discipline and forbearance are military cornerstones. From the beginning of our careers, we are taught that devotion to duty and attention to detail will save lives. In some cases, adherence to these principles may save our own. When we are head-to-head with an adversary, the discipline to stay in the fight...

Army Must Innovate in Times of Conflict

Adaptation under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime. David Barno and Nora Bensahel. Oxford University Press. 440 pages. $34.95

By Lt. Col. James Jay Carafano, U.S. Army retired

Every military professional should read Adaptation under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime. Retired Lt. Gen. David Barno and Nora Bensahel have delivered a magisterial survey of a critical factor in military effectiveness, the capacity to adapt in the midst of conflict.

The concept of “adaptation” as a key tool for mastering military competition is not new. Historian Michael...

This summer, the Army initiated a focused effort to promote diversity, equity and inclusion across the ranks through Project Inclusion. In support of fostering more diversity in the officer corps, the U.S. Army Cadet Command has been encouraging more Hispanic and Black cadets to sign up for ROTC programs to become Army officers.

Encouraging diversity in leadership not only benefits young soldiers and officers but also will ensure the Army adapts and draws on the experience and knowledge of an ever-changing force, said Maj. Gen. John Evans, commanding general of Cadet Command.

“Diversity is...

The Army is deploying a web-based climate assessment tool to help installation leaders and personnel understand and prepare for exposure now and in the future to coastal and riverine flooding, drought, desertification, wildfire and thawing permafrost as part of an Army strategy to bolster installation climate resilience.

The service introduced the Army Climate Assessment Tool to Directorate of Public Works staff at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in February and Directorate of Public Works staff at Fort Hood, Texas, in March. Armywide access to the tool will be available in early 2021.

Alex Beehler...

The Army is deploying a web-based climate assessment tool to help installation leaders and personnel understand and prepare for exposure now and in the future to coastal and riverine flooding, drought, desertification, wildfire and thawing permafrost as part of an Army strategy to bolster installation climate resilience.

The service introduced the Army Climate Assessment Tool to Directorate of Public Works staff at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in February and Directorate of Public Works staff at Fort Hood, Texas, in March. Armywide access to the tool will be available in early 2021.

Alex Beehler...

The Army has always understood the vital importance to soldiers of resilience. Resilience is defined by the Army Recovery Care Program as “the mental, physical, emotional, and behavioral ability to face and cope with adversity, adapt to change, recover, learn, and grow from setbacks.”

Numerous studies show a direct correlation between soldiers’ resilience and their success in training, on the battlefield and after combat. Both military and civilian therapeutic treatments stress developing and strengthening resilience as key to successful treatments for trauma, depression, anxiety and other...

The Army has always understood the vital importance to soldiers of resilience. Resilience is defined by the Army Recovery Care Program as “the mental, physical, emotional, and behavioral ability to face and cope with adversity, adapt to change, recover, learn, and grow from setbacks.”

Numerous studies show a direct correlation between soldiers’ resilience and their success in training, on the battlefield and after combat. Both military and civilian therapeutic treatments stress developing and strengthening resilience as key to successful treatments for trauma, depression, anxiety and other...

Ensuring continuous soldier readiness is paramount to success on any battlefield. As the Army prepares for the complexities of multidomain operations, why would it expect anything less from its robotic teammates?

For all the wonders and promise that robots hold, many are still quite clumsy, noisy and needy. A loud, hot robot operating in a laboratory environment is one thing. Noise and thermal signatures from such a robot on the battlefield could put soldiers and the entire mission at risk. Deep mud and sudden changes in ground conditions can stop some robots in their tracks.

Then there is the...

For decades, lieutenants have come to their units following institutional training and been placed immediately in leadership positions without certification or additional technical training. But in the 21st century, with a return to peer competition through large-scale combat operations across all domains, it’s time to examine how we formally certify lieutenants to lead platoons.

It’s time to treat lieutenants like the Navy treats surface warfare officers and the Army treats its junior NCOs: with formal certifications, more institutional training and promotion at the local level by oral board...