ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

"In my professional judgment, given the demands on the Army, that 980,000 [soldiers] I think is, in fact, minimally sufficient. And the real question for the Congress and the Nation is: Is that the Army that we want? Do we want only a minimally-sufficient Army, given the many challenges and the exceedingly expanding number of challenges that the Army has to meet?

"My thought would be this is a pretty good time to take a pause in the drawdown of the Army; let’s hold what we’ve got until there is an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive strategic review and take into consideration the evolving...

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The Association of the U.S. Army’s Institute of Land Warfare (ILW) has recently released a new publication.

"Sustaining the All-Volunteer Force: A Readiness Multiplier" (Torchbearer Issue Paper, April 2016) discusses the indispensable role of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF) in safeguarding the nation’s freedom, prosperity and way of life.

The success of the AVF rests, in large part, on readiness.

While that readiness requires investments in organizing, equipping and training, the primary investment is in the men and women of the force.

Budgetary pressures, however, have forced senior leaders to make...

As the Army draws down in size to just 980,000 across the total force, one consideration must be how the service can re-expand quickly, if need be, in the face of a conflict.

But growing a capable brigade combat team from scratch, said Maj. Gen. William C. Hix, director of strategy, plans and policy with the Army’s G-3/5/7, can take two or three years to accomplish if the Army wants to have a quality unit.

Hix said the Army is looking at an idea proposed by the Army’s chief of staff that promises to more quickly grow the Army if need be.

"We have been looking at both expansion and regeneration as...

Most soldiers who have been in the Army over the last 13 years have deployed at least once.

Many have deployed multiple times.

But the way their units deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan is no longer good enough if they want to be ready for everything they’ll be called upon to react to, Army leaders say.

The way the Army deployed for 13 years is "not useful for the world we live in right now," said Lt. Gen. Patrick J. Donahue III, the deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville...

With music playing, craft beer flowing and pizza for all, AUSA’s Redstone-Huntsville Chapter kicked off the Association’s Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama, with an AUSA Young Professionals networking night at the Yellowhammer Brewery that attracted more than 100 attendees.

Organized by the newly established Redstone-Huntsville AUSA Young Professionals Board chaired by Capt. Leo Gilliland, U.S. Army Reserve, the networking night was an opportunity for young professionals working on Redstone Arsenal or in Huntsville’s technology sector to meet one another and interact...

The Army’s "Big 8" initiative will serve as a guide for the next generation of required capabilities to help the current and future Army maintain overmatch against enemies, a panel of experts said during the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Ala.

The "Big 8" areas are: future vertical lift, advanced protection, cross-domain fires, combat vehicles, robotics/autonomous systems, expeditionary mission command, cyber electromagnetic, and soldier/team performance and overmatch.

Given the age of current systems, "Army forces are beginning to lose...

Lt. Gen. Larry D. Wyche, Army Materiel Command (AMC) deputy commanding general, chaired a panel discussion during the Association of the U.S. Army Global Force Symposium and Exposition at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Titled "Strategic Materiel Readiness," panel members focused on what AMC and its partners and subordinate commands are doing to ensure soldiers remain ready to engage in any situation, at any time, at any place.

"Through our transportation brigades, Foreign Military Sales, and research and development capabilities, we have the right organization to meet the...

Military health care reform poses many challenges and opportunities warned a panel of experts at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Military Family Forum recently.

"Our nation’s health care industry is undergoing rapid change, and it is within this context that the military health care system finds itself at a crossroads," stated Capt. Kathryn M. Beasley, USN, Ret., fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and co-chair, Health Care Committee, The Military Coalition. "It must sustain the advances and skills learned from the past 15 years of combat experience and it...

Greetings from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), our Army’s association for education and professional development, and a major supporter of the Army’s Soldier for Life efforts.

This year Americans can reflect and take pride in our military institutions as we celebrate – all across the country and overseas – the 100th anniversary of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Both Senior ROTC and Junior ROTC continue to develop and grow the educated and motivated leaders for our ever-changing nation and the complex world in which we live.

AUSA’s Redstone-Huntsville Chapter hosted...

Acting Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy praised the Association of the U.S. Army and its president in a March 17 speech during the final day of AUSA’s Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama, an event attended by about 6,000 people.

The Army faces a difficult time, with a reduced budget, gaps in capabilities and shortfalls in readiness, Murphy said, noting the Army budget has declined 40 percent in the past five years.

"The world is a volatile place, and our nation continues to ask our military – especially our Army – to step up to the plate," he said.

Murphy, a third...

Kicking off the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2016 Global Force Symposium and Exposition, Gen. Dennis Via, commanding general, U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), described the myriad and complex threats from around the world facing the United States today.

"When future historians write about the early 21st century, I have no doubt they will describe this period as incredibly complex," said Via.

Adding, "Some of our closest allies in Europe are managing a refugee crisis on a magnitude not seen since World War II, and Russia is displaying a level of aggression not seen in decades."

In the Pacific...