ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

American soldiers continue to build relationships with allies and partners as the U.S. Army Central area of operations remains a “hotbed” of strategic competition, said Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark, commander of the Army service component command.

Coming out of a busy and challenging year, America’s Army remains committed to its priorities as it transforms for the future, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said.

“This has been a uniquely challenging time for the Army, but each challenge and each crisis has only made us stronger,” McConville said Oct. 12 during the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presentation at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. “We have never wavered on our priorities.” 

There will be no place to hide from the violence, speed and lethality of future warfare where the enemy will be able to “pretty much see the whole battlefield,” the Army’s top operations officer said.

During a forum Oct. 12 to discuss the transformation of the Army’s sustainment capabilities, Lt. Gen. James Rainey, deputy Army chief of staff for operations, said the “rear area” of the future fight “is going to be like the worst day we saw in [2005–2006] in downtown Baghdad.”

Military families are ready to take on a more vocal, active role in military family readiness, Patricia Barron, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, said during a military family forum at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition.

Training repetition, physical and mental fitness, and engaged communication with leadership are all key aspects of building readiness and cohesive teams throughout the Army, according to a panel of senior NCOs.

“The Army exists to fight and win our nation’s wars. You have to be an expert at your craft,” whether you’re an infantryman, armor soldier, human resources specialist or any other MOS, said Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims, senior enlisted leader for Army Forces Command.

Project Convergence 21 kicked off Oct. 12 as senior leaders outlined the importance of this “campaign of learning” to the Army’s efforts to shape the force for the future.

“It informs how the Army’s going to fight in the future and how we organize for the future, and it also informs our [science and technology] investments going forward,” said Lt. Gen. James Richardson, deputy commanding general of Army Futures Command.

The Indo-Pacific has become the “most consequential region” for American security, where there are more potential adversaries and more strategic challenges, the U.S. Army Pacific commanding general said Oct. 12. 

Gen. Charles Flynn, speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2021 Annual Meeting and Exposition, said his task in preparing the command requires finding new approaches to develop new deterrents for adversaries. China is the top concern, he said, but it isn’t alone in presenting challenges to the U.S. and its allies. 

The highlight of Day Two of AUSA 2021 is the Eisenhower Forum address by Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville, but this will be a day packed with a variety of events for soldiers and family members.

On-site registration opens at 7 a.m.

In the morning, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston will lead a professional development forum featuring senior enlisted leaders from across the Army, including Army Forces Command, Army Training and Doctrine Command, Army Futures Command, Army Materiel Command, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.

After an unprecedented year, from the COVID-19 pandemic to wildfire response and more, the Army is continuing to adapt to ensure that soldiers and their families have access to the support and resources they need, according to a panel of experts.

The Army’s recruiting force is likely to shrink in the next five years as more emphasis is placed on technology and mobility, according to the general in charge of recruiting the service’s enlisted force.