'The Army is dedicated to delivering victory

Army, Oct 2002 by White, Thomas E

There are moments in history when events suddenly allow us to see the challenges ahead with a degree of clarity previously unimaginable. The events of this past year have created one of those rare opportunities. Now we see clearly the challenges facing usand we are confronting them.

To succeed, the Army must simultaneously accomplish three critical tasks. First, we must help win the global war on terrorism; second, we must transform to meet the challenges of future conflicts; and third, we must secure the resources needed to pursue both the war on terror and Army Transformation while sustaining the readiness of the force and caring for soldiers and families. The Army accomplishes all of these tasks within the broader joint context. Army readiness for warfighting enhances our service-unique contributions to the joint team. Army Transformation is nested within the overarching mantle of joint and DoD Transformation. Army improvements in people programs reinforce DoD-- wide efforts to recruit and retain the best and brightest.

Our first task is to help win the war on terrorism. We have seen remarkable progress in Afghanistan, where Army special operations forces have led the way-the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), 75th Ranger Regiment and other special mission units. They have been followed by the XVIII Airborne Corps-- every one of its divisions has served or is serving in theater-alongside National Guard units such as the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and other reserve component elements. Army division and corps headquarters have performed as coalition and joint task force (TF) headquarters (HQs) and the Third U.S. Army is performing as the coalition forces land component command. Today, more than 14,000 soldiers are deployed in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility (AOR) supporting Operation Enduring Freedom-from Egypt to Pakistan, from Kenya to Kazakhstan. Operating in a fully integrated joint force with our coalition partners, we have defeated the Taliban, significantly disrupted the al Qaeda terrorist network, liberated the people of Afghanistan, and installed an interim government in Kabul. All of this was accomplished within a few short months, in the world's toughest terrain, in the dead of winter, more than 7,000 miles away in a place that has been called the "graveyard of empires."

Army operations in the Central Command AOR have demonstrated the tremendous utility of the Army's balanced force structure with its versatile mix of heavy, light and special operations forces-heavy forces deterring Iraqi aggression from the deserts of Kuwait; light forces closing with terrorists in their sanctuaries high in the Hindu Kush mountains; Army Special Forces working with indigenous Afghan forces to rapidly defeat the Taliban and build a new national army; and Army special operations forces conducting operations throughout the region. The Army's ability to tailor combined arms force packages for the unique requirements of each mission generates options for the joint forces commander. In addition, the missions executed by Army aviators in the terrain and weather conditions of Afghanistan demonstrate that the improvements undertaken after Task Force Hawk were highly effective. Our Army's aviation capabilities are the envy of armed forces worldwide and must remain so.

All agree that our soldiers are nothing short of inspirational. They are accomplishing a complex and dangerous mission with extraordinary courage, skill and determination. Quality training on the basics has, once again, delivered success on the battlefield for American soldiers. Our latest combat veterans report that emphasis on marksmanship, physical toughness, combat lifesaver skills, and small unit drills has been their key to success. Some have been injured; others have given their lives. Our nation is forever indebted to them and their families for their sacrifice.

As the war evolves, requirements for Army forces-active, Guard and Reserve-are growing: from assuring regional stability in Central Asia, to engaging in support operations in Afghanistan, to securing detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, to training counterterrorism forces in the Philippines, the Republic of Georgia and elsewhere.

At the same time, the Army continues to deter potential adversaries in Southwest Asia and Korea while upholding U.S. security commitments in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and the Sinai, the same commitments we had on September 10, 2001. In fact, the Army has more than 180,000 soldiers and 38,000 civilians deployed or forward stationed in 120 countries. Many of those deployed are from the reserve components. National Guard units routinely conduct rotations to the Sinai and the Balkans, as well as perform force protection and other critical missions in Europe and the continental United States.

At home, the Army continues its long tradition of support to homeland security. We have mobilized more than 32,000 Army National Guard and Reserve soldiers-more than two divisions' worth of soldiers-for federal service here and overseas. At various times during the past year, up to 11,000 Army National Guard soldiers have been deployed on state-controlled missions, securing critical infrastructure such as airports, seaports, reservoirs, power plants and even our nation's borders (within the limitations of Title X). We also deployed 5,000 soldiers to help ensure the security of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Virtually every Army headquarters is now multicomponent, with Reserve and Guard augmentees playing essential roles. The Army is tapping into every source of manpower to meet post-September 11 requirements, to include activating individual ready reserves, implementing stop-loss in selected specialties, and making extensive use of individual manning augmentees.