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Launch The 2006 Army Posture Statement

The annual Army Posture Statement is an unclassified summary of Army roles, missions, accomplishments, plans, and programs. Designed to reinforce the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Army posture and budget testimony before Congress, the APS serves a broad audience as a basic reference on the state of the Army.

The information provided in the addendum to The Army Posture Statement satisfies information required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994. The information is presented in the order and depth as required by the Act.

Section 517 states: "The Secretary of the Army shall include in the annual report of the Secretary to Congress known as the Army Posture Statement a presentation relating to the implementation of the Pilot Program for Active Component Support of the Reserves under section 414 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993."

Section 521 states: "The Secretary of the Army shall include in the annual report of the Secretary to Congress known as the Army Posture Statement a detailed presentation concerning the Army National Guard, including particularly information relating to the implementation of the Army National Guard Combat Readiness Reform Act of 1992."

Launch The 2005 Army Posture Statement

February 10, 2006

We have the confidence of the Nation as we continue to engage in a long struggle against global terrorism and the conditions that give it life and sustain it. Over a half-million active and reserve Soldiers have served overseas in the war on terrorism. More than 600,000 Soldiers are on active duty today. Almost half of them are deployed, serving in 120 countries worldwide in defense of U.S. interests.

While fighting, we are preparing Soldiers and leaders for the challenges that they will face. We continue to transform, to modernize, and to realign our global force posture. Our Army continues to evolve from a force dependent on divisions to deter and to wage war against traditional adversaries, to a force dependent on modular brigades, specially designed for the full range of non-traditional adversaries and challenges it will face.

With the support of the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of Defense, we have developed and resourced a fully integrated plan to best serve the Nation, to deal with the challenges we will face today and tomorrow, and to sustain our volunteer Soldiers in this time of war.

To execute this plan, we are depending upon continued Congressional leadership in three areas:

Obtaining legislative authorities to assure predictable access to our Army National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers who have become, by necessity, our operational rather than our strategic reserve;
Expediting wartime acquisition processes needed to equip and protect our Soldiers; and
Of greatest importance, maintaining the support of the American people whom we serve.

To continue to meet the needs of the Combatant Commanders and the Nation, the Army will
require the full support of the resources requested in the base budget and in supplemental
appropriations.

Peter J. Schoomaker, General, United States Army, Chief of Staff Francis J. Harvey, Secretary of the Army

Soldiers are making enormous contributions and sacrifices while serving at the forefront of a long struggle of continuous, evolving conflict. Their presence has enabled historic elections in Afghanistan and Iraq, and is setting the conditions for democratic institutions to take hold. Our Soldiers are also preventing attacks on our Nation and responding to natural disasters at home and abroad, while sustaining the full range of America’s global commitments. At the same time, to be ready for the challenges we face today and tomorrow, we are accelerating our plan to transform and modernize.

We are executing The Army Plan to accomplish our mission and to realize our vision: to remain the preeminent landpower on Earth the ultimate instrument of national resolve that is both ready to meet and relevant to the challenges of the dangerous and complex 21st century security environment. Our plan consists of four overarching, interrelated strategies .

This fully integrated plan is driving change at an unprecedented pace. We are becoming a more powerful, more flexible, and more deployable force with a broad set of capabilities to deal with the full spectrum of challenges we will face. Our improvements will enable our Soldiers to sustain the full range of global commitments which extend beyond today’s current theaters of war. We are improving our ability to operate with joint and coalition partners and to perform nontraditional operations. We are also developing better ways to manage increasing demands for forces and relieve stress on Soldiers, their families, and civilian workers to sustain our All-Volunteer force.

Four key ideas underpin our planning:

First, we remain committed to producing units that are ready for the challenges they will face and to overcoming years of underfunding prior to the events of 9-11. We have received unprecedented support to “buy back” much needed capability. We cannot, however, fool ourselves by maintaining large numbers of forces on paper that, in reality, lack the people, equipment, training, and support needed to accomplish the missions that they will be assigned. We are determined to support our Soldiers and their families with an improved quality of life that matches the high quality of service they perform for America.
Second, we recognize that intellectual change precedes physical change. For this reason, we are developing qualities in our leaders, our people, and our forces to enable them to respond effectively to what they will face. We describe the leaders we are creating as “pentathletes,” whose versatility and athleticism qualities that reflect the essence of our Army will enable them to learn and adapt in ambiguous situations in a constantly evolving environment. We have undertaken a major review of how we train, educate, assign, and develop our military and civilian leaders to ensure that our Soldiers are well-led and well-supported as they deal with complexity and uncertainty for the foreseeable future.
Third, reinforced by the American military experience of the 20th century, we believe that our Soldiers’ effectiveness depends upon a national commitment to recruit, train, and support them properly. This commitment must be underwritten by consistent investment in their equipment and infrastructure. We remain acutely aware of fiscal constraints; however, our duty to do what is right for our Soldiers, their families, and the Nation remains firm and unwavering.
Fourth, we remember our position at the start of the long struggle in which we are engaged. After years of insufficient modernization investments, many of our units were underequipped and not immediately ready for deployment, especially in our reserve units. To meet Combatant Commanders’ wartime needs, we pooled equipment from across the force to equip those Soldiers deploying into harm’s way. This increased risk in other capabilities, as seen in the Army National Guard during our national response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. With help from the President, the Congress, and the Department of Defense through supplemental appropriations, we have addressed many of our equipment shortfalls. We still have much to accomplish to ensure force readiness and to mitigate risk.

To sustain the current mission, posture for future commitments, and maintain risk at acceptable wartime levels, the Army needs:

Full funding of the Army request in the 2007 President’s Budget and special consideration, in light of wartime demands, for avoiding any reductions to the Army’s budget and program. In addition, supplemental funding is required for combat and contingency operations and to continue to reset, repair, recapitalize, and replace battle losses of equipment for several years beyond major deployments. Supplemental funding is needed to overcome the stress on equipment resulting from sustained combat operations in harsh environments. These resources will ensure that the Army is fully manned, trained, and equipped to achieve victory in the war on terrorism. These resources will also enable the Army to maintain the momentum of key programs, while accelerating transformation.
Funding to increase Army capabilities and overall capacity as well as support for the legislative authorities and programs needed to assure access to our reserve components who, by necessity, have become an operational vice a strategic reserve. We must achieve a proper balance of capabilities and skills among our active and reserve forces and continue to build high-quality units to increase capability and ease the strain on our deployed Soldiers.
Support and funding to achieve critical recruiting and retention goals needed to grow operational forces. Meeting these goals for our active and reserve Soldiers sustains the quality and effectiveness of our All-Volunteer force.
Funding for the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program to enhance current force capabilities today with “spin outs” of available technology and accelerate more than 300 other modernization programs. Our most critical investment program, FCS will be the Army’s first major modernization in over 30 years and will better prepare and protect Soldiers for current and future threats. These capabilities will directly benefit our active and reserve components, all U.S. ground forces, and our allies that support ground campaigns.
Full funding to maintain momentum in building a rotational pool of 70 Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) and more than 200 modular Support Brigades and headquarters. Already well under way, our transformation to become a fully modular force is preparing our Soldiers to conduct sustained operations of the type we see today. In addition, our transformation is increasing the depth and breadth of our capabilities to prepare our Soldiers for tomorrow’s challenges, particularly as we evolve to maintain overseas presence with rotational units.
Full funding for Army installations and support to execute a carefully synchronized plan to achieve a new global basing posture, while fulfilling the requirements of the National Military Strategy. This plan will make full use of the resources currently apportioned and projected to be recouped through consolidation and closings. Unanticipated costs associated with environmental remediation, renovation, construction, and other areas, may require additional resources in future years (a situation that will require continuous reevaluation). Full funding and continued support for Army installations and quality-of-life programs is required to sustain the All-Volunteer force, now being tested for the first time in a prolonged war.
Support for funding and authorities for Army Business Transformation initiatives to achieve targeted efficiencies through management reform, Institutional Army adaptation, and reengineered business practices. These initiatives will free human and financial resources for more compelling operational needs and accelerate other aspects of our transformation.

A complete, detailed list of our Compelling Needs for 2007 is provided in Figure 2.

2007 will be a pivotal year for the Army. We will continue to conduct operations while transforming the force, its global infrastructure, and all of our supporting business processes. The resources provided to the Army in 2007 and beyond will enable the Army to maintain the momentum of key programs, while accelerating aspects of our transformation. Moreover, this funding will determine our ability to continue to accomplish our mission and to be postured to meet future commitments.

In the four years since the terrorist attacks on the Nation, the international security environment has changed dramatically. As a result, military commitments and especially the demand for Soldiers have increased both at home and abroad. With the support of the President, the Congress, and the Secretary of Defense, we have increased our capabilities to deal with the challenges we are facing today and accelerated our preparation for those we will face tomorrow.

COMPLEX SECURITY CHALLENGES

The National Defense Strategy identifies an array of traditional, irregular, catastrophic, and disruptive challenges that pose threats to the Nation (Figure 3). These threats are becoming increasingly complex. We no longer face only conventional armies who operate within clearly established political boundaries. In addition, we will face enemies that employ irregular tactics, terror, and asymmetric warfare. These enemies will be increasingly transnational and dispersed.

Fueled by ideologies that oppose our Nation’s bedrock values, al-Qaeda and other enemies are committed to reducing American global presence and to destroying our society. They have publicly stated their goal: to gain control in the Islamic world by establishing a unified caliphate, stretching from North Africa to Indonesia.

We are engaged in a long struggle against adversaries who are ruthless and unconstrained in achieving their ends. Our previous conceptions of security, deterrence, intelligence, and warning do not adequately address the threats we now face. To defeat our adversaries, who will be neither deterred by nuclear or conventional weapons nor defeated in battles with decisive outcomes, we must remain vigilant in employing all forms of national and international power diplomatic, informational, military, and economic in a concerted, integrated manner.

INCREASING COMPLEXITY

The security environment in which our Soldiers will operate is characterized by challenges and uncertainties, including:

Progress in the war on terrorism;
The pace of democratic reform in the Middle East and elsewhere, especially in fledgling democracies such as Iraq, Afghanistan and the emerging Palestinian State;
The ability of existing governments to perform traditional state functions and deny safe haven to terrorist groups;
Progress in controlling the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to state and nonstate actors; and
Decisions in four major areas: - Defense priorities amidst growing fiscal pressures;

INVESTMENT TRENDS

Since 1990, the Army’s share of investment dollars has been considerably smaller than that of the other Departments (Figure 7). Consequently, the Army has been unable to invest in the capabilities to sustain a rising operational tempo and to prepare for emerging threats. Supplemental authority has enabled the Army to “buy back” crucial capability to meet the operational demands of the war on terrorism and to improve our ability to sustain the full scope of our global commitments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ARMY

The implications of the evolving security environment are clear.

The Nation will continue to be engaged in a long struggle of continuous, evolving conflict that, as in Afghanistan and Iraq today, will manifest itself in complex, traditional, and irregular challenges to include cyberspace attack. These struggles will be waged by Soldiers who will be expected to perform difficult tasks and create decisive outcomes to accomplish the objectives of the National Military Strategy.
Our Soldiers must be prepared to deal with the full spectrum of threats. As described in the Army’s capstone concept for Army Capstone concept for
they must be able to operate effectively as part of joint, interagency, and coalition teams. Therefore, we must continue to improve the strategic responsiveness of our forces and our generating base through improvements in:

- strategic agility;
- joint interdependence;
- speed;
- survivability;
- lethality;
- sustainability;
- networks to improve situational awareness and command of forces; and

Our Soldiers and units must be prepared to operate with little to no warning. We will no longer have the luxury of partially manning, equipping, or training a unit and relying on significant warning time to mobilize, train, and prepare to deploy. Rather, the units we have designated to be available for deployment will need their full complement of Soldiers, equipment, and training to be ready for immediate deployment from our power projection infrastructure.

Failure to invest in Soldiers to build the right capabilities by improving our doctrine, organizations, training, materiel, leaders, people, and facilities will increase risk for the Army, the Joint Team, and our Nation. Building the capabilities required to hedge against the uncertainty of tomorrow will require prudent investments today. These investments must be sustained at predictable, consistent levels over time. Investing in defense capabilities in this manner would reflect a significant departure from historic patterns of spending, which have increased America’s vulnerability prior to each of the major conflicts of the 20th century.

The Army exists to serve the American people, to protect vital national interests, and to fulfill national military responsibilities. Our mission is enduring: to provide necessary forces and capabilities to the Combatant Commanders in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies. The Army is also charged with providing logistics and support to enable the other Services to accomplish their missions. The Army organizes, trains, and equips Soldiers who, as vital members of their units, conduct prompt, sustained combat on land as well as stability operations, when required.

ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION TODAY: SUSTAINING GLOBAL COMMITMENTS

The Army continues to provide Combatant Commanders with a wide range of capabilities to prevail in the war on terrorism and to sustain our global commitments. These capabilities include support to civil authorities in response to threats and crises at home. Our worldwide commitments extend far beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, approximately 600,000 Soldiers are on active duty (currently 487,000 active component, 72,000 Army National Guard and 41,000 Army Reserve), with 245,000 Soldiers serving worldwide in 120 countries (Figure 8). More than 1,700 Army civilians serve side-by-side with them in the field. Our Soldiers and civilians perform a variety of missions vital to America’s national defense. Here at home, more than 13,000 Soldiers are on duty specifically fulfilling critical missions to support the Global War on Terrorism.

The Army’s operational pace remains high, sustaining obligations and continuing trends established during the post-Cold War era. In addition to Iraq and Afghanistan, our forward presence continues to preserve peace on the Korean Peninsula, the Sinai, the Balkans, and numerous other places of strategic importance.

Whenever and wherever needed, Soldiers continue to answer the Call to Duty. During this past year, Soldiers supported civil authorities during a variety of **
and recovery missions. More than 42,000 National Guard Soldiers; 7,300 active component Soldiers; and 3,500 Army civilians assisted citizens in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Active and reserve aviation units flew thousands of helicopter sorties. These pilots and crews saved countless lives while distributing food, water, and other supplies. Working closely with state and federal agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers provided emergency support and is now

executing more than $4 billion worth of projects to support recovery. Soldiers also provided relief for earthquake survivors in Pakistan. At home and abroad, on a daily basis, our Soldiers and civilians are doing critical work in service to our country.

In the four years since September 11, our National Guard has mobilized more than 329,000 Soldiers for both state and federal missions. On any given day, the Army National Guard provides vital capabilities in virtually every mission area. As of January 2006, more than 72,000 Soldiers from the National Guard are mobilized. Besides their commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, National Guard Soldiers are protecting the homeland by securing borders, protecting key infrastructure, and securing special events such as the Super Bowl. They also support other missions . They are preserving peace in the Sinai and in the Balkans. They are also establishing the conditions for continued progress in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since September 11, the Army Reserve has mobilized over 143,000 Soldiers who, together with their fellow active and National Guard Soldiers, have enabled the Army to accomplish its mission at home and abroad. The Army Reserve provides vital capabilities across a diverse range of mission areas. As of January 2006, more than 41,000 Army Reserve Soldiers serve on active duty. The Army Reserve’s 98th and 80th Divisions (Institutional Training) deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan to support U.S. Central Command’s training of security forces.

MAJOR DECISIONS IN 2005

During 2005, the Army made four key decisions to accelerate change needed to win today and to continue to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.

Accelerated the Fielding of the Future Force. In April 2005, the Army announced refinements of its plan Army Plan to transition continuously from the current force to the future force to realize the Army Vision. This plan guides our efforts to transform the Army into a modular force, while continuing to modernize by fielding Future Combat Systems (FCS) and other technologies. We are leveraging recent combat experiences to train and educate our Soldiers and leaders and provide the campaign and expeditionary capabilities needed to deal with future challenges.
Restructured the FCS Program. In April 2005, the Army restructured the FCS program for two reasons: (1) to improve contractual

arrangements with industry and provide a better framework to manage the cost and schedule aspects of this vital program; and (2) to further leverage FCS technologies as quickly as feasible to improve our Soldiers’ ability to fight and to protect themselves. By improving control and oversight, these new arrangements are paying dividends now.
Established the Business Tranformations Initiatives In February 2005, the Army decided to implement an Army-wide Business Transformation initiative. (We are reviewing all of our business, resourcing, management, and acquisition processes to become more effective, improve quality, reduce cycle time, and achieve cost reductions.) To do so, we are applying the Lean Six Sigma methodology. Just as we are leveraging the lessons of war to improve fighting effectiveness, we are applying relevant corporate best practices to improve our business processes and make best use of our financial, human, and materiel resources. Other key aspects of Business Transformation include: Information Management Systems Portfolio Management, Institutional Army Adaptation, and Business Initiative Councils.
Adopted the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) Model. The Army began to implement the ARFORGEN model to ensure all units are fully ready for deployment. This model will establish and coordinate cycles of readiness and training for all active and reserve units. To sustain our ability to execute the National Military Strategy, this model schedules deployment windows for our units while balancing the requirements associated with transforming, modernizing, implementing a new global stationing plan, and other mission demands.

We are executing The Army Plan, consisting of four overarching, interrelated strategies, to enable mission accomplishment and to achieve the Army Vision over time. This plan accelerates the redesign of the forces, support structures, and headquarters that are accomplishing our mission today. This plan also guides our initiatives to provide the Combatant Commanders the assets to protect the Nation today and tomorrow.

The Army is:

Providing relevant and ready landpower for the 21st century security environment;
Training and equipping Soldiers to serve as warriors and growing adaptive leaders;
Sustaining an All-Volunteer force composed of highly competent Soldiers that are provided an equally high quality of life; and
Providing infrastructure and support to enable the force to fulfill its strategic roles and missions.

We are transforming to create a future force with a broad set of capabilities to enable our Soldiers to address strategic problems the Nation will face .

The benefits of our approach are clearly evident in the attitudes and levels of commitment we see in our Soldiers, as well as the attributes of our combat formations, the forces that sustain them, and the facilities and business processes that generate them from their home stations. The combined effects of transformation, modernization, innovation, and improvement reinforced by positive change in the attitudes and behaviors that create the culture of our service are helping us to become the force the Nation will need to safeguard its peace and freedom in the 21st century.

The Army Plan is continuously improving our ability to operate as part of the Joint Team, while ensuring our ability to dominate in any environment against current, emerging, and unforeseen threats. We believe that every dollar spent to build capability for our current force is an investment in our future force. Our initiatives are guiding our efforts to:

Grow innovative, adaptive Soldiers and leaders through Training and education program, Review of Education,Training and Assignments for Leaders. that build on recent combat experiences and leverage the Training Transformation Program;
Adapt the doctrine which guides how we fight, how we sustain our forcesSustaining the Force
and how we train Soldiers;
Create far more capable, strategically deployable brigades that are designed to receive new technologies and equipment as soon as they become available;
Increase Soldier and unit effectiveness and protection; and
Apply better business practices to free resources to use for our most pressing operational requirements.

Our ongoing intellectual and cultural transformation is dramatically improving how our leaders, Soldiers, civilian workforce, and families are adapting to the reality of protracted conflict. This transformation is reinforcing the commitment to continuous improvement that has taken hold across the Army.

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