QDR Capabilities Addressed in the Army Posture Statement, Essay Example

The 2008 Army Posture Statement examines the facts concerning the US Army being out of balance.  The report particularly focuses on two key challenge areas: (1) The concept of restoring balance and (2) Dealing with the issues of funding.

Restoring the Balance

Restoring balance for he army is all about building additional capacity. The perspective of looking at both breadth and depth over four key imperatives:

Sustainment

During a time of continued world conflict the army is having to operate on a truly global scene, with forces deployed throughout the world.  In order to keep this a well oiled machine, due consideration needs to be made of sustainability. This includes family, quality of life and having a recruitment policy that promotes a high quality and flexible soldier.  The following key goals were identified in the report:

• Provision of incentives to attract and recruit the best people into the Army.
• Considering army staff retention beyond 2008 we need to promote better quality of life and working conditions for the troops
• The Army Family covenant needs to be further enhanced to improve the lives of soldiers families. This covers a number of important social areas such as healthcare, housing,  Child Education and Employment
• Improved care packages covering disability or injured soldiers.  In addition, providing ongoing care to the families of fallen soldiers and honoring these men for the sacrifice to their country.

Prepare

Preparation  refers to ensuring that the soldiers have the best equipment and training to prepare them for warfare and hostile situations overseas.  At current times this refers mainly to the theatres of operation in Afghanistan and Iraq. Goals for preparation include:

• Continue to develop the operational training quality for the soldiers
• Ensure training is sufficiently broad enough to facilitate operating as a multi nation support unit
• Provision of best equipment via ” Rapid Fielding Initiative”  (Army, 2008)
• Private industry partnerships to ensure most modern equipment on the battlefield
• Maintained development of Army Forces Generation ensuring a continued supply of top trained units to the field

Reset

Reset is really about conditioning. Changing the soldiers from regular duties to that of warlike conditions. A change of mindset and training. Goals here include:

• Establishing a reset program that meets the procurement and equipment needs of the army soldiers.
• Ensure the soldiers are properly trained for the duties that they will be required to perform in a hostile environment
• Revitalisation of the Soldiers Action Plan in order to meet the care needs of both the Soldiers and their families

Transformation

Relates to the needs of the Officers in the field and their ability to transform soldiers to varying and changing conditions in the battle environment.  Goals here include:

• Balance forces with capacity need and ensure timely logistics in the field
• Maintain organizational change by deployment of more agile methods in the field
• Adapt political measures and strategic requirements to meet the needs of an ” overseas expeditionary force”  (Army, 2008)
• Develop the leadership capabilities of officers to deal with changing battle conditions and scenarios

2009 Presidents Budget

In the Fiscal year of 2009, the Presidents budget asked for $140.7 billion in order to facilitate the Army.  This particularly focused on the War on Terror and the current conflict zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. ” This year the President approved accelerating the end-strength of the Army’s Active Component to 547,000 and the Army National Guard to 358,200 by 2010.”  (Army, 2008)  Key statistics in support of military Funding included:

• $20.5 billion will be spent to increase capacity and growth of the current army;
• $159.7 will be spent to improve the operational readiness statement of the military looking to both immediate and future needs assessment;
• $5.7 billion to be spent on special operations in order to improve intelligence and support existing conflict zones
• $49.1 billion strengthening the National Guard to improve domestic security and deal with potential external terrorist threats (Defense, 2009)

2006 Quadrennial Defense Review

” The strategy strives for balance in three areas: between trying to prevail in current conflicts and preparing for other contingencies, between institutionalizing capabilities such as counterinsurgency and foreign military assistance and maintaining the United States’ existing conventional and strategic technological edge against other military forces ” ( US Defense Secretary, Robert M Gates 2009).

The Restoration of balance will require the US Army to make a number of important changes that include: More troops and better equipment in the theatre of operations, improved readiness training for troops, full provision of services to the families because of long sustained engagements overseas.  The rebalance of capabilities refers much more to the operational preparedness of the troops and ensuring that adequate provision of training is provided to prepare them for the hostile terrain they will face.  (Kem, 2009)

Works Cited

Army, U. (2008). Two Critical Challenges: Restoring Balance and Funding. Retrieved 10 25, 2009, from 2008 Army Posture Statement: http://www.army.mil/aps/08/critical_challenges/critical_challenges.html

Defense, D. o. (2009). Department of Defense. Retrieved 10 25, 2009, from Department of Defense: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy09/pdf/budget/defense.pdf

Kem, J. (2009, 5 17). Reflections from Dr. Jack. Retrieved 10 25, 2009, from Army Challenges: Restoring Balance and Setting Conditions for the Future : http://usacac.army.mil/blog/blogs/reflectionsfromfront/archive/2009/05/17/army-challenges-restoring-balance-and-setting-conditions-for-the-future.aspx