TESTIMONY
OF
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES E. CARTWRIGHT, USMC
DIRECTOR FOR FORCE STRUCTURE,
RESOURCE,
AND ASSESSMENT
BEFORE THE
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TOTAL FORCE
REGARDING
ADEQUACY OF THE TOTAL FORCE
March 10, 2004
Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Total Force Subcommittee, thanks for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am here today to discuss the adequacy of the Total Force to achieve the missions assigned in the Defense Strategy. Specifically, I will address your concerns about the adequacy of the force by describing the variety of initiatives underway that will enable the Department to better sustain the current level of global commitments.
Defense Strategy
The Defense Strategy, developed in consultation with the Combatant Commanders and Service Chiefs, requires that the Department maintain the capabilities to conduct military operations to protect the United States, prevent conflict or surprise attack, and prevail against adversaries. The Strategy requires capabilities to defend the US homeland and deter forward in four critical regions. If required, we must be able to defeat the efforts of two adversaries in an overlapping timeframe, while maintaining the capability to "win decisively" in one theater. In addition, we must be able to conduct a limited number of lesser contingencies while maintaining a generation capability to hedge against future challenges and uncertainty.
Global Engagement
As you know, our Joint Forces are globally engaged in the prosecution of the Defense Strategy and the Global War on Terror. A significant number of forces remain committed to on-going operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We still have forces in Kosovo, Bosnia, and in support of the Multi-national Forces in the Sinai. Forces are conducting forward deterrence roles in the Pacific and Europe. Additionally, forces participate in operations in South and Central America. And, we recently committed forces to a multi-national effort in Haiti.
Total Force Capable of Prosecuting the Defense Strategy
I know there is significant Congressional concern about the adequacy of the force to sustain our current level of global engagement. Our force is adequately sized to achieve the missions assigned in the Defense Strategy and sustain the current level of engagement. However, we must reorganize our force in order to mitigate risks associated with sustaining our current level of global commitment. A number of initiatives are underway to mitigate these risks and enable the Department to sustain commitments while simultaneously reducing stress on the force.
Force Modularization for the Rotation Base
The modularization of the Army will increase the number of available combat brigades. Modularization is the Army's reorganization from three to four combat brigades per division. More importantly, all the brigades will be organized similarly to achieve force interchangeability. Reserve Component brigades will modularize as well. Together, this will significantly increase the number of interchangeable forces available in the Army's rotation pool, and reduce stress on both our Active and Reserve forces.
Another benefit of Army modularization is reduced reliance on the Reserve Component. More available Active brigades reduce dependence on the Reserve Component. These changes will facilitate better use of the Reserve Component by increasing both predictability and lead-time of call-ups. In a similar manner, the other Services are organized to create a robust pool of interchangeable forces. The Air Force will continue to use its Air Expeditionary Force construct to manage its rotation base. The Marines are re-organizing around Expeditionary Strike Groups. The Navy will form Expeditionary Strike Forces to better manage its rotational base.
Temporarily Add More End Strength
The emergency endstrength authorizations approved by the SecDef will mitigate force management risks during the transformation of the Army combat forces. Under emergency authorities, the Department of Defense has increased active force levels by approximately 36,000 above the pre-emergency authorized end strength. As of February 2004,
· The Army is up ~ 11,000 above authorized end strength;
· The Air Force is up ~ 17,000 above authorized end strength;
· The Navy is up ~ 6,000 above authorized end strength;
· The Marine Corps is up ~ 2,000 above authorized end strength.
These temporary authorities reduce stress on the force. Additionally, the authorizations reduce transformation risk while increasing flexibility of the force to respond to uncertainty. However, as the other efforts to reorganize the forces take effect, it is unlikely that these temporary authorizations will be required to sustain global commitments. As one would expect, the Navy and Marine Corps anticipate returning to authorized end strength levels by the end of the FY04. The Air Force expects to maintain the emergency strength levels through FY06. The Army expects to maintain its emergency strength levels through FY07-08.
Rebalancing the Active / Reserve Component Mix
The Services are taking a number of other actions to reduce stress on the force while sustaining the current level of global commitment. Beginning in FY04-05, the Services will realign the AC/RC mix of forces. Generally, they will move force structure from high-density, low-demand capabilities (e.g.-air defense and artillery) into high-demand capabilities (e.g.-military police and civil affairs). This realignment will increase the availability of required individual and unit capabilities. It will also reduce stress on the force while facilitating operations at the current level of global engagement.
The Department's cohesive rebalancing strategy has already resulted in about 10,000 changes in military spaces both within the Active and Reserve Components to address stressed career fields in fiscal year 2003, and about 20,000 more in fiscal year 2004. The fiscal year 2005 budget supports about an additional 20,000 changes as well.
The following is a breakdown of specific fiscal year 2005 Service rebalancing initiatives. The Army is converting 12,000 spaces to improve early responsiveness in the transportation, quartermaster, medical and engineer career fields. Conversions will also reduce stress in the military police, special operation forces, and intelligence capabilities. The Navy is converting 1,000 spaces to reduce stress in security forces. The Marine Corps is converting 3,000 spaces to reduce stress in Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Companies, security forces, and intelligence career fields. Finally the Air Force is converting 4,000 spaces to reduce stress in security forces, aircrews and maintenance career fields.
Additional plans across the FYDP include further conversions and major rebalancing efforts involving over 80,000 spaces to improve readiness and capabilities. In total, the Services plan to rebalance about 100,000 spaces in fiscal years 03-09.
Military Performing Core Competencies
Sustained operations tempo at the current level of global engagement requires the Department of Defense to focus on core competencies, make maximum use of human resources, and ensure military personnel are used to perform tasks that are "militarily essential." Therefore, in FY04, the Services will begin the conversion of 10,000 military positions to civilian or contractor positions:
· Army converts 5,578;
· Air Force converts 1,792;
· Navy converts 601;
· Marines convert 2,029.
The Services will begin efforts to convert an additional 10,070 military positions to civilian or contractor positions in FY05. These efforts will make more military personnel available to perform military tasks.
Conclusion
The Total Force is adequately sized to achieve the missions assigned in the Defense Strategy at the current level of engagement. However, we need to complete a number of re-organization initiatives to enable the Total Force to maintain this level of commitment over the long-term. Army modularization will increase the number of available combat brigades. This will not only facilitate maintaining the current level of commitment with reduced stress on the force, but also reduce reliance on our Reserve Component. The emergency endstrength authorizations mitigate force management risks while the Total Force completes the reorganization initiatives.
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am pleased to respond to questions.
2120 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
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