For Immediate Release
June 3, 2004
Contact: Allison Dobson, 202-464-2800
Kerry: We Must Strengthen our Military to Meet Today's
Challenges
Announces Senior Military Advisory Group of Retired Admirals and
Generals
Independence, MO - Speaking at the Truman Library, Democratic
Presidential candidate John Kerry detailed his plan to make America
stronger by modernizing the world's most powerful military to meet
today's threats.
Kerry also announced a Senior Military Advisory Group of prominent
retired admirals and general officers who are advising his campaign on
defense and national security issues. "I am honored to have such a
distinguished group of experienced military leaders and professionals
working with me on the vital security challenges facing our nation," said
Kerry. (The full list is below.)
Kerry has said his national security policy will be guided by four
imperatives: building and leading new alliances; modernizing the
military; deploying all that is in America's arsenal - the power of our
economy, our diplomacy, our intelligence capabilities and our values and
ideas; and freeing America from its dangerous dependence on Mideast oil.
"Today, in the post 9-11 world, we stand at another historic crossroad,
at another moment when the old enemy is gone but we face a new threat,"
Kerry said today. "We must change if we are to meet and defeat the
danger. We must rebuild our military and prepare it for the
risks and tasks of a new era."
Citing a military that is overextended and troops that are overburdened,
Kerry presented his plan to transform the world's most powerful military
to better address the modern threats of terrorism and proliferation,
while ensuring that we have enough properly trained and equipped troops
to meet our enduring strategic and regional missions. Kerry will: (1)
expand our active duty forces, (2) double America's Special Forces
capability and increase other specialized personnel, (3) complete the
process of technological transformation, and (4) redirect the National
Guard for homeland security.
Despite all its talk of transforming our military, the Bush
administration has done far too little to adapt our forces to the new
missions they have to undertake. In Iraq, our National Guard and Reserves
have been called up at historic levels. On the battlefield, many of
our troops lack the latest equipment and technology, which can mean the
difference between life and death. Just yesterday, the Administration
issued "stop loss" orders, meaning additional burdens on thousands of
soldiers because our military is stretched too thin.
"This has happened on the backs of the men and women who've already
fulfilled their obligation to the armed forces and to our country - and
it runs counter to the traditions of an all-volunteer military.
Because they're serving one tour after another, our soldiers are not
getting the training they need or the rest they deserve," Kerry
said. "Military families are under incredible strain as it becomes
harder and harder to balance the demands of family life and military
duty. This is especially true at a time when more than half of our
military is married - a dramatic increase since Vietnam. When you
add it up, we are in danger of creating another hollow Army - a grave
concern that I've heard time and again over the last few months from
active duty personnel."
To address the issues of readiness and an overextended military, Kerry
called for:
40,000 Additional Active Duty Soldiers. The additional soldiers
are not to increase troop levels in Iraq, but to relieve the current
overstretch and to prevent and prepare for other possible
conflicts. Eighty percent of the Army's active duty combat
divisions are either currently in Iraq, preparing to go, or have recently
returned. Stressing that this situation has jeopardized our security,
Kerry said additional troops will help alleviate the strain on our
overburdened military.
A Doubling of Our Special Forces Capability. In Afghanistan and
Iraq, Special Forces have proven that they are essential to winning the
war on terror. Kerry's increase in their capability will improve
our ability to conduct counter-terrorism operations, perform
reconnaissance missions and gather intelligence.
Modern Equipment and Technology for Our Troops. Kerry
pledged to ensure our military has the most modern equipment and
technology, saying we cannot have a 21st century military
unless we are using 21st century technology. Kerry will arm
every soldier with state-of-the-art equipment, whether it is body armor,
weapons or the latest communications tools. He will accelerate the
development of non-lethal technologies that can incapacitate the enemy
without risking the lives of innocent bystanders, and create new
counter-proliferation units that specialize in finding and destroying the
most dangerous weapons before they can be used against us. He will
also ensure that our troops have the training and the professional
military education necessary to employ these technologies.
Transforming the National Guard. Kerry outlined his plan to
make America safer by making better use of the National Guard for
homeland security. Many Guard members are now serving abroad, away from
their posts as first responders. Kerry will assign Guard units to a
standing joint task force that will prepare and execute homeland security
strategies with state and federal governments.
"Just as it was in the time of Harry Truman, and in all the years of the
Cold War, the job of commander in chief is now central to the
presidency," Kerry said. "As President, I will use military force
to protect our interests anywhere in the world, whenever necessary. But
strong leadership demands more than the willingness to use force. It
means directing the use of the right tools at the right time for the
right purpose and the right cause. Only then will we be strong and
respected around the world."
Kerry, honoring our veterans and the men and women serving today, said
"As President, I will always remember that America's security begins and
ends with the soldier, sailor, airman and Marine - with every man and
every woman in our armed services standing a post somewhere in the world.
Today, we salute each and every one of them for their commitment,
strength, and extraordinary courage - especially those serving in Iraq
and Afghanistan. They, like all veterans of wars past, deserve our
prayers and then, when they come home, the respect and support of a
grateful nation. After all, the first definition of patriotism is
to keep faith with those who have worn the uniform of the United
States."
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Admiral William Crowe (USN, Ret.)
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General John Shalikashvili (USA, Ret.)
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Tony McPeak (USAF, Ret.)
Former US Air Force Chief of Staff
Admiral Stansfield Turner, (USN, Ret.)
Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
General Joseph Hoar (USMC, Ret)
Former Commander-in-Chief, US Central Command
General Wesley Clark (USA, Ret.)
Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe
General Johnnie Wilson, (USA, Ret.)
Former Commander, US Army Material Command
LTG Daniel Christman (USA, Ret.)
Former Superintendent US Military Academy
LTG General Kennedy (USA, Ret.)
Former Deputy Army Chief of Staff for Intelligence
Vice Admiral Lee Gunn (USN, Ret.)
Former Inspector General, US Navy
Major General Harry Jenkins (USMC, Ret.)
Former Chief Legislative Liaison US Marine Corps
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FACT SHEET:
A NEW MILITARY TO MEET NEW THREATS
In a speech in Independence, Missouri today, John Kerry announced his plan to transform the world's most powerful military to better address the modern threats of terrorism and proliferation, while ensuring that we have enough properly trained and equipped troops to meet our enduring strategic and regional missions. To accomplish this, he will: (1) expand our active duty forces, (2) double America's Special Forces capability and increase other specialized personnel, (3) complete the process of technological transformation, and (4) redirect the National Guard for homeland security.
I. Expand America's Active Duty Forces. John Kerry's plan will ensure that our military has sufficient troop strength to protect our national security without placing an undue burden on the men and women of our armed forces by:
· Adding 40,000 troops to the active duty Army to prevent and prepare for other possible conflicts (not to increase the overall number of soldiers in Iraq). Eight of the Army's ten active duty combat divisions are either currently in Iraq, preparing to go, or have recently returned. While only a third of the Army would typically be deployed at any one time, under current deployment schedules 31 of our 33 active duty combat brigades will have been deployed by the summer of 2004. The Bush administration is relying on temporary solutions including "Stop Loss" orders, recalling the Individual Ready Reserve and extending tours to meet our commitments. These temporary measures have increased the burden on our troops and their families without addressing the underlying reality: we need more troops.
By streamlining various large weapons programs, emphasizing electronics, advanced sensors and munitions in a "systems of systems" approach to transformation, reducing total expenditures on missile defense, and further reforming the acquisition process, this proposal can be made budget neutral.
II. Double America's Special Forces Capability and Increase Other Specialized Personnel. John Kerry recognizes the critical role that the Special Forces and other specialized personnel play in America's military. Today we rely on these forces more and more to meet the new threats we face. John Kerry's plan will strengthen our force structure by:
· Doubling the Army's Special Forces capability by the end of his first term. As part of the 40,000 new troops, John Kerry will double overall Special Forces capabilities in his first four years as President. His plan calls for adding 3,500 active duty and 1,400 reserve Special Forces personnel. This will effectively double the number of Special Forces available to perform overseas operations, including missions with foreign forces such as the anti-Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. The Special Forces units will also by be manned at 115 percent, enabling extended absences for individual long-term language and cultural training. This over-strength will also allow for surge-capacity in times of crisis.
· Adding a special operations helicopter squadron to the Air Force. John Kerry will add a second special operations helicopter squadron to the Air Force, enabling Army forces to better complete their missions.
· Increasing active-duty and reserve civil affairs personnel. John Kerry will increase by 1,200 the number of civil affairs personnel - 200 active-duty and 1,000 reserves. Today's missions are increasingly dependent on civil affairs personnel, including judges, physicians, bankers, health inspectors, fire chiefs, and so forth - the very skills that are needed in post-conflict situations. Active-duty civil affairs personnel provide "quick fix" support until the appropriate specialist teams from the reserves can be activated and deployed. Kerry's plan represents a 50 percent increase in active-duty civil affairs personnel, and a 20 percent increase in reserve personnel.
· Increasing active-duty psychological operations personnel. Today 70 percent of our psychological operations (PSYOP) personnel are Reservists. John Kerry will add 500 active-duty personnel to the 4th PSYOP Group, the only PSYOP Group in the Army. This will round out regionally focused battalions, reduce the burden on Reservists, and provide increased opportunities for language training.
· Educating and training for the 21st Century. John Kerry will make sure our troops are prepared for the tasks required of them by ensuring that all aspects of overall training including basic training, weapons training, combat simulations and professional military education are fully supported.
III. Complete the Process of Technological Transformation. John Kerry is committed to building an American military that leverages technology across the spectrum of conflict, for every mission performed by the active duty, National Guard or Reserve.
· Investing in the Right Technologies. John Kerry will focus defense investment in those capabilities vital to waging war successfully in the 21st Century. These include: advanced communications and information technologies, which will be vital to the full range of military capabilities; sensing and control technologies that will provide the foundation for effective operation of unmanned, even robotic systems; precision weapons, including directed energy weapons that can produce lethal and non-lethal effects; and data fusion technologies that will enable our military to act more decisively with enhanced situational awareness and greatly improved intelligence assessments.
· Focusing on New and Existing Challenges. Kerry's plan will create more digital divisions, harness the power of "network centric" warfare, and improve tactical communications crucial to future military success whether our next enemy is a terrorist, an outlaw regime or a would-be peer competitor. He will also invest in new, non-lethal technologies - like directed energy weapons that can incapacitate the enemy without risking the lives of innocent bystanders - for use in urban combat and stability operations so that America's forces are equipped to win the peace as well as the war.
· Improving Counter-Proliferation Capabilities. John Kerry will strengthen counter-proliferation capabilities to deter, defend and protect the United States and its allies against weapons of mass destruction. He will create new counter-proliferation units that specialize in finding and destroying the most dangerous weapons before they can be used against us. These special units will be trained, equipped and prepared to intercept and disable nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and secure any related facilities. With these capabilities future presidents will have practical, usable military capabilities against weapons of mass destruction rather than depending on new nuclear weapons.
IV. Transform the National Guard for Homeland Security. John Kerry will integrate the National Guard into our homeland security strategy.
· Making homeland security a primary mission of the National Guard. Currently more than 165,000 Guard and Reserve troops are on active duty. About forty percent of our forces in Iraq are from the Guard and Reserve. Some have been on the ground in Iraq for as many as 15 months - much longer than was expected or promised. Large deployments of Guard members to Iraq, have actually weakened local defenses because so many members of the Guard are first responders in their communities - fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians.
Under John Kerry's plan, the National Guard will be given the clear mission of using these critical skills for homeland security. National Guard units will be assigned to a standing joint task force, commanded by a National Guard General. This task force will create and, if necessary, execute a coordinated strategy to protect our homeland, working with the states and the federal government to respond in times of crisis. Apportioned Guard forces would retain a valid combat capability, but would be rolled into missions that are needed to support homeland security, including intelligence, first responder security, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear missions.
V. Relieve the Burden on Our Military Families. John Kerry believes the need to keep faith with our troops extends to their families. His Military Family Bill of Rights will provide military families with competitive pay, good housing, decent health care, quality education for their children, first rate training and the best possible weaponry, armor and state-of-the-art equipment. The Military Family Bill of Rights will also provide assistance to families affected by extended deployments, or injury or death in the line of duty. And military families will receive the best possible information on deployments and responsive government support after their military service is completed.
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www.johnkerry.com
Paid for by John Kerry for President, Inc.
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