SecArmy opens AUSA with thoughts on future
By Lt. Col. Thomas W. Collins
October 4, 2005
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 4, 2005) -- Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey opened the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army with a speech that touched on the service and sacrifice of American Soldiers and his thoughts on how the Army is transforming to meet the threats of the 21st century.
“Because of (the Soldiers’) service, the Army is, and will remain, the pre-eminent land power in the world today. In pitched battles at places like Samarra, An Najaf, Falluja, Tal Al Afar and Mosul, our Soldiers are defeating insurgents and giving the Iraqi people an alternative to those immoral, ruthless dictators and terrorists who sow hate and intolerance and kill innocent civilians,” Harvey said.
Soldiers answer `Call to duty'
Echoing the theme of this year’s meeting, “the Call to duty,” Harvey spoke at length about the willingness of Soldiers to defend the nation.
“Those who volunteer and answer the call to duty are willing to give more than they take. They are driven, I believe, by love of country, a devotion to duty, and a willingness to sacrifice everything so others might live in peace and freedom,” he said.
Transformation more than material
Noting the service and sacrifice of Soldiers throughout the nation’s history, Harvey said the contemporary security environment has changed dramatically since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He noted that the Army’s transformation is more than just material solutions; it’s about developing a full-spectrum force with greatly enhanced capabilities that are continuously striving for improvement.
“These changes are not about one piece of hardware, or one technology development, or one process improvement or one organization,” Harvey said. Change “is a continuous process that, in essence, never ends.”
Among these changes, Harvey said the Army Modular Force Initiative is at the center of Army Force Transformation, while the Future Combat Systems is at the center of the effort to modernize ground forces.
MOSs to move between AC/RC
In combination with the modular force initiative and FCS, Harvey said rebalancing the force is another essential element of Transformation. He said about 125,000 military occupational specialty positions will be moved between the active and reserve components by 2011, enabling the Army to provide the right mix of job skills, relieve stress on the force and improve readiness.
Harvey also said the Army is taking steps to increase the size of the operational Army – the warfighting side of the Army – by 40,000 Soldiers by the end of 2007. Harvey said the focus is on providing the necessary manpower to fill out the modular brigade combat teams, the redesigned division and corps headquarters, and the maneuver support and sustainment units in the operational Army.
Lean/Six Sigma to re-engineer business
Along with Army Force Transformation, Harvey also outlined the plan for improving how the Army does business. He noted that earlier this year, the Army initiated a comprehensive Army-wide Business Transformation centered on re-engineering business processes. This process, called Lean/Six Sigma, is designed to take work out and improve cycle time. Ultimately, it will lead to more efficient production that frees resources that can be used to better support the warfighting side of the Army, he said.
Harvey closed his remarks with a reminder of how much the Army and its Soldiers have accomplished over the past year.
“With unsurpassed professionalism, courage and commitment, our Soldiers have endured great hardship, lost many friends and comrades along the way, and have made lasting contributions to the peace, freedom and security,” he said. “I am honored to serve as the Secretary of the Army and I look forward to 2006 to continue the tremendous progress we have made in building the Army of the future through transformation and modernization,” Harvey said.
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