US Army Modernization Strategy

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DC-Area Army Retention Is Good, and It Could Be a Bellwether for the Rest of the Service

Army units in the Washington, D.C., area are already within striking distance of their retention goals, extending the contracts of 97 soldiers this fiscal year, which began in October.

www.military.com

 

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Army sending additional 'data stewards' to commands, defining data roles - Breaking Defense

The Army first put out guidance two years ago on the idea of creating “data stewards” for its commands who would act as “kind of our spokesman for our supply side,” and will start codifying it in fiscal 2024, David Markowitz told Breaking Defense.

breakingdefense.com

 

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Here are the winners and losers in US Army’s force structure change

High-tech units focused on multidomain operations are in; formations for counterinsurgency are out, in the Army's new force structure design.

www.defensenews.com

 

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Army to slash thousands of jobs in major revamp for future wars

The cuts will mainly affect already-empty posts — not actual soldiers.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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Army units must trim command posts, add drones to survive

Smaller command posts already are being tested at the National Training Center and overseas.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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New Army space plan anticipates 'operator'-level space capabilities, general says

The new Army Space and Missile Defense Command leader also praised the use of Coyote anti-drone interceptors.

www.defenseone.com

 

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Army prep course has graduated 15,000 potential soldiers amid recruiting slump

With less than 30 percent of young Americans eligible for military service, the course aims to boost potential recruits' physical and academic scores.

www.defenseone.com

 

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As DFACs close at Fort Carson, empty food kiosks leave soldiers hungry

Fort Carson has done away with weekend DFAC service.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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Army Planning Big Boost to Pacific Operations Next Year with More Training, Deployments and Equipment

The Army is seeking to better prepare itself for a potential conflict in the Pacific, with increased spending on regional training, deployments and equipment, according to its fiscal 2025 budget request.

www.military.com

 

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Maxar wins US Army One World Terrain simulation contract

Three phases of the OWT prototype project were previously said to be worth nearly $95 million.

www.defensenews.com

 

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Army should permanently station armor brigade in Poland, report argues

The Center for Strategic and International Studies said the Army should reduce its Europe rotations in favor of permanent bases.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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Army event to ‘detangle’ joint force logistics at outset of wars

The Army will come together with joint partners this summer to tackle how to sustain forces during the first few months of large-scale combat operations.

www.defensenews.com

In the fiscal 2025 budget request released Monday, the Army’s portion of the Pacific Deterrence Initiative would be $1.5 billion. The service plans to spend $461.4 million on Operation Pathways exercises and another $337 million for other exercises with allies and partners in the Pacific, a 200% increase over FY24. The service also wants to spend $38 million in theater sustainment there.

 

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Army Eyes Dramatic Cuts to Key Education Benefits for Soldiers

The Army is eyeing a dramatic cut to the Army Credentialing Assistance program, or Army CA, next year to curb costs in what could be one of the biggest benefit shifts aimed at enlisted troops in years.

www.military.com

SNAFU

 

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Pentagon needs to wake up on troops’ lack of sleep, watchdog says

A new GAO study found that Defense Department leaders aren't doing enough to address sleep deprivation among troops.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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Army wants cav scouts, military police to reclass to fill shortages​

Over the next two fiscal years, the Army is looking to reclassify just over 3,000 cavalry scouts (19D) and military police (31B).

taskandpurpose.com
However, military police with certain additional skill identifiers including Protective Services Specialist, Military Police Investigation and Traffic Management and Collision Investigator, are authorized to reenlist or extend service.

The above folks are looking to work as civilian police after service so why would you disincentivize by forcing job reclassification?

Soldiers serving as cavalry scouts, military police, armament/electrical/avionics systems repairers with certain additional skill identifiers who do not volunteer or opt-in for reclassification during reenlistment may end up being reclassified by officials according to the needs of the Army, according to policy documents.

Cav units MTOE's appear complex so why would one introduce position shortages by forcing reclass? Any Army can never have enough Scouts or repairers especially in the current context.

nuances hopefully, but any commentary defending this policy is very welcome.

 

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Army's Premier Education Benefits May Be on Chopping Block, with Tuition Assistance Cuts Being Considered, Too

The education benefits, which are currently under review and cost the Army about $278 million last year, are broadly popular among the rank and file, and are among the service's premier recruiting and retention tools.

www.military.com

 

[yasotay]

Army's Premier Education Benefits May Be on Chopping Block, with Tuition Assistance Cuts Being Considered, Too

The education benefits, which are currently under review and cost the Army about $278 million last year, are broadly popular among the rank and file, and are among the service's premier recruiting and retention tools.

www.military.com

Well that ought to be a big boost for retention!

 

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Well that ought to be a big boost for retention!

Army might want to find some means for some variation of the GI Bill to be used while serving and therefore maybe tap different resources.

 

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Army leaders open to more permanent basing in Poland, but costs would be high

The Army’s top leaders left open the possibility of basing more soldiers on a permanent basis in Poland, a move that could provide relief for units burdened with repeated deployments overseas.

www.stripes.com

 

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The Forgotten Part of the Contest: Army Logistics in the Pacific - War on the Rocks

As Gen. Omar Bradley is credited as saying, “Amateurs talk strategy. Professionals talk logistics.” Indeed, from the American Revolution to modern-day

warontherocks.com

most important article in a while

 

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Army wants cav scouts, military police to reclass to fill shortages​

Over the next two fiscal years, the Army is looking to reclassify just over 3,000 cavalry scouts (19D) and military police (31B).

taskandpurpose.com
However, military police with certain additional skill identifiers including Protective Services Specialist, Military Police Investigation and Traffic Management and Collision Investigator, are authorized to reenlist or extend service.

The above folks are looking to work as civilian police after service so why would you disincentivize by forcing job reclassification?

Soldiers serving as cavalry scouts, military police, armament/electrical/avionics systems repairers with certain additional skill identifiers who do not volunteer or opt-in for reclassification during reenlistment may end up being reclassified by officials according to the needs of the Army, according to policy documents.

Cav units MTOE's appear complex so why would one introduce position shortages by forcing reclass? Any Army can never have enough Scouts or repairers especially in the current context.

nuances hopefully, but any commentary defending this policy is very welcome.

turns out some MOSs r crowded...some means allowing dual MOS qualifications!? compensation for concurrent qualifications.. yikes.. MP & Cav Scout MOS qualified troops as a backup capability would will always be necessary for Army contingencies IMHO. Temporary critically low MOS assignments w/ the promise to return to Cav & MP...

 

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Army picks Akamai for prototype battlefield zero trust project: T-ICAM - Breaking Defense

The civilian internet firm will build prototype software for Tactical Identity Credential & Access Management, a critical step in bringing “zero trust” cybersecurity to battlefield networks.

breakingdefense.com

 

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Army's chief data officer outlines plan for new hierarchy of ‘data stewards’ - Breaking Defense

The service’s new policy empowers “mission area data officers” for warfighting, intelligence, business operations, and enterprise IT, as well as institutionalizing what have been “ad hoc” data duties across the service, David Markowitz told Breaking Defense.

breakingdefense.com

 

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Leading the charge: Transforming US Army systems through digital engineering

The Army is already shifting to digital engineering combined with technology-agnostic open integration, complementing the recent Department of Defense Digital Engineering Directive.

defensescoop.com

 

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Army rethinks its approach to AI-enabled risks via Project Linchpin

Three senior defense officials provided the latest update on the Army's first-ever AI program of record, known as Project Linchpin.

defensescoop.com

 

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Higher fitness standards will prepare soldiers for real-world problems

Opinion: Early moves to lower fitness test standards defeat the purpose of that test.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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No Retirement Required: How JROTC Aims to Combat an Instructor Shortage

The program has hundreds of vacancies, but Congress has set a new policy reducing the number of years of service needed by instructors -- from 20 years down to eight.

www.military.com

 

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18th Airborne orders soldiers on staff duty to get 4 hours of sleep

The 18th Airborne Corps published a memo over the weekend that says soldiers on staff duty have to sleep for at least four consecutive hours.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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Defense Innovation Unit should expand across US, lawmakers say

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2025 defense policy bill includes a provision requiring DIU to craft a plan to increase its U.S. footprint.

www.c4isrnet.com

 

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11th Airborne gets first new commander since Army’s Arctic command created 2 years ago

The Army’s 11th Airborne Division, revived two years ago to serve as combat-ready unit for potential conflict near the Arctic Circle, changed command on June 27 for the first time.

www.stripes.com

 

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18th Airborne Corps orders soldiers on staff duty to get some sleep

Soldiers on staff duty now have to count sheep and get four hours of sleep. The goal is to help them function better and prevent accidents.

taskandpurpose.com

 

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U.S. Army Sees New Offensive Space Role In Land Warfare | Aviation Week Network

The service is contemplating nonkinetic space fires and new roles for its soldiers in a changing era of space-based warfare.

aviationweek.com

 

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Junior enlisted pay bump to cost as much as two new aircraft carriers

A plan to boost young troops' pay by an extra 15% next year will cost more than $24 billion over the next five years, officials said.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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This exercise is shaping the long-term future of Army brigades

Three brigades are experimenting with new tech and tactics that could shape how they deploy to tomorrow's fights.

www.armytimes.com

assuming 500-mile traverses would sure argue for full mobility (2030 mobile combat team goal) for even light (leg) units. The mental, physical, patrolling & C2 exercise are great but...

 

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Signal battalions to be rebuilt for modern combat, Army says

The move, which may be approved by December, is expected to free up signal soldiers for more unit-level work within the brigades.

www.militarytimes.com

 

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US Army pushing forward with organic industrial base modernization - Breaking Defense

Brig. Gen. Michael B. Lalor, head of the Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM), told Breaking Defense this week the service plans to break ground in FY25 on the Long Range Precision Fires Facility at Watervliet Arsenal, NY.

breakingdefense.com

 

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'Money truck' awaits: Army officials chafe at defense industry’s inability to increase production - Breaking Defense

“I am personally no longer interested in hearing about COVID. That time is over, okay? It is time to deliver and produce and meet the commitment,” Brig. Gen. Michael Lalor said at GVSETS 2024.

breakingdefense.com

 

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The Army wants its own 'Space Force.' They shouldn’t be allowed to have it. - Breaking Defense

In this op-ed, two Mitchell Institute experts argue that the Army's Space and Missile Defense Command is overstepping with its plans to increase space personnel and space control capabilities.

breakingdefense.com

 

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As new gear flows to Army units, experiments reveal risks and rewards

The 25th ID commander says his units are reaping the benefits of a new Army fielding strategy.

www.defenseone.com

 

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2 Programs the Army Got Right

The Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program and the Security Force Assistance Brigades are two recent initiatives where the Army nailed it.

www.military.com