An Army Transforming While at War
Abstract
What a difference a few years make-in this case to Army priorities. Three years ago, and notwithstanding the demands of the new and uncertain global war on terrorism, the Army was investing sizable amounts of money in long-term programs aimed at transforming the organization into a lighter, nimbler force. Today, those investments are being squeezed by the growing costs of current operations, most notably the war in Iraq. There is an almost whiplash-like quality to the speed with which present and future priorities have changed places. Yet the Army has no choice but to continue transforming itself It confronts too great an array of missions over too much of the globe to retain its former shape. And the fact is that it is transforming: witness the presence in Iraq of a Stryker brigade-a medium-weight force that did not exist just a few years ago. Meanwhile, investments in the future continue, despite the press of current operations. Clearly, however, those investments must be screened and calibrated very carefully in the present fiscal environment. Presumably one major theme of the upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) will be to find a new and sustainable balance of investment between current operations and future choices. RAND Arroyo Center is committed to helping the Army transform while at war, and the essays in this Annual Report summarize streams of research that support that goal. We start where the Army always starts: with people. Soldiers remain the centerpiece of Army operations: the Army must continue to attract the number and type of soldiers it needs, even in today's stressful recruiting environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA433380
Entities
Organizations
- RAND Corporation