Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno sent an e-mail to the entire force revealing his strategic priorities for the total Army–active duty, National Guard and Reserve, so they are clear on what he envisions, expects and are prepared for a full range of military operations in the uncertain future.
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| Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno Photo: U.S. Army |
Odierno stated the Army’s strategic vision for an all-volunteer Army that “will remain the most highly trained and professional land force in the world. It is uniquely organized with the capability and capacity to provide expeditionary, decisive landpower to the Joint Force and ready to perform across the range of military operations to Prevent, Shape and Win in support of Combatant Commanders to defend the Nation and its interests at home and abroad, both today and against emerging threats.”
Operating in a period of “dynamic uncertainty,” international threats to the United States, and its friends and allies from state actors down to individuals come every day, he said in his Oct. 16 e-mail.
“The unpredictability so prominent in the contemporary security environment will almost certainly remain a characteristic of the future,” he wrote. Thus it is essential that the total force be ready for directions to perform a range of military operations.
While supporting deployed soldiers and civilians, Odierno said, “we are making changes to our institutions and processes to ensure that we are maximizing the limited resources available to the Army.”
To disseminate his intent, Odierno published his five priorities in a document attached to his e-mail:
• Adaptive Army Leaders for a complex world;
• A globally responsive and regionally engaged Army;
• A ready and modern Army;
• Soldiers committed to our Army profession; and
• The premier all-volunteer Army.
These priorities are the basis for the objectives outlined in the coming 2014 Army Strategic Planning Guidance, he said. They will provide the total Army with a definitive statement of the service mission as it looks ahead to “build upon our hard-earned experiences of the previous decade of war and toward a future that poses distinct challenges of its own.”
In the published priorities document, Odierno said, “I expect every member of the Total Army to know these and to implement decisions and actions in accordance with them.”
The SCA Strategic Priorities can be found here: http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/c/downloads/316390.pdf