fromtheeditor Timely Training
“Military power in the 21st century will be defined by our ability to adapt.” — Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, USA, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
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his month, we celebrate our country’s 234th birth- day. We celebrate the an- niversary of the signing of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, proclaiming the birth of a new na- tion. We celebrate our freedom. The birth of our nation, July 4, 1776, came during a time of war. As the Second Continental Congress voted for indepen- dence in Philadelphia, the British fleet was sailing into the harbor of New York to land soldiers. In fact, George Washington was not a signer of the declaration. Instead of being in Philadelphia, he was in New York with the Continental Army, preparing his troops to defend the new nation. This year’s July 4 also is a time of war.
American military men and women serve worldwide, safeguarding our country and our founding ideals. In 1776, much of the force was made up of the colonial militia, citizen soldiers protecting their fellow citi- zens. This concept endures today, as mem- bers of the National Guard and Reserve are essential forces in the war on terrorism. George Washington faced huge chal-
lenges organizing and training his army. Today’s military leaders also face for- midable challenges in organization and training as they adapt to meet 21st-century requirements. In past issues of Military Officer, we’ve discussed how the services are reorganizing to handle current issues. This issue, we look at training, specifi- cally at how the Army is rethinking its ap- proach to initial military training (IMT).
1 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R J U LY 2 0 1 0
To bring training in line with current realities, Con- gress recently approved the appointment of Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, USA, to oversee the modernization process under the command of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command. He is responsible for the Army’s officer, warrant officer, and enlisted training through completion of IMT. To re- search our story, “Training a New Generation,” page 46, Mark Cantrell spoke with Hertling and other Army trainers and visited Fort Jackson, S.C., the Army’s largest and most active initial entry training center. The current crop of trainees is the
smartest he’s seen in 30 years, says Hertling. “They pick up concepts, under- stand culture, find information, and apply it quickly — when given the chance and the mentoring — and ‘team’ better than any group I’ve ever seen.” The downside, according to Hertling, is the new trainees are arriving in the poorest physical shape ever — a reflection of today’s society. This July 4, join MOAA in saluting the men and women of all the armed forces.
— Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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