How Do U.S. Soldiers Prepare For An Unpredictable Future? Army Leaders Have A Plan.
Loren Thompson
The U.S. Army today is led by an unusually thoughtful and experienced team of warfighters. The top two civilian leaders, Secretary Mark Esper and Under Secretary Ryan McCarthy, have both served in combat with Army units. The top two uniformed leaders, Chief of Staff Mark Milley and Vice Chief of Staff James McConville, have both attended Ivy League universities. All four have had extensive exposure to the baroque political processes whereby Army programs are funded.
Last week I had the opportunity to meet with all four as part of a small contingent of think-tank types invited to discuss the 2020 budget request to be sent to Congress in March. However, because Army leaders couldn’t discuss what is actually in the request, the meeting became more about how the Army thinks about the future. It was a surprisingly engaging discussion of how the nation’s oldest military service is adapting to an era of nearly unbounded possibilities, both good and bad.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2019/02/18/how-do-u-s-soldiers-prepare-for-an-unpredictable-future-army-leaders-have-a-plan/#f6060f723dc8
