ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. - Local area congressional staffers and community leaders met with First Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Mick Bednarek, at First Army’s headquarters here today.
Lt. Gen. Bednarek provided details on First Army’s mission to mobilize, train, deploy and demobilize Reserve Component units at mobilization training centers throughout the continental United States.
“First Army’s sole focus of effort is to ensure the readiness of our Reserve Component forces,” said Bednarek. “Congress mandated across our Army that there will be an organization in Department of Defense that focuses on Reserve Component readiness " that is the mission of First Army.”
One of the main points made to the staffers is that, “we are all partners in the readiness of our Nation,” Bednarek said.
Bednarek went on to discuss First Army's future, stating that with the anticipated drawdown in Iraq and Afghanistan, First Army will continue to support operations world-wide and at home. “The nation's requirements for our Army at-large are decreasing " which is a good thing - but there are still bad people with bad intentions,” said Bednarek.
“Certainly from our perspective in the military, as we look to the future, there are a lot of challenges that loom out there. Some of your personnel, in Congressional subcommittees,” Bednarek continued, “will work through significant funding concerns as we look to the long term.”
The staff members in attendance represented the offices of Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Senator Mark Kirk, R-Ill., Senator Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Representative Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, and Representative Bobby Schilling,R-Ill.
While at the newly remodeled First Army headquarters, the staffers and community leaders also received briefings about the Arsenal Garrison and the local district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Following the presentation at First Army, the delegation moved to the Rock Island Arsenal Club and received briefings about the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, the Joint Munitions Command and the Army Sustainment Command.
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