REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Balancing a budget with a reduction in funds is no small feat, but the U.S. Army Materiel Command and Installation Management Command tackled the issues together during a Rehearsal of Concept Drill, March 19.
"I'm struck by how similar our commands are. We have global commands, provide support to the warfighter and have a very large civilian populace," John B. Nerger, executive deputy to the commanding general at AMC stated. "I think this will help us understand each other better, realizing that we are more alike than we are dissimilar."
Command leadership and staff section representatives from IMCOM and AMC participated virtually via video teleconference to accomplish three goals.
The first goal was to assess the residual issues from the latest Base Realignment and Closure. BRAC was the most recent major impact to AMC personnel.
Second, identify the possible impacts of planned resource reductions, unrelated to sequestration, in five categories of services normally provided to installations by both IMCOM and AMC. The categories include public works, installation logistic, Soldier and family services, training and operations, as well as safety and security.
Third, develop a framework to implement mitigating strategies going forward.
Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, Installation Management Command commanding general, reflected on the words of an Army spouse, "It's not about fiscal restraints, it's about making the Army stronger."
"We will get through these difficult times," he continued. "Winning is when we get it right, not shifting the cost to someone else."
According to briefings, a reduction in funds could have an immediate impact across all five categories of services at four of the installations with AMC assets, including Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Detroit Arsenal, Mich., Redstone Arsenal, Ala. and Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.
The impact to Soldiers, civilians and families may appear in the form of a reduction in municipal services, custodial services, facilities operations and maintenance, utility services, housing and barracks management, training area's maintenance and repair and even critical areas like gate access, public safety, law enforcement and force protection.
Programs that have been a mainstay around installations could also be impacted such as school aged services, Army substance abuse programs, and suicide prevention programs.
Col. William Marks, AMC's deputy director, Industrial Base & Infrastructure Planning Directorate, explained how the team took 'deep dives' to understand even the details of shared issues.
"The payoffs were real solutions and ways ahead," Marks said. "We articulated and shared a common understanding between commands and developed a real framework going forward."
"This was the most collaborative and transparent ROC drill I've been a part of in my 10 years with IMCOM," Kenneth A. Pierson, IMCOM G8, stated at the conclusion of the drill.
Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion, deputy commanding general of AMC explained the reason for the collaborative nature of the drill.
"We are both very service-oriented commands and we come at problems the same way," McQuistion said. "It is great teamwork and I look forward to our continued partnership."
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