Stand-To: Procedure prior to first light to enhance unit security, a daily compendium of news, information, and context for Army leaders.

"Everybody engaged in this [Afghanistan deployment], from the president all the way down to the lowest-ranking member of the deploying forces, is making an effort to getting there as rapidly as possible."

- Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command, at a military strategy forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking about the shift in the counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan, where 30,000 additional U.S. troops are being sent to assist the Afghan government and its security forces in suppressing resurgent Taliban militants and other insurgents.

Petraeus: Most ‘surge’ forces to arrive by September

"The Army recognizes successes that demonstrate mission-driven solutions that protect the environment at installations here and overseas. Whatever we do needs to revolve around supporting the mission, taking care of our Soldiers, civilians, and families. In simplistic terms the Army, our Army, your Army -- is building green, buying green and going green. These winning environmental programs make the Army sustainable thereby impacting generations to come."

- Tad Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health

Guard installations named environmental award winners

• Early Bird News Site
• Information Papers with "2009 Army Posture Statement"
• Stories of Valor
• Army Public Affairs Portal
• Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace
• Eartquake Relief in Haiti

• Community Covenant
• Bloggers Roundtable
• Humanitarian support a family affair for Fort Bragg Soldiers (The U.S. Army)
• Iraqi Border Guards reach out to school children (DefenseLink)

January 2010

Dec. 16 to Jan. 25 : 65th Anniversary of Battle of the Bulge

February 2010

African American Heritage Month

Feb.1-7: National Patient Recognition Week

Feb. 15: President's Day

Feb. 24- 26: AUSA Winter Symposium

• Army Media Player
• Flickr: Army images
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• Twitter: Army updates
• delicious: Army links
• Facebook: Army's fan page

Army Professional Writing

• Thank you 82nd Airborne
• Military may crowd source Haiti relief
• Gen. Petraeus: Acquisition workers should receive pre-deployment training
• From Soldier to clothes horse

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Shaping the Force

What is it?

Shaping the Army Reserve Force is building the right force to meet the challenges of the future; the needs of the Army and the nation; and the needs of our Soldiers, their families and their employers. It is a focused strategy of proper balance and force sustainment.

What has the Army Reserve done?

During the last three years, the men and women of the Army Reserve have worked hard to grow the Army Reserve end strength by almost 20,000 Soldiers. Despite a competitive recruiting market, the goal of 207,000 Soldiers was achieved in April 2009, more than a year before projected.

What does the Army Reserve have planned for the future?

In 2010, the Army Reserve will leverage human capital management strategies to shape the force into an affordable and effective force capable of supporting national security objectives and the combatant commanders' war-fighting needs. This strategy will meet our nation's future military needs by ensuring the right people with the right skills are in the right units at the right time. Recruiting efforts will focus on more prior-service recruits who are slightly older and bring more experience than most first-term Soldiers. These experienced Soldiers can fill shortages among mid-level commissioned and noncommissioned officers. Further, the Army Reserve will offer incentives to Soldiers in over-strength occupational specialties who will retrain into military occupational specialties (MOSs) that are experiencing shortfalls. Lastly, steps are being taken to reduce over-strength MOSs and to grow the MOSs that are critically short and to fill the gaps in manning for mid-grade officers and non-commissioned officers.

Why is this important to the Army Reserve?

Shaping the force is cost effective, meets the needs of the nation and allows for continued service.

• Compared to the cost of expanding the full-time force, retaining prior service Soldiers in the Army Reserve provides security at home and combats terrorism abroad.

• Some Soldiers leave active duty because they've grown deployment weary, so the Army Reserve guarantees more dwell time at home between deployments for some prior-service recruits even if their unit is scheduled to deploy.

• In the Army Reserve, prior-service Soldiers can continue to serve their country while they enjoy all the benefits of a civilian career. They can train close to home, continue their education, earn an extra paycheck while serving and continue working toward a military retirement.

Resource:

Army Reserve Web site