Wednesday, March 18, 2015
What is it?
The 2015 Army Posture Statement is the written expression of the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army to Congress for the annual posture hearings. The Army Posture Statement informs Congress on the state of the Army and outlines the Army’s accomplishments, initiatives, and priorities for Congress to consider when reviewing the President’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
What has the Army done?
The 2015 Army Posture Statement describes the Army’s vision for providing globally responsive and regionally engaged forces. Global demands for the Army are increasing, but end strength, readiness and modernization cuts greatly reduce the ability to respond at a time when the instability is accelerating worldwide. The Fiscal Year 2016 budget request provides a balanced and responsible way forward in the midst of ongoing fiscal uncertainty. Another round of cuts due to sequestration, however, will render the force unable to meet all elements of the Defense Strategic Guidance and will create additional risk to the Soldiers. Reductions in end strength, brought on by sequestration, will limit the Army’s ability to provide strategic options to the President and pose unacceptable risk by creating an “ends” and “means” mismatch between the requirements and available resources.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?
The Army provides a print version of the 2015 Army Posture Statement to each member of Congress prior to senior Army leader testimony related to the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. These posture hearings began on March 11, with Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army testimonies before the Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
The online version of the 2015 Army Posture Statement is available on the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army web pages, as well as the U.S. Army website.
Why is this important to the Army?
The Army Posture Statement provides Congress, as well as internal and external audiences, an overview of the Army’s plan to build a force for the future while contending with fiscal uncertainty. The Army Posture Statement is an authoritative document that highlights the Army’s enduring and vital contribution to the defense of the nation as a member of the Joint Force, its global commitments and vision for the future.
Resources:
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