FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Nov. 5, 2015) -- About 175 senior Army commanders, command sergeants major and staff met Nov. 4-5, here, for a U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Commander's Forum focused on the readiness and training of the Total Army Force -- active, Army National Guard and Army Reserve.
"We're taking Total Force Partnership to the next level, said Gen. Robert B. "Abe" Abrams, commanding general, FORSCOM. "We've got a good representation across the Total Force present.
"Not only do we have Army Division commanders from the National Guard, the Army Reserve and the Active Component, we've got Army Corps commanders, the Director of the Army National Guard, the commander of U.S. Army Reserve Command … and a fair representation of the State Adjutants General," Abrams told attendees at the Gen. George C. Marshall Hall gathering.
For the National Guard, the State Adjutants General are ultimately responsible for building readiness, Abrams explained. The State Adjutant Generals are key participants. "It's going to take all of us together to help build readiness across the Total Force," he said.
The two-day forum featured senior officers and enlisted leaders from the State Adjutants General, First Army, Army Corps commanders, leaders from nine Army Active Component Divisions, two Army Reserve Divisions, and four Army National Guard Divisions.
In addition to focusing on the Army Total Force Policy collective-training initiatives, the forum's readiness focus included discussing FORSCOM's Fiscal Year 2016 Training Guidance, the latest processes for assessing units' overall training readiness, the Sustainable Readiness Model (SRM) optimizing unit's preparations to meet specific timelines for deployments, and examples of leader-development best practices.
The professional dialogue included leadership panel discussions on training-integration opportu-nities between active and Reserve units at the Combat Training Centers -- such as the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. --as well as home-station training for Soldiers at Army posts nationwide.
FORSCOM's essential tasks includes supporting the Army National Guard and U.S. Army Re-serve to build unit readiness both pre- and post-mobilization.
In 2015, FORSCOM supported mobilization of 10,300 National Guard and 5,600 Reserve Soldiers. Reserve component leaders and Soldiers performed key missions as part of the Army Total Force, joining the active component in support of the Combat Commanders across the globe.
Forces Command trains and prepares a combat-ready, rotationally focused Total Force to build and sustain readiness that meets Combatant Command requirements, Abrams said, outlining his vision for the command.
"Combat ready means Decisive Action ready," said Abrams. "You've heard Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley say it: Readiness … that's what the Army is about. It is about fighting and winning."
In addition to the command's mission statement, he outlined five priorities for Forces Command leaders: (1) Maximize unit readiness; (2) Operationalize Army Total Force Policy; (3) Master fundamentals; (4) Strengthen Leader Development; and (5) Care for Soldiers, civilian employees and Army Families.
As part of these priorities, the Army Total Force Partnership Program includes each Army National Guard Division aligned to a Corps headquarters.
National Guard and active component Brigade Combat Teams also established working regional partnerships to conduct training; and National Guard and Army Reserve enabling brigades are aligned with active component brigades.
Abrams summarized the Forces Command training guidance for Fiscal Year 2016 and key points of emphasis: including a focus on fundamentals; the need for personal readiness; leader de-velopment opportunities -- including managing and tracking high performers as well as the im-portance of joint-duty assignments, military schools and career-broadening opportunities; and the importance of modularity across similar units.
Army maintenance standards also play a key role, he explained. "For our equipment, 10/20 is the standard," the general said, referring to the Army's level of maintenance specified in technical manuals that requires all routine maintenance be conducted and any deficiencies be repaired.
The command's training guidance also addresses evaluating and reporting unit readiness, the vi-tal "repetitions and sets" associated with home-station training, the crucible-level intensity of train-ing at the Army's major Combat Training Centers and the Mission Command Training Program, the Army synchronization and resourcing process, and risk management.
Abrams also shared his concern for the health of the Army force, emphasizing a spirit of personal fitness that includes physical training five days each week and the "Performance Triad" of sleep, activity and nutrition.
He discussed a current Performance Triad pilot test involving units of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Kan., as well the crucial need for building Soldiers' body strength given the battlefield need to carry rucksacks weighing more than 40 to 50 pounds.
For examples, he cited the importance of performing squats and lunges to exercise and strengthen Sol-diers' legs, and his passion for "inculcating a spirit of personal fitness inside formations."
The general also highlighted the need to develop Soldiers' minds and key professional skills, citing a lack of experience and technical expertise in some core capabilities given the vigorous tempo of military operations over the past 14 years.
He emphasized Army education opportunities making the investment in Soldiers attending military schools, such as Ranger School, tank and Bradley commanders' certification courses, master gunner's course, mortal leader's course and the airborne jumpmaster's course.
"Leader development is no one program," Gen. Abrams reminded the group, "it's a way of life."
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