BAGHDAD -- The U.S. Army's top leader visited Soldiers deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve over a two-day period starting Saturday, Sept. 17, to get a firsthand look at the role American forces are playing in defeating the so-called Islamic State.
Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning made stops in Baghdad, Erbil and other areas in northern Iraq during his tour, where he hosted town halls, engaged with Soldiers during meals, and observed training and exercises.
"My trip to Iraq highlighted a number of things I've already known," the secretary said. "We have an incredibly resilient and trained force; very innovative, very dedicated -- they are committed to the mission, they know why they're here, they want to make a difference."
In Baghdad, Fanning met with Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, and Maj. Gen. Gary J. Volesky, commander of OIR's Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command, in addition to other senior leaders.
Commanders updated the Army Secretary on the progress the Combined Joint Task Force is making as part of the global coalition of contributing nations that have joined together to support and enable Iraqi security forces.
"I can't make very informed decisions if I don't get out to the field and interact with Soldiers and see what they're dealing with and what problems they're facing," Fanning said. "So I can take information back to Washington as we're building a plan, a strategy, and a budget."
Fanning also met with Soldiers from across the Total Force, including active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard members.
"There's no way just the active component could do everything that's required of the Army. It's critically important that we work together as a Total Force as well as we can," he said.
This is an area where the Army's multi-component units, such as the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), play a vital role. The 101st deployed its headquarters to lead CJFLCC-OIR, and brought Guardsmen with them who play an integral part of their team.
"That's one of the great things about coming into the field, because this could be a very political issue in Washington just because of the many competing forces the Guard has to contend with," said Fanning.
"But when you go down range, you can't tell whether someone is active, Guard or Reserve unless you ask. So it's just a reminder of how integrated we already are and how well it's working."
With budget cuts and troop reductions frequently in the headlines, Fanning recognized the potential effects on the very Soldiers he visited with in Iraq.
"I didn't need to come out here to know that we're running the Army hard," he said. "The worst thing we could do is to keep an Army that's too large and not have the money to buy and maintain equipment and keep it trained and ready for the types of fights like here in Iraq."
The Army is committed far beyond Iraq or the CENTCOM Theater, participating in diverse counter-terrorism partnerships globally, while deterring Russian aggression and forging partnerships critical to security in the Pacific.
"The Army's demands are global; the Army is in upwards of 150 countries right now today. It's not just this critically important fight we have here in Iraq, in Syria, in Afghanistan; it is a global requirement for the Army," said the Secretary.
"It's a balance of everything the Army is being asked to do -- all the requirements of the Army -- with the budget. And it is a squeeze. I think everybody recognizes that."
As the Army continues to meet the requirements of combatant commanders, the challenge is to continue to modernize and train a lethal force to confront the fights of the future.
"This is the most lethal force the world has ever known, but it's stretched thin," Secretary Fanning said. "It's a constant battle that we're struggling to highlight the stress that's being put on the force."
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