In November 2015, the Army achieved a significant milestone by adding an additional 3 Star General Officer and terminating the dual-hatted leadership of Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM) and U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM). This change acknowledged the complexity of the installation management enterprise by providing focused leadership at all echelons. The Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (OACSIM) sharpened its focus on enterprise wide installation management to support the Total Force with policy direction and advocacy for installation management resource stewardship.
Within the Army staff, the ACSIM is the principal military adviser to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy, and Environment) (ASA (IE&E)) for Installation Management, military facilities investment requirements, housing, environmental management and energy security. The ACSIM also is the principal military adviser to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) (ASA (M&RA)) for morale, welfare, recreation and Family support programs.
As our Total Force consolidates its footprint after 15 years of war, we remain in demand as a globally responsive and regionally engaged Army. We are globally engaged with more than 187,000 Soldiers in more than 140 countries around the world. From installations worldwide, these Soldiers conduct combat operations, deter aggression, or reassure our allies and partners in support of combatant commanders. Readiness for ground combat is -- and will remain -- the U.S. Army's No. 1 priority.
Army readiness is generated where Soldiers live work and train, The Army's 156 installations and more than 1,100 community-based Army National Guard and Army Reserve Centers worldwide. The Army must maintain adequate infrastructure and services to support the pillars of Sustainable Readiness: manning, training, equipping and leader development. Well-maintained and efficient installations ensure our Soldiers can train and deploy while their Families receive appropriate support. OACSIM establishes Army wide policy to support combatant commanders and the installation platforms from which they fight.
RESOURCING INSTALLATIONS
Over the past year, OACSIM evolved its strategy to enhance use of limited resources by addressing constraints and mitigating risk as we support combatant commanders' requirements. Our resourcing strategy is described as "Divest, Reshape and Invest." "Divest" eliminates capabilities not directly linked to Soldier and unit readiness or power projection. An example of "Divest" is reducing excess infrastructure by demolishing failing and consolidating into the best facilities to free up resources for investment in other Army priorities. "Reshape" appropriately adjusts capabilities to align with force structure, statutory requirements and the fiscal environment. For example we are reshaping Logistics Readiness Centers to preserve critical installation logistics capabilities like non-tactical vehicles and food service with revised service standards to prevent excess capacity. "Invest" increases capabilities that contribute directly to the Army's ability to preserve and generate readiness and project power. Examples of "Invest" are increased resource allocations for energy assurance, combating insider threats and the Cyber enterprise. We are committed to resourcing our installations to support the pillars of sustainable readiness now while adjusting to our smaller footprint and preparing for future missions.
THE POWER OF PARTNERING
The Army is focusing on increased agility that necessitates adapting to changing requirements and emerging missions. The Army needs partners that collaborate, operate with transparency and leverage the latest technology to meet requirements and fill our gaps.
Partnerships are critical to the Army, especially in today's constrained fiscal environment. Public and private partnerships are instrumental to operating more efficiently and integrating innovative new technology and processes. Pooling resources to solve common problems offers multiple opportunities for host communities and industry to collaborate. For example, partnerships with local public libraries outside Fort Detrick, Fort Hamilton and the Tobyhanna Army Depot provide better service to Soldiers and Families while saving the Army approximately $400K. Another vehicle for public partnerships are Intergovernmental Support Agreements (IGSA) that create rapid partnerships with local communities for municipal services and achieve savings by creating local economies of scale. A new IGSA for the communities of Monterey and Seaside, CA to provide reimbursable municipal services to the Presidio of Monterey saves the Army ~$1.1M over 5 years.
The Army is also leveraging private financing and expertise wherever possible. Partnership opportunities span the full spectrum of installation activities. Public works, environmental, training, fire and emergency services, education, Soldier and Family Services, recreation and many other areas are opportunities for innovation and partnership. Increased collaboration with surrounding communities, States, other Federal agencies and industry develops infrastructure, cost effective services and renewable energy resources that benefit both our installations and surrounding communities.
TOWARD ENERGY ASSURANCE
This year the Army formalized its partnership with the Air Force to identify and expand renewable energy opportunities across Army and Air Force installations. This provides a template for future partnerships with sister-services to share lessons learned, leverage relationships and increase buying power for renewable energy projects that improve energy assurance on installations. The Army's Office of Energy Initiatives within ASA (IE&E) has 14 projects completed, under construction, or in the final stages of the procurement that will provide 350 megawatts of power to Army installations and represent more than $800 million in private sector investment. The best part is these projects provide electricity at or below the cost of conventional power.
Reliable access to energy is essential to creating resilient installations and OACSIM is developing on-base renewable energy sources. Installations must be able to endure power outages through natural disasters, cyber-attacks or other unforeseen interruptions. In November 2015, the Army passed an energy independence milestone when it temporarily removed Fort Drum, New York, from the main electrical grid and successfully continued to operate.
The key to energy resiliency is increasing efficiency and reducing overall energy consumption. The Army has made substantial progress in this area, reducing its facilities energy consumption by 22.6 percent since fiscal 2003. The Army leads the federal government in the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESCs). These contracts allow private companies and services to provide the initial capital investment needed to execute projects using repayments from Utilities Services Program savings. In total, ESPC programs have 613 task orders at 95 installations representing $2.4 billion in private sector investments. Industry partners bring expertise to build mutually beneficial business cases for innovative ways to build and operate efficient installations. It's a win for both the Army and industry.
STRENGTHENING ARMY FAMILIES
Army installations deliver Soldier and Family programs that build life skills and strengthen Army Families and communities. The foundation for the collective strength of the Army is built by people who volunteer from communities across America to take a place in our formations. The Families of our Soldiers make sacrifices for the nation that contribute to Army readiness and make a vital contribution to achieving mission success. Our commitment to Army Families is unwavering and remains a top priority for Army Senior Leaders.
The Army improved permanent change of station moves for Soldiers and their Families. We standardized sponsorship procedures across the Army from receipt of reassignment notification through successful integration of the Soldier and Family into the new unit, installation and community. Adding a sponsorship module to Army Career Tracker (ACT) provides commanders immediate feedback on their sponsorship posture. The Army is developing additional refinements by tailoring sponsorship services to match the needs of Soldiers at different career stages.
We also administer several Army forums that provide feedback for our Army Families and Survivors. Forums like the Army Family Action Plan and Survivor Advisory Working Group (SAWG) provide regular feedback to Army senior leaders from across the Total Force on quality of life issues, identify resolutions, and propose recommendations for programmatic, policy, or legislative changes. These forums demonstrate the Army's committment to improving the quality of life for our Families and an enduring bond to support our Survivors.
Army installations remain enablers of Army readiness and quality of life. Installations are platforms to generate Soldier and Unit readiness while providing the appropriate care, support and services for Soldiers, Families, Civilians and Survivors.
The Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management is committed to enterprise wide installation management that sets conditions for a trained and ready Army now and in the future through our resourcing strategy, partnerships, energy assurance, and Solider and Family Programs.
Related Links:
Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management
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