BAGHDAD, IRAQ -- Gen. Daniel Allyn, vice chief of staff of the Army, visited service members at Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command -- Operation Inherent Resolve, Jan. 14.
While the 35th vice chief highlighted a number of issues with Soldiers during an open-discussion luncheon, the increase in force numbers was the most popular topic of conversation.
The recent National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 puts the Army at an end strength of 476,000 Soldiers by the end of 2017.
Spc. Nathaniel Wilkinson, fire support specialist, 1st Infantry Division, attended the lunch. He said it was exciting meeting the four-star general and learning about the upcoming change.
"I asked him specifically about increasing our numbers," Wilkinson said. "He wants to fill the gaps within our ranks and try to build up our Army."
Wilkinson said with the numbers that the Army is at now, he has to take on a larger burden than he normally would. He hopes the increase in numbers will help ease the burden many Soldiers face.
"We can take on more and new challenges," Wilkinson said. "We will be better able to spread our resources around to more people."
Not only are more Soldiers asked to take on additional responsibility but also they are being asked to assume the duties traditionally associated with positions of more senior higher rank.
Sgt. Matthew Champ, administrative non-commissioned officer, 1st Infantry Division, currently supports the CJFLCC mission by filling a sergeant first class position.
"In my job, it will allow for better rank structure," Champ said. "We will be able to do our jobs better. I can train junior Soldiers to be good, quality leaders."
The Army will benefit as a whole, Champ said.
"We will have a better trained Army," Champ said. "We will have more people to train Soldiers, develop them, counsel them, mentor them and we can take our time with each Soldier to cultivate our ranks. We will have our more experienced people move up because there will be more positions to fill."
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