AFC hosts inaugural Army Future Readiness Conference

By Maureena Thompson, Army Futures CommandJanuary 3, 2023

Gen. James E. Rainey discusses Army transformation with Army Future Readiness Conference attendees.
Commanding General of Army Futures Command Gen. James E. Rainey discusses Army transformation goals with Army Future Readiness Conference attendees, Camp Mabry, Texas, Dec. 13, 2022. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, Army Futures Command) VIEW ORIGINAL

CAMP MABRY, Texas — Delivering the Army of 2030 and designing the Army of 2040 requires expertly coordinated knowledge, investment, assessment and vision — all of which are enabled by the Army Strategy and the Army Campaign Plan.

To support execution of the Army Campaign Plan and assist Army leaders in identifying and resolving friction points related to the pursuit of future force objectives, U.S. Army Futures Command hosted its inaugural Army Future Readiness Conference at Camp Mabry from Dec. 13 to 15, 2022.

The high-level, closed-door event included the participation of approximately 350 leaders and subject matter experts, among them Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Gabe Camarillo; Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Hon. Douglas R. Bush; and Commanding General of Army Futures Command Gen. James E. Rainey.

“We all really care about the Army,” Rainey acknowledged, underscoring participants’ shared motivation behind convening to exchange ideas and solidify progress.

Hon. Gabe Camarillo speaks to Army Future Readiness Conference participants.
Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Gabe Camarillo speaks to Army Future Readiness Conference participants, Camp Mabry, Texas, Dec. 13, 2022. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, Army Futures Command) VIEW ORIGINAL

The conference served as an opportunity to delve into priority areas of transformation while synchronizing complementary activities across key stakeholders, including Army Futures Command, Army Material Command, Army Training and Doctrine Command, Army Forces Command and Headquarters, Department of the Army.

Topics covered spanned doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities and policy, with organizers emphasizing the importance of grounding Army transformation processes in strong concepts, refined requirements and nimble data analysis.

During the conference, Army senior leaders highlighted the need to work together closely to iterate new solutions and advance future readiness efforts.

“No one organization has the ability to make this succeed, to make it all work,” Camarillo said.

“The Army is at its strongest when we’re unified,” Bush agreed.

Hon. Douglas R. Bush provides remarks at the inaugural Army Future Readiness Conference.
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Hon. Douglas R. Bush provides remarks on Army transformation at the inaugural Army Future Readiness Conference, Camp Mabry, Texas, Dec. 13, 2022. “We are about being a team. Individuals in the Army don’t accomplish things, teams do,” Bush told participants. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, Army Futures Command) VIEW ORIGINAL

This ethos was put into practice through a series of in-depth working groups, which encouraged participants to think through potential opportunities and challenges with a people-first and team-oriented lens.

Experienced Soldiers and Department of the Army Civilians from around the country focused conversations on systems the Army plans to field in the near future while also establishing linkages to future conferences and expanded transformation activities.

“I’m confident this team can do all of it,” Camarillo said of the collective and ongoing transformation endeavor.

Army Futures Command provides Army modernization solutions — integrated concepts, organizations designs and technologies — in order to allow the Joint Force, employing Army capabilities, to achieve overmatch in the Future Operational Environment. The command is uniquely charged with integrating with partners across DOTMLPF-P, so the Army has the right tools and plans in place to deter, defeat and win.

The Army Future Readiness Conference was designed and hosted by AFC to support the Army Campaign Plan, in mutual reinforcement of other Army command conferences, to effectively execute the Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model.