ARLINGTON, Va. — Top Army officials and key stakeholders from across the Department of Defense and industry gathered last week for the Association of the United States Army’s “Hot Topic” forum, focusing on one of the Army’s most critical priorities: transforming installations to support the future force.
Hosted at AUSA’s General Gordon R. Sullivan Conference and Events Center, the event — themed “Transforming Army Installations: Our Foundations of Warfighter Readiness and Lethality” — brought together over 130 participants. Attendees engaged in discussions aimed at modernizing, maintaining and operating the Army's installations to ensure they meet the needs of Soldiers and their families. The conference highlighted the critical role installation transformation plays in strengthening national security, deterring adversaries and ensuring the Army's readiness to fight and win future conflicts.
The forum opened with remarks from Lt. Gen. David Wilson, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, who set the tone for the day’s discussions by underscoring the strategic importance of installations by enabling readiness and operational reach.
Throughout the event, senior leaders laid out a clear vision of how Army installations must evolve to meet the demands of multidomain operations and a rapidly shifting threat environment. Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer focused on just that by participating on a panel discussion on operationalizing installations to support the missions of today and tomorrow.
Mr. David H. Dentino, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Housing and Partnerships, participated in a panel discussion on the Army’s roadmap to build, maintain and restore infrastructure to enable warfighter readiness. He pointed to a need for more adaptive, responsive and efficient installations that are capable of supporting the full spectrum of military operations.
Mr. Brandon C. Cockrell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy and Sustainability, participated in a panel discussion on transforming at the pace of emerging operational requirements.
“Installations must be capable of becoming an island in a contested environment,” he said. “We must leverage technology and innovation to transform installations to meet current and emerging threats. This transformation will directly lead to increased lethality and resilience across the Army. Our goal is to create modern installations that are self-sufficient and capable of projecting power, all while providing top-notch facilities and services for our Soldiers, civilians and their families."
Lt. Gen. Omar J. Jones IV, commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command, talked about IMCOM’s mission to ensure Army readiness at 104 installations in 13 countries around the globe. IMCOM, whose motto is “We are the Army’s home,” works tirelessly to deliver programs and services, Jones said, and to maintain infrastructure for the Soldiers, families and civilians who live, work and train on Army installations.
The event provided a venue for military leaders, policymakers and industry to align around shared goals and to chart actionable paths forward.
As the Army continues to confront the demands of large-scale combat operations and great power competition, leaders at the event were united in their message: transforming Army installations is not just a facilities issue — it’s a strategic imperative.
“This is about readiness, lethality and ensuring our Soldiers have what they need — not just to fight, but to win,” said Dentino. “And it starts at home, on the installations that support them every day.”
Social Sharing