Strategic Crossroads
What is it'
Our nation and its Army are positioned at a unique point in history. This is not quite like any other year. We must now consider the hard-won lessons of recent combat experience, current and anticipated resource constraints and the uncertainty of the future. The decisions we make will have far reaching and long lasting implications. This calls for deliberate and thoughtful choices and actions as we determine where to best invest our nation's precious resources.
What has the Army done'
Over the course of the past decade, the operational Army has evolved dramatically. The need for change was driven by a fundamental reality: daily contact with a decentralized, adaptive, creative and deadly enemy. The Army's generating force, which prepares, trains, educates and supports Army forces worldwide, is also working to rapidly address the demands placed on the organization by both the current and future operating environments. It has performed magnificently to produce trained and ready forces, even while seeking to adapt institutional business processes.
Furthermore, the Army is working to provide "readiness at best value" in order to help us live within the constraints imposed by the national and international economic situation. In short, the need to reform the Army's institutional management processes and develop an Integrated Management System, while continuing to meet combatant commander requirements, has never been more urgent. Thus, to enhance organizational adaptive capacity, while wisely stewarding our resources, the Army initiated a number of efforts along three primary business transformation objectives: establish an enterprise mindset and approach; adapt institutional processes to align with ARFORGEN; and reform the requirements and resource process.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future'
The Army is working to reform our requirements and resourcing process in order to create an organizationally aligned set of capabilities. As part of that effort, the Army initiated an Army Acquisition Review. This review will provide a blueprint for actions over the next two years to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Army acquisition processes. The Army also commissioned a short-term task force to analyze costs, establish credible benchmarks and have better understanding of where investment dollars go, and what comes back in return. The Army is developing a systematic approach to business processes that will ensure that innovative ideas and efficiencies influence future budgets.
Furthermore, the Army instituted a portfolio review process that is bringing discipline to acquisition programs by evaluating and realigning requirements with the reality of today and what the Army will need in years to come. This Capability Portfolio Review process is providing detailed analysis and recommendations to revalidate, modify or terminate each requirement, including research and development, procurement and sustainment accounts.
Why is this important to the Army'
These reviews help identify gaps and unnecessary redundancies, while ensuring good stewardship of the nation's resources. This foundation will identify savings, manage strategic risks, maximize flexibility and posture the Army even more effectively for the future.
For more information see <a href="https://secureweb2.hqda.pentagon.mil/VDAS_ArmyPostureStatement/2011/aps_pages/strategiccrossroads.asp" target="_blank">Strategic Crossroads </a> in the 2011 Army Posture Statement.
Resource:
<a href="http://www.army.mil/aps/11" target="_blank">2011 Army Posture Statement</a>
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