Telling the Army Story

By Office of the Chief of Public AffairsApril 17, 2012

People are our Army

We are an Army for the people, of the people. And for more than two centuries we have been at the forefront of protecting freedom and democracy, making good on our promises to the American people. In the beginning, we were the pioneers, townspeople, and patriots who found the strength to win our independence. Since then, we've defended the Nation against threats to our democracy and to the American way of life. Today, the truth remains- America's greatest generations are founded on the sacrifices of her strongest citizens, the American soldier. In order for all Americans to enjoy the freedom to speak freely, to let our children grow up to be anything they want, and to have our voices heard in an open government, we stand guard in remote outposts around the globe, endure months of separation from family and friends and tend to the wounded while honoring the fallen. We have always been and will always be the strength of the nation. As soldiers, we recognize that our strength comes from the strength of our whole nation… It comes from the people we fight beside and the ones we fight for. So no matter the challenge, and no matter the sacrifice we remain vigilant. We are America's sons and daughters, bonded together by trust, the bedrock of our profession.

Nation's Force of Decisive Action

Our world is constantly changing and so are the threats to our way of life. As the Nation's force of decisive action, whether we face traditional attacks, cyber warfare or natural disasters; or whether we are called upon to provide humanitarian aid, we will always be ready and able to answer the call. That means that both in times of war or in times of peace, at home or abroad, we have the depth, versatility, and agility to protect our freedoms. To meet today's challenges and take on tomorrow's uncertain conflicts, we must leverage the right combination of technology and manpower to give our national leadership the flexibility they need to make critical decisions. But our responsibility extends further; we are the decisive arm of the joint force. That means in addition to fighting and winning our nation's wars, we ensure that other military branches and government agencies are enabled in their missions. Now, as we move toward the Army of 2020 to meet our nation's defense strategy, we are working to prevent conflict and shape the international environment so that our allies are empowered and our enemies contained. But, when we are called to fight, we will be ready to win, and win decisively. Because as Americans, our right to live free is not negotiable, and neither is our commitment to defend it.

Meeting the Needs of the Nation

As an Army for the people, of the people - We are responsible for meeting the needs of the nation. And during this period of constrained resources, we must do more than defend this Nation and defeat our enemies. We must continue to ensure that we are wisely using the resources entrusted to us by the American people. That means we're taking the lead in energy security and sustainability. Our developments in green technologies, solar power and water conservation are protecting the lives of soldiers and providing them an advantage on the battlefield, while reducing our dependency on traditional fuels. We continue to push forward on medical innovations, providing world-class care to our wounded, ill and injured. Additionally, we are making smart investments in cutting-edge technologies to provide our soldiers a decisive advantage in any mission. And as we reduce the size of the Army and shape our force for the future, we are applying best business practices to how we run the Army, so that we are responsible and efficient in all that we do. In response to the changing needs of the Nation, we continue prepare our soldiers to be the foremost leaders in any arena - whether it's in the office, in the classroom, the operating room, or in our communities. Our Army values, teamwork, leadership skills and commitment to country remain with us when we transition back to our hometowns, where we continue to make impactful and meaningful contributions to our nation. Our sense of responsibility does not end with our military service, and our commitment to the nation endures.