The Army will be gutted and in danger of “wasting away” if the sequestration stranglehold on its budget continues, the service’s secretary said Monday at the opening of the Army’s largest annual gathering.
A crowd of soldiers, veterans, civilians and industry reps jammed the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of the Association of the Army at the convention center in Washington, D.C.
In his keynote address, Army Secretary John McHugh lost no time in voicing the Army leadership’s primary concern. Soldiers are on missions from Ukraine to the Philippines to Liberia, across six continents and 150 countries, McHugh said, helping allies and “winning the peace.”
“They don’t call Beijing, they don’t call Moscow. They call us. To answer the calls, and answer we must, we must remain a robust, reliable and ready force, not some hollowed-out shadow of our formal self,” McHugh said. “Airplanes and ships alone cannot win our wars or protect the peace.”
“Sequestration would require the Army to slash our end strength far below the 450,000 currently reflected in our fiscal 2015 budget, McHugh said. That would Impose unacceptable risk, and executing even one long multiphase contingency operation would be in question, he said.
Crucial decisions are being made now on modernization and equipping the force, he said.
“This is a time for predictability, not a time for politics. We must have predictable long term funding to keep America and her allies free from fear, intimidation and tyranny,” he said. “If sequestration returns in fiscal ’16 … Another round of indiscriminate cuts will gut the force to the point that we will be unable to meet the president’s defense strategic guidance. We will be at risk of wasting away.”
There are two nonnegotiables: “readiness and the well-being of our people’” he said. “We have to provide soldiers and their families everything they need to successfully win the fight … as well as transition to garrison and even to civilian life. We must offer care and suuport to our wounded warriors, harvesting and retaining the experience, judgment and talents of our battle tested soldiers. We must regain expertise as trainers” after a long period at war.
The Army is focused on new ways of managing smaller budgets, and must embrace the work ahead “we will let others decide for us.”
Gen. Gordon Sullivan, president of the AUSA, announced the theme of the gathering: “Trusted professionals — today and tomorrow,” and called the Army “America’s greatest servant.”
Soldiers who stand as examples of the Army profession were featured in a series of videos, including one Maj. Christina Cook, the Army’s first Bradley commander, who emphasized the importance of preparing soldiers and investing time in them. The gunner today will be the sergeant major of the future, Cook said, and the Army standards he learns now will make all the difference.
Sullivan struck an emotional note, asking the audience to thank the soldiers.
“Thank them for themselves, and for the soldiers in godforsaken places doing what is right for America,” Sullivan said, prompting a standing ovation.
“I’m glad to be in a place where ‘boots on the ground’ is not an insult,” McHugh said. “By God, for us, the more boots the merrier.”
Awards
The opening ceremony included several award presentations, including:
■ General Creighton W. Abrams Medal: Lt. Gen. (ret.) Arthur J. Gregg, Dumfries, Virginia
■ Major General Anthony J. Drexel Biddle Medal: Carlene Joseph, Puyallup, Washington
■ Lieutenant General Raymond S. McLain Medal: Maj Gen. Timothy E. Orr, Johnston, Iowa
■ Major General James Earl Rudder Medal: Maj. Gen. (ret.) Paul E. Mock, Alta Loma, California
■ Sgt. Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge Noncommissioned Officer Medal: Command Sgt. Major (ret.) Richard C. Morris, Waynesville, Missouri
■ The Joseph P. Cribbins Award: Alecia R. Grady, Steilacoom, Washington
■ The AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Award: The Sgt. 1st Class Charles Hindbaugh Family, El Paso, Texas
■ The AUSA National Service Award: Army Emergency Relief (AER), Alexandria, Virginia
