{"id":24233,"date":"2018-06-13T13:43:05","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T13:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/06\/13\/gen-milley-is-right-the-us-army-is-on-the-mend\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:07:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:07:16","slug":"gen-milley-is-right-the-us-army-is-on-the-mend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2018\/06\/13\/gen-milley-is-right-the-us-army-is-on-the-mend\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen. Milley is right: The US Army is on the mend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last month, in an appearance before the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley provided a notably upbeat assessment of the state of his service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Army is on the mend. I can report out to you today, after two and a half years as the chief of staff of the Army, we are in significantly better shape than we were just a short time ago. And that is through the generosity of this Congress and the American people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, some of the credit for the Army\u2019s improved state of affairs is a result of the recently passed two-year budget, which provided a much-needed increase in resources. The Army has been able to grow its end strength, purchase needed munitions and spare parts, increase training activities, and recapitalize older and damaged equipment. More resources have also enabled the Army force to expand its presence in Europe, increase, albeit modestly, procurement<\/a> of upgraded Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Strykers, and acquire the new Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But much of the credit goes to the Army chief of staff himself. About a year and a half ago, I wrote a blog for the National Interest titled \u201cPerhaps the Most Remarkable CSA in More than Half a Century<\/a>.\u201d It was Gen. Milley who made modernization the measure of success for his tenure as the Army chief of staff. This change in strategic direction came just in time, ahead of the reappearance of great power competition as the greatest threat to this nation\u2019s security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen. Milley is not alone in his quest. In fact, it is a troika consisting of Secretary of the Army Mark Esper, Under Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarty and the chief that is fashioning a new Army in record time and doing so while simultaneously transforming the Army\u2019s acquisition system. This is the proverbial case of changing the car\u2019s tires while speeding down the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\t