Almost four months after the Senate first received his nomination to be the top civilian in the Department of the Army, former Raytheon executive Mark Esper took his oath of office Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Esper, a West Point graduate and former lieutenant colonel, will join Army Undersecretary Ryan McCarthy, who had been serving as the acting secretary since his own August swearing-in, on an ambitious line-up of initiatives that includes reforming the Army\u2019s notoriously slow \u2014 and often wasteful \u2014 procurement process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks to your service, our Army remains the world\u2019s premier ground combat force and the bedrock of our nation\u2019s defense,\u201d Esper wrote in a Tuesday letter<\/a> addressed to the force. \u201cThis is why the readiness and welfare of our soldiers, civilians and their families will always be foremost in my mind, and why I intend to pursue initiatives that will offer the professional opportunities and quality of life all deserve.\u201c His top priorities will be readiness, modernization and a commitment to Army values, Esper wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis includes treating everyone with respect, collaborating broadly, and always doing the right thing,\u201d he wrote. \u201cThe Army is at its best when it works and fights as one team, and with the challenges we face ahead, a recommitment to these values will serve us well.\u201d
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