Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka | Nevada Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Bill Burks presents retired Gen. Carter F. Ham with...... read more read more
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Retired Gen. Carter F. Ham, former commander of U.S. Africa Command and chairman of the eight-person National Commission on the Future of the Army report submitted earlier this year, emphasized the importance of the "one Army" concept during a discussion with Nevada National Guard soldiers Monday at the Office of the Adjutant General here.
Ham, the executive vice president of the Association of the United States Army, or AUSA, was in the region for three days this week and was the featured speaker for the local AUSA chapter’s Armed Forces Day Brunch in Reno on Sunday.
“Thank you for choosing to serve,” Ham said to soldiers of the Nevada Army Guard. Ham retired in 2013 after serving as the second commander of United States Africa Command. “I don’t know of a more important time or a more critical for you to be serving. The challenges are immense.”
After his retirement, Ham served as chairman for the National Commission on the Future of the Army submitted Jan. 28.
On Monday, Ham met with members of the Nevada National Guard and its leadership to discuss the report.
After a year of fact-finding and discussion, the congressionally-mandated commission released 63 recommendations on how the Army should best organize and employ the total force in the face of sequestration.
The commission recommended a “minimally sufficient” force strength of 450,000 troops for the active component, 335,000 for the Guard and 195,000 in the Reserve to meet the nation's challenges. To suggest anything less would be a “dangerous notion,” Ham said Monday.
“My question back to them (the Armed Services Committee) was, ‘Is that what you want? Do you want a minimally sufficient Army?” Ham said. “…Personally, I would prefer us to have an Army that is better than minimally sufficient.”
To meet future challenges, Ham called the all-volunteer force a “national treasure” and emphasized the importance of the “total Army” or “one Army” concept seeking to maximize the resources of the three Army components: Guard, Reserve and active duty U.S. Army.
“Congress will wrestle with resourcing,” Ham said. “The tougher part falls to all who wear the uniform. And that is: What are the actions that you are taking as a leader to contribute to the one Army concept?”
He added the importance of cross training among the three Army components and said: “The goal is to create a cohort of leaders — non-commissioned officers and officers — who more thoroughly understand the total Army.”
Ham also spoke at the National Security Forum at the Ramada in Reno during his visit for a discussion titled “Responding to Increased Security: Challenges in Europe and Africa.” Ty Cobb, a former professor at West Point, retired lieutenant colonel and advisor to President Ronald Reagan, also spoke at the event.
“It was a tremendous opportunity for General Ham to share his knowledge and experience with the AUSA Westmorland Chapter as well as the National Security Forum and the Nevada National Guard,” said Maj. Jerry Morris, the chapter president and U.S. Property and Fiscal Office logistics officer, Nevada Army National Guard.
Since 1950, AUSA has supported and advanced the interests of America's Army and the men and women who serve, according to the association’s mission statement.
| Date Taken: | 05.25.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2016 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 199053 |
| Location: | CARSON CITY, NV, US |
| Web Views: | 315 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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