U.S. Army Futures Command officially activates in Austin

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Banzhaf | Gen. Mark A. Milley, Chief of Staff of the Army, speaks about the impact of the city of Austin will have on the U.S. Army through the newly established Futures Command, Aug. 24 at the AFC headquarters in Austin, Texas. The establishment of Army Futures Command marks one of the most significant Army reorganization efforts since 1973, when the U.S. Army disestablished the Continental Army Command and Combat Development Command, and redistributed their functions between two new commands, U.S. Army Forces Command and U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon M. Banzhaf, 24th Press Camp Headquarters/Released)  

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES

08.24.2018

Courtesy Story

Army Futures Command

The U.S. Army activated the U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) in a ceremony in downtown Austin on Aug. 24 signaling its most significant reorganization since 1973.


The four-star command, headquartered in the University of Texas System Building, joins Forces Command, Army Materiel Command, and Training and Doctrine Command as the fourth major Army command.


Gen. John Murray, who was promoted in a ceremony earlier in the day, uncased the colors alongside Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Crosby and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Mark Milley.


“Although geographically dispersed across the United States, the Army Futures Command will have a singular focus to make Soldiers and their units more effective and more lethal today and in to the future,” said Murray. “From this location, we will provide the unity of command and unity of effort that will bring the concepts, requirements, science and technology, research and development, testing and engineering, and acquisition communities together to ensure the United States Army remains the preeminent ground combat force in the world forever.”


The mission of AFC is to prepare and equip Soldiers and units to deploy, fight, and win the nation’s wars in the near-term and far into the future. In order to meet the American people’s expectations, the Army must be able to shoot, move, communicate, protect, and sustain better than its adversaries. AFC, and its subordinate organizations, will for the first time oversee a myriad of areas within the U.S. Army focused on modernization under one command.


“The only thing that is more expensive than preventing a war is fighting a war. And the only thing that is more expensive than fighting a war is fighting and losing a war,” said Milley. “So this command is all about setting the U.S. Army up, not only to win on the battlefield, but to be decisive and absolutely dominant on the battlefield.”

“This command is our scout into the future. [It} is the command of the Army that is going to look over the hill,” said Milley.


After an exhaustive search, the U.S. Army chose Austin because it provides AFC the best opportunities to partner with academia, entrepreneurs, and innovators in the private sector.

“We’re excited to establish Army Futures Command outside a traditional military base,” said Secretary of the Army, the Honorable Mark Esper. “We knew that to do this right we needed to immerse ourselves in an area where innovation occurs at speed far faster than the current process allows.”

• Date Taken: 08.24.2018
• Date Posted: 08.24.2018 16:42
• Story ID: 290272
• Location: AUSTIN, TX, US