Joint Modernization Command’s academics session helps inform the force on Multi-Domain Operations

Photo By Jonathan Koester | Soldiers and civilians gather for the Joint Modernization Command's Joint Warfighting Assessment 20 Academics session on Feb. 25 at Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany.  

GERMANY

03.24.2020

Story by Jonathan Koester 

Joint Modernization Command

By David Hampton
U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command

The U.S. Army Joint Modernization Command, in coordination with U.S. Army Europe, hosted the Joint Warfighting Assessment 20 Academics session at Clay Kaserne, Wiesbaden, Germany, from February 25-27, followed by a similar session for the Theater Fires Command structure on February 28.

Though the sessions were in preparation for JWA 20, which was eventually canceled by the Army because of COVID-19 concerns, the education remained valuable as the Army moves forward to Multi-Domain Operations.

The purpose of Academics was to inform USAREUR senior leaders and staff on the differences between how the Army currently fights alongside the Joint force and its multinational partners and the way it will fight in an MDO environment in 2028.

As Col. Jim Van Atta, the Chief of JMC’s Multi-Domain Operations Group explained, "Our goal when we engage with the operational force, specifically with forward positioned leaders, is to provide an opportunity to learn about future warfare and Multi-Domain Operations through professional dialog on the three tenets of the concept: force posture, MDO formations, and convergence. In facilitating this dialog, we allow current warfare practitioners to advance possible future MDO solutions while acknowledging the reality and challenges the operational force will face in 2028 and beyond."

USAREUR Commander Lt. Gen. Christopher Cavoli opened the three-day session with his vision for the future of MDO. He explained that there are significant differences between how we fight today and how the Army envisions we will fight in 2028 using MDO concepts, capabilities and new formations.

Brig. Gen. Johnny Davis, Commanding General of JMC, also attended, along with USAREUR leadership and multi-national partners from Great Britain, France, Germany and Poland. Davis summed up the week-long session by saying that Academics really helps to inform and educate the force and begins to operationalize many of the future concepts.

“Our engagements this week highlighted the need to train together as a Joint and Multinational team to solidify the critical path to a future MDO-enabled force,” Davis said.

• Date Taken: 03.24.2020
• Date Posted: 03.24.2020 17:28
• Story ID: 365811
• Location: DE