RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, Texas — Leaders from across the Tank-automotive and Armaments Command met April 28–30 at Red River Army Depot’s Elliott Lake for the Depot and Arsenal Commanders’ Forum. The three‑day session focused on modernization and the Army’s broader transformation priorities.
Brig. Gen. Beth A. Behn, commanding general of TACOM, hosted the event. She brought together commanders from depots and arsenals responsible for sustaining the Army’s ground equipment fleet, along with senior leaders from TACOM headquarters and the Integrated Logistics Support Center, which is responsible for repair parts planning and supply chain management. This was the third year Red River hosted the spring session of the forum.
“What I see as the way ahead is more change and more fast-paced decisions,” Behn said. “The great thing for us is that we’ll just keep driving readiness and delivering it in the best way that we can. We’ll continue taking advantage of opportunities as they come and overcome obstacles as well.”
TACOM oversees six major industrial facilities that manufacture, repair, and modernize critical systems, including Red River Army Depot, Anniston Army Depot, Sierra Army Depot, Watervliet Arsenal, Rock Island Arsenal – Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, and the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima.
Forum sessions focused on aligning each organization’s modernization plans with the Army’s transformation goals and identifying capability gaps across the enterprise. Depot and arsenal commanders and deputy commanders also had the opportunity for open dialogue on several topics, including navigating funding constraints, harmonizing policies and reducing regulatory burdens, streamlining procurement, and exploring process‑improvement strategies.
“The point is the force that we support is going to look very different in 10 to 15 years,” Behn said. “Across the Organic Industrial Base, we have to think about what the future force is going to look like and how can we start implementing things right now which we’re honestly already doing.”
Behn encouraged commanders to look beyond near‑term requirements and consider how their facilities must evolve to meet future demands. Modernization, she noted, is not a single initiative but a continuous process requiring coordination across the enterprise.
“Over the last year, we’ve had some tremendous opportunities emerge,” Behn said. “A year ago, we didn’t see or have eyesight of opportunities like the ones at Anniston or Rock Island. I believe we are now nested and aligned with our higher headquarters and Department of the Army transformation initiatives, and I feel good about where our focus is across the board.”
The forum concluded with a shared commitment to continue refining modernization strategies and strengthening collaboration across the enterprise. As the Army advances its transformation priorities, TACOM’s depots and arsenals remain central to sustaining the force and preparing for future operational demands.