The Army Capstone Concept Way Ahead

General Martin E. Dempsey is the Commanding General of the U.S. Army

repost from TRADOC live.

Two months ago, TRADOC published a major revision to the Army’s capstone

concept under the title,

The Army

Uncertainty and Complexity in an Era of Persistent Conflict 2016-2028. This

landmark document describes the broad capabilities the Army will require in the

operational environment to defend America and help secure our interests in the

world.

The writing and publication of this concept was a significant undertaking,

and it will have major implications and ramifications across our Army for years

to come. I intend to use the capstone concept to provide the common language and

conceptual foundation for an ongoing campaign of learning and analysis that will

allow the Army to evaluate, refine, and improve all of its core competencies.

This is not a document that just gets put on a shelf to collect dust. Rather,

the prioritized capabilities that emerge from it and other, more detailed

subordinate concepts, will guide changes in doctrine, organization, training,

materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy. The Army

of the future will learn differently, build leaders differently, train

differently and redesign itself more quickly. And, the capstone concept serves

as our "line of departure" for building that Army.

We held our Army Capstone Concept Summit at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. on Jan 21

to explore the document’s implications – on our warfighting challenges, our Army

Concept Framework and the foundation it sets for ensuring sound modernization

strategies and warfighting effectiveness. Our way forward is to continue to work

within TRADOC and outside stakeholders to implement the real and positive change

the Army Capstone Concept demands for the future – this will be a team effort.