Posted on 11/01/2005 4:38:50 PM PST by SandRat
America was fighting the war against terrorism long before 9/11 and will continue to do so for many years to come, with Fort Huachuca playing a critical role.
Lt. Gen. John Kimmons, deputy chief of staff G-2, United States Army, made these remarks as guest speaker at the Military Intelligence Corps Association luncheon.
There are many challenges facing this country, he told the audience at the fort’s Thunder Mountain Activity Centre, none more so than extremist insurgency groups.
And it is an issue America has been dealing with for three to four decades, long before Sept. 11, 2001, he added.
“It’s not just about Iraq or Afghanistan and it’s not about a single attack,” said Kimmons. “This is a war that involves global insurgency and it will go on for a long time. This is a marathon for the nation and intelligence.”
When asked by a soldier if he was concerned about manning shortages, Kimmons said he hoped it was a problem which could eventually be solved.
He admitted the military currently had a disproportionate number of soldiers on deployments or getting ready to deploy.
“The request for forces keeps coming in,” he said.
But the formation of the right number of new battalions should eventually mean that deployments can be sustained at an acceptable level, Kimmons added.
“The bottom line is that we will not be able to do all that we need to do, until we increase the size of our forces structure and align that with the disciplines we need the most. We have got to grow the force and empower it,” he said.
In an interview with the Herald/Review Kimmons, who moved into his current job in Washington D.C. in August, said Fort Huachuca would continue to play a vital role in the ongoing war against terrorism.
“The fort has a critical role because it’s really where our doctrine comes together with the lessons learned from the global war on terrorism,” he said. “Fort Huachuca really is the sweet spot. It’s a center of excellence, always has been, and has grown significantly since 9/11. And that’s not replicated anywhere else in the U.S. All disciplines come together to be trained here.”
With intelligence playing such a significant role in today’s battle fields, Kimmons said he would like to see more resources injected into the fort.
“Clearly I would like it to grow and I think it will grow as the mission out here expands,” he said, adding that the fort is already setting standards which will be replicated across the military board.
And the multi-cultural relationships enjoyed at Fort Huachuca, through foreign exchange and liaison officers, as well as military students from around the world, will only serve to enhance the installation’s abilities to deliver on its missions, said Kimmons.
“One of the things we have not, historically, done well is have a good appreciation for cultural traditions worldwide. We have been too insular,” he said. “But Fort Huachuca is a cultural training center. We need to have the perspective that foreign-born Americans bring, as well as the perspective foreign born foreigners bring as a coalition, particularly in the way that we train and prepare our soldiers at all levels.”
WOT PING
“The fort has a critical role because it’s really where our doctrine comes together with the lessons learned from the global war on terrorism,” he said. “Fort Huachuca really is the sweet spot. It’s a center of excellence, always has been, and has grown significantly since 9/11. And that’s not replicated anywhere else in the U.S. All disciplines come together to be trained here.”
I don't how threads work as far as what goes or stays. This thread talks about abuse of MRE's at ebay. Gulf coast folks selling them illegally,
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1511649/posts
BTTT
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