Q & A LT. GEN. STEPHEN M. SPEAKES
against the IED. Is it ideal? No. It’s
heavy and bulky and has challenges
with mobility. But the current state of them and the follow-on impact that critics — namely, “Do we have the
battlefi eld demands this be the next goes with it. Our soldiers are routinely right balance? Are we overinvest-
improvement. How long will this subject to this. ing in the future vice fulfi lling our
be the gold standard? I don’t know. What I have learned from them responsibility to ensure our soldier
Fifteen months ago, the up-armored on a more personal level is about the in combat today is properly sup-
HUMVEE was the gold standard. change and development as someone ported, trained, and equipped?” It
Now it’s MRAP. I cannot predict goes from adolescence and young will do me no good — it will do the
where the enemy will go next. adulthood to now being a combat Army no good — in my view, to have
veteran even though they are only 24. a very fancy piece of equipment 10
If you find things that make sol- I see through them what it’s like to years from now if a soldier you know
diers safer and more effective, if today is not operating with the best
they are not a part of the modern-
It will do the
America can provide.
ization under FCS, how are you
funding them? Army no good As you explain it, it sounds like this
If they are essential, we need to fi nd
some more money, and we need to
... if a soldier...
modernization does not end. It just
keeps going on, doesn’t it?
ask the American people to bear with
is not operat-
Exactly. Precisely. This is an ever-
us and understand while we have
American soldiers committed as we
ing with the
changing, relentless, and continual
process of transformation and mod-
do. We’ll ask for help, but we’ve iden-
tifi ed contributions we can make. We
best America
ernization. There will never be an
end state and frankly, the capabilities
have gone internally and identifi ed
can provide.
will always be there to improve.
programs that just are not panning We want the best for soldiers
out and have given money back. today, but the best today won’t be the
Funding is a collaborative effort be- best tomorrow. So, in a very seamless
tween the Congress, the American deal with incredible tragedy. I see the way, we want to provide a continuous
people, and the Army. It has to be. premature aging of someone who is path of improvement. We want that
young chronologically but who has soldier of tomorrow to be more sur-
Crusader and Comanche are two seen and participated in things that vivable. We want that soldier to have
major programs that have gotten give you a deep reservoir of sadness. more capability, more endurance,
the axe. What’s to say this won’t But they’re not unique. This is typical and more lethality. We need to keep
happen again? for this incredible group that has been a continuous suite of improvements
We are concerned the Army has had a deepened and broadened by their founded around the soldier.
tradition of getting fl agship modern- experience in combat. As a parent it America is engaged in persistent
ization programs terminated. But we inspires me. As a member of the Army confl ict. If this is to continue over
ought to realize that systems designed it inspires me even more. months and years, we need to ensure
in the ’60s and ’70s and procured in we have an Army that is appropri-
the ’80s have some limitations on What do you say to critics who ate to the task at hand. So far, with
today’s battlefi eld. We are not into claim too much is being put congressional and public support, we
debating the past; we are making the toward the future and too little have been able to provide the soldiers
case that what we are doing now is toward the current force? with the capability they need. I hope
extraordinarily important. There are some key issues right now that we continue to give soldiers only
from people with concerns — our the very best, today and tomorrow. MO
You have two sons in the Army.
How does that affect what you do?
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
It has been interesting watching them,
and they are typical of a remarkable Do you think today’s servicemembers are adequately equipped?
force. It is awe-inspiring to hear them
What could be improved? Share your views at
www.moaa.org/
describe surviving an IED blast, about
discussion. Scroll down to Modernization.
the whole world exploding around
DECEMBER 2007 MILITARY OFFICER 57
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