ARCIC Ensures Army S&T Pays Dividends

Since World War II, possessing the operational and functional technology advantage, also referred to as overmatch, has been one of the cornerstones of our nation’s defense. ARCIC, as directed by the Secretary of the Army in General Order No. 4, is charged with the “validation of research and development priorities for key Army science and technology needs”. In short, ARCIC speaks on behalf of the Warfighter to shape Army S&T efforts today, so these technologies can inevitably retain and increase our advantages in the future.

For this validation, the S&T Division is preparing a memorandum to be signed by the Commanding General, U.S. Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) to lay out the Warfighters’ top priorities for S&T – clearly articulating the top capabilities needed for Force 2025 and Beyond (F25B). As part of this action, each of the TRADOC Centers of Excellence will prepare individual, functionally oriented memorandums for record to accompany the memo from GEN David Perkins to Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA). Our goal is to inform the Long Range Investment Requirements Analysis (LIRA) and provide HQDA S&T Program Objectives Memorandum (POM) guidance additional support.

 

 

 

The Warfighter Priority packet is the result of a deliberate, comprehensive, and thorough plan. The current focus is preparing TRADOC leadership for the upcoming Force 2025 Board of Directors (BoD) Meeting (TBD).
(Graphic provided by ARCIC S&T)

As shown in Figure 1, the Warfighter Priority packet is the result of a deliberate, comprehensive, and thorough plan. The current focus is preparing TRADOC leadership for the upcoming Force 2025 Board of Directors (BoD) Meeting. The S&T Division recently collected and posted technical data sheets for the candidate solutions vetted by Warfighters from across TRADOC during the “F25B Technology Scoring Conference” held in late May in concert with the TRADOC Analysis Center (TRAC).

Each of these candidate technologies have datasheets to showcase the requirements, transition plans, and initial estimates for technical and programmatic risk. Our goal for the BoD is to deliver an analytically derived list of candidate technology solutions that show the greatest merit to deliver the capabilities needed to meet the objectives of Force 2025. The BoD’s approval of this list is of critical importance to influence key decisions in the LIRA and future Army S&T investment.

Also supporting ARCIC’s mandate to validate key priorities is the Technology Update Focus Forum (TUFF) effort. The TUFF is a Capabilities and S&T Materiel Developer effort to bring together a collection of key leaders (Flag Officers) from across the S&T enterprise to share ideas and have meaningful strategic dialog. The goal is to develop a deeper appreciation of the art of the possible and to address in greater detail the future (S&T) needs of the Warfighter.

The purpose for these forums is to provide the foundation that creates better understanding between the Capability and S&T Materiel Developer communities. The management and execution of the TUFF resides with ARCIC and Assistant Secretary of the Army, Acquisition, Logistics and Technology ASA(ALT) as the “co-chairs”. The June 10, 2014 TUFF focused on Human Dimension and Human Performance Optimization. Much of the afternoon discussion was directed towards the near-term and some mid-term solutions; making it clear that more attention is needed toward developing our vision of the far-term.

The Army needs to capture that vision for the human dimension in the 2030’s such that it can treat “Force 2025” as the waypoint it is intended to be. We need to maximize human performance and make a leaner force more capable as part of Force 2025. This effort supports the Chief of Staff of the Army’s (CSA) desire for the Army to become a world leader in optimizing human performance.

About Science and Technology (S&T) Division

ARCIC’s Science and Technology (S&T) Division focuses / validates S&T efforts, manages SAP, Warfighter Outcomes and TIE Program.

 

ARCIC supports the Army Capability Development process

The ACCE’s role in capability development and force modernization centers upon gaining and maintaining visibility of major Doctrine, Organization, Training, Materiel, Leader Development and Education, Personnel, and Facilities (DOTMLPF) capabilities as they progress through transition points within the Army’s capability development process from inception to delivery. The primary purpose for this visibility is to track, assess and analyze the Army’s ability to integrate force requirements and synchronize the development of DOTMLPF solutions across the Army to ensure we deliver the right capability at the right time and right place.

Capabilities are developed within multiple organizations throughout the Army, each of which executes numerous complex processes looping through, out and back among multiple organization stakeholders. ACCE gains and maintains visibility of major DOTMLPF capabilities as they progress through transition points within the Army’s capability development process. Pictured here, a Soldier Network Extension (SNE) vehicle is seen during the recent Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 14.2. (Photo Credit: Nancy JonesBonbrest, PEO C3T)

Capabilities are developed within multiple organizations throughout the Army each of which executes numerous complex processes looping through, out and back among multiple organization stakeholders. Transition points and seams exist throughout each organization and the ACCE is tasked to map these along the temporal capability development path to determine those that are key and critical to the effective and efficient flow of a specific capability from concept to delivery.

 At each organization where a key and critical seam/transition point occurs, the ACCE establishes coordination links to gain visibility of capability status, assess current progress, and assist in a smooth transition. As capabilities enter and exit each organization, the ACCE captures information on its status and assesses if it is progressing on timeline, is as originally programmed, and has no policy or resource constraints that affect either. When a capability has issues, the ACCE analyzes them, develops recommendations to remedy or mitigate the issues to include risk strategies, and informs leadership.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The U.S. Army Human Dimension Concept

 

 

 

The Human Dimension Concept provides a framework to help Army leaders focus on human development. It outlines the process for how the Army will select, develop, sustain and transition Soldiers and civilians in the U.S. Army.

The human dimension encompasses the cognitive, physical and social components of Soldiers, civilians and leaders, focusing on the organizational development and performance essential to raise, prepare and employ the Army in land operations. Unlike the human domain, which focuses on the environment, or external surroundings, the human dimension focuses inwardly on Soldiers and civilians throughout their entire career lifecycle.

The U.S. Army Human Dimension Concept, has been approved and published by Gen. David Perkins, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, The Army recognizes that the American Soldier remains the most discriminately lethal force on the battlefield. In light of the future operational challenges, the Army must invest significantly in the human dimension. This investment requires a unifying, holistic vision: maximized individual and team performance through identification, development and optimal integration of human capabilities. To realize this vision, the Army must assess, integrate and synchronize its training and education, science and technology, medical, and personnel policies, programs, and initiatives.

What has the Army done?

TRADOC’s Army Capabilities Integration Center enlisted experts from the Army, other services, U.S. allies and academia to assist in revising the Human Dimension Concept. The Army established the Human Dimension Council, co-chaired by the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) and ARCIC, to provide oversight and integration of Army-wide human capital programs. The council is tasked with identifying, developing and prioritizing human dimension efforts to deliver actionable, integrated solutions.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

ARCIC will conduct a capabilities-based assessment for the human dimension to identify new materiel and nonmateriel approaches to address capability gaps. During fiscal year 2014 and 2015, most of the integrated concepts within the Army Concept Framework — the foundation of future Army required capabilities — will be revised.

Why is this important to the Army?

As a service, the Army’s central focus is on the Soldier and the Army civilians. Consequently, the human dimension is fundamental to who we are. Because war is inherently a human endeavor, resolution of conflict requires human interaction. In the near and deeper future, the Army will be challenged with complex operational environments and changing fiscal realities. In order to deter conflict, assure the operational environment and compel the nation’s wars, the Army will need Soldiers and civilians who are capable of operating at levels much higher than today.

Resources:

• Army Capabilities Integration Center
• U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
• Related documents:
• – TRADOC PAM 525-3-7: The U.S. Army Human Dimension Concept
• Related STAND-TO!:
• – The U.S. Army Capstone Concept

Perkins travels to Israel to discuss shared challenges, interests with IDF

Gen. David G. Perkins, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, talks to Israel Defense Forces soldiers during inspection of the troops at Latrun. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ken Foringer)

TEL AVIV, Israel — Gen. David G. Perkins, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, led a delegation to Israel to participate in the 23rd Future Battlefield Annual Talks, or FBAT, May 11-15, 2014.

Although TRADOC’s relationship with the Israel Defense Forces began in 1973 following the Yom Kippur War, the FBAT was formally initiated in 1988 as an annual event conducted alternately between locations in the U.S. and Israel.

In addition to the TRADOC commanding general, who has served as U.S. head of delegation since 1990, this year’s U.S. delegation also included Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey, TRADOC command sergeant major; Lt. Gen. Robert Brown, Combined Arms Center commanding general; Maj. Gen. Bill Hix, TRADOC’s deputy director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center and Thomas Greco, TRADOC G-2 deputy chief of staff. The delegation also included leadership from the Maneuver, Fires, Sustainment, Maneuver Support, Aviation, Intelligence and Mission Command Centers of Excellence and selected school commandants.

Maj. Gen. Guy Zur, chief of the IDF Ground Forces, served as the Israeli head of delegation.

During his visit, Perkins conducted terrain walks in the Golan Heights, near the Lebanon and Syrian borders. The highlight was the historical brief by retired Brig. Gen. Avigdor Kahalani, one of the IDF’s most decorated heroes during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, who described the “Valley of Tears” tank battle against superior Syrian forces. Perkins noted the similar approaches both armies are pursuing in terms of anticipating the future operating environment and adapting and improvising in the face of asymmetric adversaries.

The IDF leaders also echoed during their briefings that these adversaries have not only learned to exploit tactical weakness, but operational and strategic weakness as well.

They see a combination of regular and irregular forces operating in complex terrain and leveraging innovative weapons and strategic communications to frustrate conventional armies. The human aspects of the operational environment give focus to leader development and mission command programs. Despite scope and scale, both armies will have to operate with fewer resources as they face similar challenges.

During discussions, Perkins defined the problem both armies have to address.

“How do you get better with fewer resources? And, if we have less, we need to identify what is essential and at what echelon we can accept the most risk,” he added.

Other key events included a field visit to the Gaza Division and a recently discovered tunnel complex. According to IDF leaders, the Gaza experience reinforces the need to address the challenge of operating in complex urban terrain.

During the visit, the “counterpart days” included tailored itineraries for center of excellence commanders and commandants, where counterparts shared their army’s respective approaches and lessons on a wide range of warfighting themes.

Perkins emphasized during the discussions that TRADOC values the partnership with IDF Ground Forces, and he believes the visit is valuable to the U.S. Army because it provides learning opportunities for commanders. For example, the lessons of the Yom Kippur War in 1973 helped shape thinking in doctrine and concepts then as the IDF’s lessons learned from current conflicts continue to shape thinking today.

The culminating plenary session focused on terrorism and guerilla warfare. IDF Ground Forces highlighted lessons learned on terrorism during briefings from Dr. Boaz Ganor, deputy dean of the Lauder School of Government and Diplomacy at the Interdisciplinary Center, and Maj. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, IDF deputy chief of staff. Maj. Gen. William Hix, deputy director for ARCIC, focused his discussion on the U.S. Army’s Force 2025 and Beyond initiatives. The plenary session included mixed U.S. and IDF working group discussions on confronting combat challenges in 2025.

The session concluded with Perkins presenting the Meritorious Service Medal to Col. Amnon Meir for his service as the IDF liaison to TRADOC since 2011. Perkins highlighted Meir’s role in facilitating meaningful discussions on complex issues between the armies during his tenure. Meir’s replacement, Col. Guy Bitton, will arrive as the new IDF liaison officer to TRADOC in mid-July.

Perkins and Zur co-signed a memorandum codifying the next FBAT and the 2014-2015 CoE military-to-military agreed-to actions. The FBAT concluded with Perkins and Zur conducting wreath-laying ceremonies at the 9-11 Memorial and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem.

Perkins said he looks forward to hosting his IDF Ground Forces counterpart in the U.S. next year for the 24th FBAT.

Perkins commends AMC capabilities in support of future force

In his first visit to Army Materiel Command Headquarters, the commanding general of the Training and Doctrine Command expressed admiration for AMC’s efforts as the Army shifts its focus to the future.

“With the Army’s focus on the future, the two organizations who are in many ways more responsible for that future are TRADOC and AMC,” Gen. Perkins said. “Our relationship is well founded and is only going to get better.”

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