What do you believe the biggest issue is in the Army today? Downsizing? Budget Cuts? Sexual Harassment? Other?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 May 2014 11:10:05 -0400

There are many factors impacting our Army today: downsizing, budget cuts, sexual harassment, equal opportunity, deployments drawing down, etc. Which factor do you believe has the most profound impact, positively or negatively, on our soldiers, our leaders, and the Army as a whole?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 29 at 2014 11:41 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 29 May 2014 11:41:01 -0400

Sir, what plan is in place to TRULY assist these veterans getting out once they downsize in order to meet budget cuts ? That is what I believe where the true problem lies. Look at all the issues coming down with the VA since the downsizing has began.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made May 29 at 2014 12:10 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Thu, 29 May 2014 12:10:50 -0400

Sir, very good question, but one that can not easily be answered. I believe that it is currently a situational paradox. Everything you mentioned is now a priority. The problem with that is that when everything becomes a priority, nothing is a priority. If you begin to say any one has a higher priority than another, politics will raise it's ugly head. Hence, the paradox.

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made May 29 at 2014 12:31 PM

MSG Floyd Williams — Thu, 29 May 2014 12:31:14 -0400

2LT Henrickson, all of the above you mentioned is equally damaging to the U.S. Armed Forces. It starts with Politics, society, parents, and changes in Basic Training that trainees can't be handled rough like during the Cold War Era. The mindset in people is different because of technology, in a way it is crippling the present and future generations of soldiers. I can see it in the inner cities young people don't take time out to calculate numbers using their minds, calculators is their main tool along with internet and fast growing electronics while other countries use minimum technology to none with all the billions of dollars of fighting equipment we have, other countries with old and outdated weapons is giving us a hard time it is all politicians fault for keeping a stronghold on our military. How can we fix the problems in the Army or any other Branch of Service? I don't know because you can't do this, you can't do that, or your ideas is making waves you're going against the grain. But at the same time higher up in Congress complain about these issues when they are the root cause of our military the way it is, we all have to do the best we can and hope for the best.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 3 at 2014 3:50 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 03:50:49 -0400

Sir, I believe that many of the problems stem from the rather large disconnect between Congress and the Pentagon. Our current financial situation is rather abysmal and many politically-motivated decisions are now being made (such could be argued with the choice of Scorpion W2 rather than Multicam because of the $25 million requested by Crye Precision) based on money rather than actual need. I know that the Pentagon has our best interests at heart (except for whoever the f*ck chose the UCP color/pattern for our ACUs), but it is not the final decision-maker in military matters . The hubris and arrogance of sitting congressional members is contributing to these bogus compromised funding deals.

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Jan 2 at 2015 9:59 AM

SGT Michael Glenn — Fri, 02 Jan 2015 09:59:16 -0500

I would say its a mix of many different issues,if you listen to some on here The Army has logistical problems. We were fed a line about the government scarfing up all the civilian bullets because the military had ran out, when I was done laughing I laughed again. I will not pinpoint any single issue because it isnt.Good question though !!!!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 17 at 2016 5:00 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 05:00:27 -0400

****OPINIONATED RANT WARNING****
I'd have to say that there are two or three large issues. The Army is an fighting and occupying force. Trying to teach combat soldiers that they need to be sensitive and understanding MORE than they need to be lethal and decisive is NOT what the Army should be about. Not that it isn't important, but the priorities are skewed. I'd bet money that I can find 5 Infantrymen within 10 minutes who can tell me the difference between sexual assault and harassment, or the types of reporting, but can't recite their battle drills. How do we expect to win wars like that? This bleeds into another section: false reporting. I see officers who are yes men every single day. They don't want to look bad in a presentation, so instead of following an Army value and admitting failure, they say, "Yes sir, we can!" They then turn to their NCO and say, "Hey, I just said this, can we do it? No? Well, figure it out, because it'll be your ass if it doesn't happen!" I myself have a vehicle that came to me from the Ft. Carson boneyard, where it had sat for 2.5 years. It had multiple deadlines. Reported? Nope. I saw the presentation myself, and it said FMC! Officers feel this need to impress their superiors, to win their favor and that top block. This isn't Julius Caesar's Rome! How about: do you job, and don't suck at it? What about earning that top block with actions and leadership, not pretty colors on power points? But it isn't JUST the officers! The Army has itself fooled into thinking that anyone can be a leader. Please, how? Just how? Audie Murphy was an EXCEPTION, not a normality! Yet we peddle SSD and BLC and try to teach things like Muddy Boots Leadership to people who don't care, won't learn, and have no moral compass. Then, we give them stripes! Where did the tech ranks go? This all comes full circle to one thing: the soldier. Soldiers are no longer bred to fight, then turned into a lethal team of men fit to fight. They are dealt with individually, and told that they have individual rights, and that they are individuals. Where is the team? How can we expect to build a multi-functional Army if we can't foster that teamwork anymore? Top that off with no prioritization of tasks, and we have a very serious problem: a confused, disorderly Army.