WPRC News
THE WAY FORWARD
Op-Ed By Luke Hillier, CEO, ADS Inc.
Earlier this month, President Obama declared an end to combat operations in Iraq. It was an important announcement and signifies the real measure of progress American Warfighters have made in the past few years. We all breathe a sigh of relief when units leave the combat theatre, but we cannot allow the gradual draw down in Iraq to be mistaken for a full transition to peacetime.
American troops are still at war in an increasingly dangerous and high-stakes engagement in Afghanistan. We have troops deployed in over twenty countries operating in numerous global hotspots. Beyond that, more than 50,000 troops remain in Iraq to help that country’s fragile democracy gain a foothold. Neither citizens nor policymakers can rest on their laurels going into 2011. It is more critical than ever that leaders recognize the ongoing need to ensure American troops are the best-trained and best-equipped force in the world.
The coming months will bring an election and the possibility of a major change in the political dynamic of Congress. If gavels change hands and new faces emerge in the discussion of Defense Department policy, the WPRC and its members must be prepared to re-double efforts on behalf of the American Warfighter. The WPRC has made outstanding progress in its first year of existence. We have educated dozens of Members of Congress and their staffs on the need for sustained, base-budget funding of tactical and operational equipment. The WPRC is well positioned to secure language in the 2011 Armed Services Authorization conference report and our membership continues to expand with some of the best and most innovative firms in the US manufacturing sector. We are promoting a critical issue and helping to shape defense policy. I cannot imagine a more fitting role for the Coalition.
It is clear that we are united in our goal of enhancing solider protection. Nevertheless, we have to be aware that the ongoing draw down in Iraq and impending draw down in Afghanistan will make our efforts that much more important. Peacetime cannot yield complacency. Reduced combat engagement and casualties cannot be an excuse to cut funding at the expense of providing our Warfighters with the best possible clothing and equipment. We must keep our forces operationally ready by continually modernizing and providing them with the most advanced tactical and operational equipment available.
We can help ensure that our fighting men and women are successful in the future by remembering the past. In 2001 and 2003, we went to war with the “Army we had.” It was the best military in the world, but in many ways it lacked the equipment and protective infrastructure to keep its members safe in combat. It cannot happen again. We know that asymmetric warfare, ambiguous threats and rapid deployment are the “new normal” and we must be prepared.
ADS Inc. is proud of its role in supplying American Warfighters with the equipment they need to achieve a tactical advantage. We are also proud of our affiliation with the WPRC, and look forward to working with you all to build on the momentum of 2010 with a larger coalition and a real sense of urgency.
For more information on the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition contact Ms. Liesl Grebenstein at 617.236.5830 x 101