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<DIV id=date>Edition: Thu, December 20, 2007<BR><A
href="http://www4.army.mil/news/standto.php?dte=2007-12-20">Rich-text
Version</A></DIV>
<DIV class=column>
<H2>TODAY'S FOCUS</H2>
<P><B>Stationing--Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment</B>
<BR><BR><B>What is it?</B> The Army has made critical stationing and fore
structure realignment decisions based on the President’s plan to grow the Army
by approximately 74,200 Soldiers. These decisions were integrated with BRAC,
Global Defense Posture Realignment and force structure realignments. By
associating realignment actions with this latest growth plan, the Army will
redistribute and rebalance across all three components (Active, Guard, and
Reserve) to enhance strategic depth. The Army consolidated and reported the
planned growth and force structure realignment to Congress on Dec. 19, 2007 in
the Grow the Army Stationing Plan. <BR><BR><B>What has the Army done?</B> The
Army is undergoing the largest organization change since World War II,
transforming to a Brigade-centric modular force. Our Army is executing a
tightly-woven, operationally-synchronized facilitated by Military Construction.
In early 2007, the President recommended to Congress to grow Army end strength
by 74,200 (65,000 in Active end strength; 8,200 in Army National Guard end
strength; and, 1,000 in United States Army Reserve end strength) by
2013.<BR><BR>Meanwhile, the Army is stretched thin because the current global
demands on the force exceed the sustainable supply. To correct this imbalance,
the Secretary of Defense authorized the Army to accelerate growth to be
accomplished by 2010. The Grow the Army Stationing plan calls for:<BR>• The
building and stationing of six new Infantry Brigade Combat Teams (IBCTs) by
FY11.<BR>• The building and stationing of eight Support Brigades / Headquarters
by FY13. <BR>• The restationing (not part of growth) of two multi-functional
brigades (Maneuver Enhancement Brigades)<BR>• The extension of combat brigade
capabilities in the European command for an additional two years through the
activation of two BCTs in Germany in 2008 and 2010. <BR>• The associated growth
in smaller, various sized combat support (CS) and combat service support (CSS)
units. <BR><BR><B>What continuing efforts does the Army have planned?</B> The
Army currently has 42 Active Component BCTs. Complying with the Record of
Decision for the Army's Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, the Army
will grow six IBCTs for a total of 48 by: <BR>• FY08: Retain one IBCT at Fort
Carson, Colo., as the 43rd BCT. <BR>• FY09: Activate the 44th BCT at Fort Bliss,
Texas <BR>• FY10: Convert one heavy BCT to an IBCT at Fort Stewart, Ga., as the
45th BCT. <BR>• FY11: Grow the 46th BCT at Fort Stewart, Ga.; the 47th BCT at
Fort Carson, Colo; and the 48th BCT at Fort Bliss, Texas. <BR>• The two BCTs
stationed in Germany for two years will relocate in FY12 and FY13 respectively.
These units tentatively are to go to Fort Bliss, Texas, and White Sands Missile
Range, N.M.<BR><BR>The Army will also activate eight active component support
brigades and restation two others as part of rebalancing the force at the
following locations: <BR>• FY08: an air defense artillery brigade headquarters
activates at Fort Hood, Texas, and an engineer brigade headquarters activates at
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; <BR>• FY09, a maneuver enhancement brigade activates
at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo; <BR>• FY10, a fires brigade activates at Fort Bliss,
Texas, and a maneuver enhancement brigade will be restationed to Fort
Richardson, Alaska (pending completion of supplemental environmental analysis in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act);<BR>• FY11, an
expeditionary sustainment command headquarters activates at Fort Lewis, Wash.,
and a sustainment brigade activates at Fort Hood, Texas;<BR>• FY13, a military
police brigade will be retained at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, a battlefield
surveillance brigade activates at Fort Polk, La., and a maneuver enhancement
brigade will be restationed to Fort Drum, N.Y.<BR><BR>To support these six IBCTs
and eight support brigades, the Army is stationing approximately 30,000 Soldiers
in combat support and combat service support units throughout the United States
as well as various overseas locations.<BR><BR><B>Why is this important to the
Army?</B> The Grow the Army Stationing plan will enable accelerated growth and
force structure realignment and will improve readiness while complying with 2005
BRAC law, sustaining current global commitments, and preparing to meet future
challenges. The plan will enable construction for new facilities, will limit the
use of temporary relocatable facilities, and will permit necessary maintenance
and repair of existing facilities; this will tremendously reduce the stress and
turbulence on our Soldiers and Families. The Grow the Army plan will help to
bring our stretched forces back into balance and will greatly aid in improving
Soldier and Family readiness in this era of persistent conflict.</P>
<H2>INFORMATION YOU CAN USE</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><A href="https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/409993" target=_blank>2007
Strategic Communication Guide</A> - Read the 2007 Army Strategic Communication
Guide for key messages and updates.
<LI><A href="https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/303879"
target=_blank>Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace</A>
<LI><A href="https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/216363" target=_blank>Army
Public Affairs Portal</A>
<LI><A href="http://www.army.mil/valor" target=_blank>Stories of
Valor</A></LI></UL>
<P></P></DIV>
<DIV class=column>
<H2>NEWS ABOUT THE ARMY</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><B>Army announces stationing decisions</B> for new troops (<A
href="http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/12/19/6683-army-announces-stationing-decisions-for-new-troops/"
target=_blank>ARNews</A>)
<LI><B>General orders review</B> of cheating (<A
href="http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20071220568954.html" target=_blank>EB</A>
| <A
href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/20/general_orders_review_of_cheating/"
target=_blank>BST</A>)
<LI><B>Schweinfurt, Baumholder brigades</B> to stay (<A
href="http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51137"
target=_blank>SAS</A>)
<LI><B>Parents want Army officials held accountable</B> in son's suicide (<A
href="http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20071220569070.html" target=_blank>EB</A>
| <A
href="http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/dec/20/na-parents-want-army-officials-held-accountable-in/"
target=_blank>TBO</A>)</LI></UL>
<P></P>
<H2>WAR ON TERROR NEWS</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><B>Al Qaeda feels pressure</B> from operations, citizens (<A
href="http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48470"
target=_blank>AFIS</A>)
<LI><B>Do U.S. prisons in Iraq</B> breed insurgents? (<A
href="http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20071220568775.html" target=_blank>EB</A>
| <A href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1220/p01s01-woiq.html"
target=_blank>CSM</A>)
<LI><B>Iraqi refugees return,</B> and are stranded (<A
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/world/middleeast/20refugees.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin"
target=_blank>NYT</A>)
<LI><B>Iraq still at risk of attacks</B> by al-Qaida (<A
href="http://www.kansas.com/news/nation_world/story/260082.html"
target=_blank>KS</A>)</LI></UL>
<P></P>
<H2>OF INTEREST</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><B>Soldiers remembered</B> for their effect on others (<A
href="http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51134"
target=_blank>SAS</A>)
<LI><B>Loved ones stay positive</B> in wartime calls home (<A
href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-19-war-phone-cover_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip"
target=_blank>USAT</A>)
<LI><B>Inquiry cites friendly fire</B> in deaths of two Soldiers (<A
href="http://ebird.afis.mil/ebfiles/e20071220568958.html" target=_blank>EB</A>
| <A
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/19/AR2007121902751.html?sub=AR"
target=_blank>WP</A>)
<LI><B>USO, Army Reserve spread good cheer</B> to recovering Soldiers (<A
href="http://new.savannahnow.com/node/418464" target=_blank>SN</A>)</LI></UL>
<P></P>
<H2>WORLD VIEW</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><B>U.S. Army 1st Corps</B> opens new HQ in C Japan (<A
href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/" target=_blank>XIN</A> | <A
href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/19/content_7281845.htm"
target=_blank>Story</A>)
<LI><B>U.S. backs Turkish military attacks</B> on northern Iraq (<A
href="http://www.countercurrents.org/" target=_blank>CC</A> | <A
href="http://www.countercurrents.org/symonds191207.htm"
target=_blank>Story</A>)
<LI><B>Pentagon approves slower</B> U.S. force cut in Europe (<A
href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/" target=_blank>GRD</A> | <A
href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7165742"
target=_blank>Story</A>)
<LI><B>U.S. Soldiers find mass graves</B> containing 26 bodies next to a
torture center in northern Iraq (<A href="http://www.iht.com/"
target=_blank>IHT</A> | <A
href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/20/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq.php"
target=_blank>Story</A>)</LI></UL>
<P></P>
<H2>WHAT'S BEING SAID IN BLOGS</H2>
<P>
<UL>
<LI><B>"No slack!"</B> in Samarra (<A href="http://blackfive.blogs.com/"
target=_blank>BF</A>)
<LI><B>Iraq</B> is not a model (<A href="http://www.michaeltotten.com/"
target=_blank>MT</A>)
<LI><B>Enduring support for wounded warriors</B> & their Families (<A
href="http://soldiersmind.com/" target=_blank>SM</A>)
<LI><B>FY08 defense auth bill,</B> part 4 (<A
href="http://armchairgeneralist.typepad.com/" target=_blank>ACG</A>)</LI></UL>
<P></P></DIV>
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