Landpower Essay
An Institute of Land Warfare Publication
No. 11-2
August 2011
Laying the Groundwork
for the Army of 2020
Remarks by General Robert W. Cone,
Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command,
at the Association of the United States Army’s
Combined Arms Maneuver Symposium and Exposition,
Kansas City, Missouri, 26 July 2011
An Army in Transition
As we near the end of our involvement in Iraq and begin the drawdown in Afghanistan, the Army
is approaching a strategic transition. As an institution, we must now broaden our focus from winning
current ghts to preparing for life beyond them. As we look to the future, we must continue supporting
our Soldiers and their families while defending our nation. The real strategic art is balancing our focus
between the current and the future. That is why TRADOC is laying the groundwork for this future
force—the Army of 2020.
As we transition, it is important to remember that we have not always transitioned successfully. After
World War II, for example, we endured the debacle of Task Force Smith in Korea. It took the needless
sacrice of many Soldiers for the institution to learn the importance of having an adaptable Army ready
to ght emerging threats. Conversely, our leaders successfully reformed our Army following the war in
Vietnam to produce the incredibly resilient force we enjoy today.
The Army of 2020
As we navigate the Army through the challenges of this transition, we should seek the opportunities
inherent in the choices we’ll face. That is why we will need a steady vision to guide our efforts. That
vision is the Army of 2020. Recently, to dene capabilities for 2020, TRADOC published a series of
seminal ideas called the Army Concept Framework, consisting of the Army Capstone Concept, the Army
Operating Concept and the six warghting functional concepts.
The Army Capstone Concept lays out “what we need the Army to do” while the Army Operating
Concept describes “how the Army ghts.” Circulated and debated for over a year, these ideas and their
supporting concepts are the necessary rst steps to instituting change in the force. Within a complex and
volatile environment, these concepts provide intellectual challenge and help drive implementation of these
seminal ideas into our doctrine, leader development and training. To make this change, we will soon publish
the new version of our capstone warghting doctrine, Field Manual (FM) 3-0, Unied Land Operations.
The Landpower Essay series is published by AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare. The series is designed to provide an outlet for
original essays on topics that will stimulate professional discussion and further public understanding of the landpower aspects
of national security. This paper represents the opinions of the author and should not be taken to represent the views of the
Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, the United States government, the Institute of Land Warfare, or the As-
sociation of the United States Army or its members. For more information about AUSA and the Institute of Land Warfare, visit
our website at www.ausa.org.
