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Commander describes
CECOM as the Critical Link
to C4ISR support readiness
By Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell
Challenges, Opportunities and Change: These are the words that
best describe the environment our Army and our great CECOM
Team currently confront. Whether it’s supporting our deployed
forces in Afghanistan; executing the retrograde and reset of our
C4ISR equipment from theater; streamlining and optimizing the
sustainment operations of our global command; or adjusting
to reduced funding and resources – every part of our CECOM
mission and organization is adapting to meet the requirements of a
new era. Change on a scale like this is both exciting and complex.
On the one hand, our CECOM Team has a ‘once in a generation’
opportunity to help build and sustain the C4ISR mission that will
support the increasingly networked Army of 2020 and beyond. On
the other hand, we will need to help build the force of tomorrow in
an environment of constrained budgets and where the solutions
that worked in the past may not work in the future. We will need
to look at every aspect of our organization and develop bold,
innovative responses to the challenges we face. We will also
need to constructively question the assumptions that underlie
many of our current policies and processes. The one thing we
can be certain of is that maintaining the status quo, or conducting
‘business as usual’ will not prepare us for a very different future.
Fortunately, CECOM has an incredibly skilled, talented and
experienced workforce that has proven – time and again – its
ability to adapt and overcome even the toughest challenges. From
our most senior leaders, to our newest team members, we will
need the energy, intellect and creativity of each and every CECOM
Soldier and Army Civilian to set conditions for our future success.
4 THE LINK | SPRING 2013