Latest news with #TRADOC
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Personnel specifics, details of Fort Eustis' TRADOC merger to be decided in summer
The Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters, along with the Center for Initial Military Training, at Fort Eustis are both up for a potential relocation as part of a merger with the Army Futures Command in Austin, Texas. However, Army officials said Thursday they will have to wait until June 15 to receive orders from the Army on how that merger will occur before the new command is formed in October. The two branches of Fort Eustis under the proposed merger include nearly 1,000 people, roughly 650 are civilians and the rest are military positions, said Army spokesperson Col. Jennifer Walkawicz in a Thursday press briefing. According to Walkawicz, Fort Eustis expects to see a smaller military footprint at the base under the merger, but civilian professionals will still see plenty of job opportunities. Navy wants to test drinking water for synthetic chemicals near Chesapeake's Northwest Annex Hegseth orders new review of Afghanistan withdrawal and suicide bombing at Kabul airport Racist memes shared by Virginia Beach-based Navy SEALs prompt investigation, disciplinary actions No personnel relocation decisions yet for Fort Eustis' Army training headquarters move A veterans' reunion sits at the center of an online storm in Norfolk As part of that smaller military footprint, Fort Eustis Commanding Gen. Gary Brito, who was originally planned to change command and retire this summer, will remain in his position through the fall when he will turn command over to the incoming commanding general for the new Army Transformation and Training Command, Walkawicz said. No matter how the merger eventually shakes out, Walkawicz said the Army will still have a strong presence at Fort Eustis. 'TRADOC remains deeply committed to the Hampton Roads community,' Walkawicz said. 'Our history here is strong. Our ties to this region are invaluable.' Walkawicz added until they receive orders, TRADOC doesn't know how big its new footprint will be in Austin, Texas, nor how it will fit into the other merging commands as part of the larger Army Transformation Initiative. 'In my career, my 30 years serving, this is the most significant transformation effort that I have seen,' Walkawicz said. Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037,
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
No personnel relocation decisions yet for Fort Eustis' Army training headquarters move
The Army's chief of staff testified to a House subcommittee earlier this month that the Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters at Fort Eustis is set to relocate to Austin, Texas. What that means for the thousands of men and women stationed at Fort Eustis has yet to be determined, Army officials said this week. But it's raised questions for congressional leaders representing Hampton Roads, who say they will be closely scrutinizing the plans. No decisions have been made yet on relocating people stationed at Fort Eustis or any potential changes in its day-to-day operations, according to TRADOC spokesperson Col. Jeff Pray. 'We don't know,' Pray said. 'Obviously, there's going to be an impact to our command holistically, but that's for the planners and decision makers up at Army level to make.' Pray added until further notice, Fort Eustis and the surrounding community will not be seeing any major shifts. During testimony before the U.S. House Appropriations Committee's Defense Subcommittee this month, Gen. Randy George said TRADOC, which has been headquartered at Fort Eustis since 2011 and was previously stationed at Fort Monroe, was set to relocate to Texas to combine with the Army Futures Command to create a new Army Transformation and Training Command. The move is part of a broader initiative by the Defense Department to streamline the military and create a more lethal deterrent against China, according to a memorandum from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to Pentagon leadership. The memo describes the merger as an initiative to 'downsize, consolidate, or close redundant headquarters.' Both TRADOC and the Futures Command are four-star commands. Hegseth, in a separate memo to Pentagon leadership earlier this month, ordered a minimum 20% cut in four-star positions. Under the reorganization, the four-star command will remain with the Futures Command in Austin, meaning TRADOC will report to command in Texas. Congressional leadership from Virginia and Hampton Roads say they are keeping an eye on the TRADOC reorganization plans. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, said in an emailed statement Army leadership has assured him Fort Eustis would see no significant personnel changes. Sen. Mark Warner added in a statement he has questions about how the plan will be executed. 'TRADOC is an asset to Virginia,' Warner, a Democrat, said in the statement. 'On the recently proposed merger, we have yet to see from the Army any hard data and specifics related to what this means for continued footprint and personnel numbers at Fort Eustis.' Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican who represents areas surrounding Fort Eustis including York County and Williamsburg, said in a statement that 'rigorous congressional oversight is critical' as the proposed merger goes forward and he'd oppose any plans that negatively impact TRADOC or Fort Eustis. Wittman said he has met with Army leadership, including George, to discuss operational impacts and potential legislative action. He said based on those discussions, TRADOC's presence will be preserved in Virginia but the impacts to positions and living quarters are unknown. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Beach, who does not represent the Peninsula but is a Navy veteran, also called for congressional oversight of the reorganization plan. 'We owe it to our service members, civilians and communities to ensure decisions are grounded in strategic necessity, not convenience, and that the full operational and personnel impacts are clearly understood before moving forward,' Kiggans said in a statement. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat who represents Newport News where Fort Eustis is located, could not be reached for comment. Devlin Epding, 757-510-4037,
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Tim Kaine says merger between TRADOC and AFC not expected to impact Fort Eustis
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A merger of the Army Futures Command (AFC), headquartered in Austin, Texas, and the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, is raising concerns among some community members. According to a release from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the army plans to undergo a transformation and acquisition reform, which would include streamlining its force structure, eliminating wasteful spending, modernizing inefficient defense contracts and restructuring the army force structure. Part of the reform includes the merger of AFC and TRADOC. The release states this will help 'ensure strategic readiness, efficiency, and modernization.' AFC's website states they currently have over 17,000 personnel worldwide and work to ensure United States soldiers 'remain at the forefront of technological innovation and warfighting ability.' TRADOC's website states they help to train, educate and build the Army. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, however, said the merger is not expected to impact personnel at Fort Eustis, where TRADOC is headquartered. 'Army leadership told me that, despite the merger of TRADOC and Army Futures Command, TRADOC operations will remain at Fort Eustis with no significant change to personnel levels,' Kaine said. 'This will provide continuity for servicemembers, their families, contractors and the Hampton Roads community. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I will continue to monitor the situation to make sure these assurances are upheld.' The full release of the Army Transformation and Acquisition Reform can be read in full below: ARMY-TRANSFORMATION-AND-ACQUISITION-REFORMDownload Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Memri
14-03-2025
- Business
- Memri
MEMRI Welcomes Gen. Paul E. Funk II To Its Board Of Advisors
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 14, 2025 – The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is proud to welcome Gen. Paul E. Funk II to its Board of Advisors. After serving in the United States Army for 42 years, Gen. Funk retired in 2022, with his most recent position as Commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). As TRADOC commander, Gen. Funk was responsible for 32 Army schools organized under eight Centers of Excellence that recruit, train, and educate more than 500,000 soldiers and service members annually. The Chairman of MEMRI's Board of Directors, Oliver "Buck" Revell, stated: "We are proud to have General Funk join the MEMRI Board of Advisors, given his outstanding background and dedication to American security. We are grateful that he is joining MEMRI's group of distinguished leaders." Gen. Funk previously served as Commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, and Operations Inherent Resolve (OIR), where he deployed and led a 72-nation coalition in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Gen. Funk's additional combat and operational experience includes five other deployments in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. MEMRI Vice President Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez commented: "We are delighted to welcome General Funk, a distinguished, innovative figure in both the recent past and the future of innovation in warfighting." Gen. Funk holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications from Montana State University and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses and the Command and General Staff College, and completed his Senior Service College as a fellow attending the Institute of Advanced Technology at the University of Texas at Austin. He was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal — the nation's fourth-highest honor — for outstanding leadership in combat. In addition, Gen. Funk currently serves on the board of Red Cat, a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Brig.-Gen. (Ret) and Partner of Governance Risk Global and senior MEMRI board member Tom Cosentino added: "General Paul Funk is an outstanding addition to the MEMRI Advisory Board. He is not only an accomplished combat leader who led the destruction of ISIS forces in Syria and Iraq, but he is also an outstanding strategist who has helped shape American security strategy for decades. We are truly fortunate to have this great American leader join our team!" The MEMRI Board of Advisors and Board of Directors include distinguished figures from government, media, law, and academia from around the world. Among them are former prime ministers, attorneys-generals, justice ministers, legal and counterterrorism experts, senior military officers and diplomats, and recipients of the most prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. Members of the MEMRI Board of Advisors are bipartisan and have honorably served Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.
Associated Press
14-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
MEMRI Welcomes Gen. Paul E. Funk II To Its Board of Advisors
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESS Newswire / March 14, 2025 / The Middle East Media Research Institute ( MEMRI) is proud to welcome Gen. Paul E. Funk II to its Board of Advisors. After serving in the United States Army for 42 years, Gen. Funk retired in 2022, with his most recent position as Commander of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). As TRADOC commander, Gen. Funk was responsible for 32 Army schools organized under eight Centers of Excellence that recruit, train, and educate more than 500,000 soldiers and service members annually. The Chairman of MEMRI's Board of Directors, Oliver 'Buck' Revell, stated: 'We are proud to have General Funk join the MEMRI Board of Advisors, given his outstanding background and dedication to American security. We are grateful that he is joining MEMRI's group of distinguished leaders.' Gen. Funk previously served as Commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, and Operations Inherent Resolve (OIR), where he deployed and led a 72-nation coalition in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Gen. Funk's additional combat and operational experience includes five other deployments in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. MEMRI Vice President Ambassador Alberto M. Fernandez commented: 'We are delighted to welcome General Funk, a distinguished, innovative figure in both the recent past and the future of innovation in warfighting.' Gen. Funk holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications from Montana State University and a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. He is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses and the Command and General Staff College, and completed his Senior Service College as a fellow attending the Institute of Advanced Technology at the University of Texas at Austin. He was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal - the nation's fourth-highest honor - for outstanding leadership in combat. In addition, Gen. Funk currently serves on the board of Red Cat, a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Brig.-Gen. (Ret) and Partner of Governance Risk Global and senior MEMRI board member Tom Cosentino added: 'General Paul Funk is an outstanding addition to the MEMRI Advisory Board. He is not only an accomplished combat leader who led the destruction of ISIS forces in Syria and Iraq, but he is also an outstanding strategist who has helped shape American security strategy for decades. We are truly fortunate to have this great American leader join our team!' The MEMRI Board of Advisors and Board of Directors include distinguished figures from government, media, law, and academia from around the world. Among them are former prime ministers, attorneys-generals, justice ministers, legal and counterterrorism experts, senior military officers and diplomats, and recipients of the most prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the United States Congressional Gold Medal. Members of the MEMRI Board of Advisors are bipartisan and have honorably served Presidents Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. ABOUT MEMRI Exploring the Middle East and South Asia through their media, MEMRI bridges the language gap between the West and the Middle East and South Asia, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, Urdu-Pashtu, Dari, Turkish, Russian, and Chinese media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends. Founded in February 1998 to inform the debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East, MEMRI is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. MEMRI's main office is located in Washington, DC, with branch offices in various world capitals. MEMRI research is translated into English, French, Polish, Japanese, Spanish, and Hebrew. MEMRI 202-955-9070
