Fort Bliss, 1AD prepare for Fiscal Year 2014 changes

This year the Army has met many challenges due to budget cuts and personnel decreases and that trend will continue on Fort Bliss for the foreseeable future.

“A lot of transformations are happening right now,” said Deputy Commanding General of Operations, Col. Scott McKean, 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss. “One of the biggest (transformations) will occur October 1st. First AD will be re-encumbered underneath 3rd Corps.”

This change not only impacts 1st AD but the entire installation, McKean added. Although Forces Command is still working the details of the change, “we’re trying to get ahead of the ball,” he said. “We’re trying to organize ourselves for combat, … staying ahead so the things we want to get accomplished get forwarded to the right folks at the right time.”

McKean and Fort Bliss and 1st AD leadership met for a Senior Leader Planning Session at the Simulation Center, Sept. 5, to discuss these changes and put into place a plan for future training needs.

“(While) focusing on the installation and 1AD training requirements (and by) framing out the next fiscal year, (we’re making) sure we have our budget lined up with our training process,” said Col. Patrick E. Matlock, 1st AD and Fort Bliss chief of staff. “This allows us to take a hard look at FY14 and (discuss) the direction of the installation and division in the next 18 months.”

During the planning session, leaders discussed many topics to include garrison priorities, quality of life on the installation, and 1st AD’s mission guidance, but training strategy was the focus on the morning of Sept 5.

Read the full Fort Bliss Bugle article at http://bit.ly/182djSS