US Army funding people over equipment

People are the US Army’s platform. Equipment, hardware and software matter, but at the end of the day, highly skilled people of character win wars.

Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Army Mike Weimer to define professional warfighting and the importance of an all volunteer force. He broke down the art and science relationship between commissioned and non-commissioned officers. He shared how his experience in the Special Forces shadows prepared him for the limelight of the SMA role.

And they talked about the future, including his vision for solving the recruiting challenge, how warfare is evolving from the kill chain to the kill web, how he’s planning to retain the right people, and how the integration of Special Operations and the regular Army is more important now than ever.

Episode 143 is live!

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[filmandfirearms]

Is this why the Army keeps cutting benefits, then trying to compensate with enlistment bonuses? Current enlistment bonus is up $50k. Think about what you'd be willing to do for $50k, then realize that a lot of people are deciding the Army is not worth it. That's not a problem that comes out of nowhere, that comes from multiple generations of servicemen telling the next generation "Don't enlist, it's hell on earth."

[Justflippingchannels]

Never been in the military but I enjoy listening to Weimar.

[wolfenstien]

What frustrated me about the Navy was how equipment-centric they are. You can't have a navy without ships, so the ships always got priority over personnel.

[adriaanvangennep]

True, war shall be never the same anymore. Intelligence, surveillance and logistics with a solid war plan, like silent & fast are most important topics right now. 🎉

[henrylee]

BS. It’s the largest branch with the most opportunity to rotate people in and out- yet deploys the longest.

[felixbiggs]

If the army fails to provide a competitive wage and a more effective incentive for good performance, the recruitment and manning crisis will continue. It’s gotten bad enough now that we can’t retain the high or the low performers. Everyone is getting out except the institutionalized ones who are too scared to get away from the system. People are expensive, because quality of life has to outweigh the burden of the job.

[brittraney]

People are the cheapest thing that the military pays for

[edwhitson]

I'm totally against war I hate what's happening in eastern Europe and the middle east right now
However I have listened to this man enough to go get the flag tattoo
This is the kind of intelligent conversation that superior grade warfighters speak
If you read this Sir, thank you for the quality of your mind, and I believe that you translate this way into your men.
You are a national treasure. Dont let it die when you leave

[silverstar]

Commandant of the Marine Corps told an acquaintance during a flight his biggest threat to the morale and well being of his Marines are………..
Payday loan centers. They are such a problem some cities have zoning laws preventing them from being in proximity to a base.

[Mongosmotivation]

Just because it’s a SOF truth… doesn’t mean it is not a simple truth. Own that and create the vision. Love it-RAH! Military needs leaders that get it and willing to get it right.

[karlschofield]

All branches have different levels of orientation towards its people. Depends on the levels you’re talking about. If your a clerk and the job (MOS/AFSC) is not critical in some way then you get normal treatment unless you shine above the rest! Delta, SEALS, Combat Controllers always get more personal attention than others because, they just can’t pull another one out of the next say 1000 enlistees. So, critical jobs, less people capable of performing and that gets you the attention. We know this and see this in the military but others do not. Now, best overall for housing, Food, facilities and life would be the Air Force.

[leesharpe]

The focus needs to be on Awareness Post-Battlefield if we are really going to make change in retention. Right now, our War Fighter's are being used, abused & disregarded like 🗑. Fix the VA & help our Veteran's. Thank you to all that served our great Nation.

[greggweber]

What is more important: the current mission, or training, and maintaining for the long-term war in which you just need to fight 5 minutes longer than the enemy?

[mistybiscuit]

Your people accomplish more tasks than technology and they're physically and mentally adaptable to circumstances and environments. The complexity that exists within your ranks gives you the ability to sort through their strengths and use their abilities to strengthen the whole. Technology can't accomplish much without people. Technology assists your people.

[joelmartinez]

Army recruitment strategy has been horrible for 20yrs. Offering bonuses....handing out money to join is the wrong way to attract the right people

[oahuSG]

I to can only comment on the cuts at the soldier level.

[fernie]

I’m getting out next year because deployments are too long and optempo is insane. Stay away from Air Defense kids!

[brendanbarnes]

It’s you young guys living in the barracks fault that you have mold and your AC doesn’t work. It’s a lack of discipline. Also don’t forget to shave. /s

[TonyFarley-pvnk]

You think that's why you always under strategy recruiting size whether it be minerals or growth of the nation the strategy maneuverability of making sure another one has at least the stage or two over you always shows the competitive nature of the force needed out of the people

[aaronray]

Does this mean the Army will start kicking down unused, instead of slightly used held together with sweat, dirt and bubblegum tech to the Marine Corps? Asking for a friend. *Minding p's and e's.