Archive | Chairman’s Corner

Release of the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC)

Filed under Chairman's Corner, DoD News by jtozer on January 17, 2012 at 4:32 pm {3 comments}

General Martin E. Dempsey Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

The President and Secretary of Defense’s strategic guidance for our Joint Force is clear – we will answer our nation’s call and sustain the trust of the American people amidst a rapidly changing security environment. As we shape the Joint Force of the future in this increasingly complex and competitive world, gaining access to the right place at the right time presents an ever more pressing challenge.

So today I released the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC). This framework describes how we will gain entry and maintain access anywhere and in any domain: land, air, space, sea, and cyber. No matter how formidable our forces, if we are unable to bring our capabilities to bear in any of these domains, we may not be able to complete the mission or meet our nation’s needs. Our adversaries know this as well.

Accordingly, the JOAC outlines how we will confront emerging Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) threats by state and non-state enemies across the globe. A2/AD is not new, but it is a defining characteristic of today’s operational environment. Confronting this challenge will require more integration—across all domains and at all echelons—than ever before.

The Joint Force must have the capability to gain and maintain access across any domain. The JOAC will chart a path to ensure Joint Force 2020 can provide the military options our nation needs.

Martin E. Dempsey
General, U.S. Army
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Download the Joint Operational Access Concept (JOAC) here

Month of the Military Family

Filed under Chairman's Corner, DoD News by jtozer on November 12, 2011 at 7:41 am {no comments}

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, and Mrs. Deanie Dempsey deliver a message to military families during the Month of the Military Family.

Veterans Day Message

Filed under Chairman's Corner, DoD News, Veterans Day by jtozer on November 11, 2011 at 7:15 am {no comments}

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, and Senior Enlisted Adviser to the Chairman, Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, deliver a message to the troops for Veterans Day.

General Dempsey Discusses the Military Retirement System

Filed under Chairman's Corner by glenn.selby on October 18, 2011 at 8:43 am {3 comments}

Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

By Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

In my first blog entry, I discussed the four themes that are important to me as I start my tenure as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Among them I mention keeping faith with our Military Family. I was recently reminded of the importance of this when I testified before the House Armed Services Committee with Secretary of Defense Panetta last week.

During that testimony I was asked by several Representatives to comment on the recent recommendations of the Defense Business Board regarding changing the military retirement system to something more like what is available to civilians in the commercial sector.

What I told them and what I want to reiterate here is that I reject the comparison of military to civilian retirement and that I am adamantly opposed to changing the retirement benefits for those who are currently on active duty. We will undoubtedly have to change our retirement system in the future to make it affordable, but we have made a commitment to those currently serving, and I aim to keep it.

General Dempsey’s Letter to the Joint Force

Filed under Chairman's Corner, DoD News by glenn.selby on October 1, 2011 at 8:45 am {9 comments}

Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

It is an honor to be the 18^th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I am thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve with you.

The most important thing I want you to know is that I trust you to do what’s right for each other and for our country.

Thanks for your service. You have fought harder and your families have sacrificed more than most will ever know. You make us the finest military on the planet. We’re powerful, versatile, responsive, and resilient. We are admired by our allies and partners, and we are dreaded by our enemies. You are our decisive advantage.

To ensure we remain the Joint Force our nation needs, I’ll focus on a few key themes as I begin my time as Chairman.

We must achieve our national objectives in the current conflicts. As long as our forces remain in harm’s way, we must ensure they have what they need to succeed.

We must look beyond our current requirements—to 2020—and develop Joint Force 2020 to provide the greatest possible number of options for our nation’s leaders and to ensure our nation remains immune from coercion. Keeping our military the best led, best trained, and best equipped force in the world is the non-negotiable imperative. Doing so in a new fiscal environment will be hard, but we’ve overcome similar challenges in our past, and the nation is counting on us to overcome them again.

We must renew our commitment to the Profession of Arms. We’re not a profession simply because we say we’re a profession. We must continue to learn, to understand, and to promote the knowledge, skills, attributes, and behaviors that define us as a profession.

And, of course, we must keep faith with our Military Family. Our active, guard and reserve service members, our wounded warriors, our families, and our veterans deserve the future they have sacrificed to secure.

Continue mission! I am proud to serve with you.

MARTIN E. DEMPSEY
General, U.S. Army