The Army Azimuth

Since 1775, the United States Army has defended our republic and carried the torch of liberty through suffering and sacrifice. From the frozen Delaware at Trenton to the bluffs of Normandy, the jungles of Guadalcanal, and the winter hills of Chosin, American Soldiers faced enemies in brutal conditions and held the line. They answered the Nation’s call. One hundred and ninety campaign streamers fly from our Army flag, each testifying to the valor of our forebearers. Their legacy is ours to uphold.

The Army serves the Nation. We preserve peace and security, support our national objectives, and overcome any force whose aggression imperils us. Our strategic direction is clear:

The Army has aggressively pursued change to prepare for large scale combat operations. We shifted from brigade modularity to a force organized for multidomain operations at all echelons. We fielded long range precision fires that strike deep and sink ships at sea, evolved air defenses for skies saturated with unmanned systems, upgraded theater logistics, expanded terrestrial intelligence, and established new units integrating space, cyber, electronic warfare, and artificial intelligence into command and control.

The work of change continues. Today we emphasize the fundamentals of Soldiering, ensuring a strong grounding in warrior ethos, individual Soldier readiness, and small unit tactical skills. As the Army campaigns around the world, we turn our focus to operational readiness to achieve our central task: To be ready to fight and win the battles and wars of the Nation.

A ready Army is the foundation of the Joint Force, providing a range of capabilities that underpin joint operations and give our leaders immediate options. We employ four operational warfighting elements - convergence, strike, close battle, and endurance - to deliver joint all domain maneuver. We bind the regional land power networks of Allies and partners, offering distinct advantages for access and interoperability.

U.S. Army forces must be prepared to overcome the most complex challenges our adversaries can impose and master an operational environment that looks fundamentally different from the battlefields of yesterday. To prepare for modern war, the Army will:

The next war will not look like our last. Yet there are timeless truths in war. The battlefield does not forgive weakness. Land combat in the modern era will demand every ounce of rigor, endurance, and courage we possess. Every shortcut in training and lapse in discipline will be paid for in blood.

This is the Army we must be: disciplined, lethal, and relentless - an Army that closes with and destroys the enemy, leaving no doubt about the will and power of the United States. As it has for more than 251 years, our Army will stand ready to fight, and win - whenever and wherever the Nation calls.

Christopher C. LaNeve 40th Vice Chief of Staff General, United States Army