The United States is committed to fighting and winning the war on terrorism. This year, our Army showed the world unequalled combat power; however, it could not have demonstrated this power without the firm foundation provided by our Army installations and surrounding communities. Our installations are our homes in peace but are also critical training and sustainment bases and deployment platforms in war.
This past year taxed our facilities and tested our people as they supported our nation's global war on terrorism. The Army's tactical and operational successes required vision, ingenuity, adaptability, speed and boldness. Our installations emulated these traits as they supported the war effort and ensured that the Army became more deployable, agile and lethal. By enhancing logistical, operational and support facilities, the Army's power projection platforms and power support platforms were validated, resulting in the deployment of more than 170,000 soldiers and their associated equipment in two thirds the time it took to deploy for Operation Desert Storm.
Despite challenges presented by the global war on terrorism, the Army continues to focus on centralizing installation management. The work accomplished by the Transformation of Installation Management Task Force paved the way for the activation of the Installation Management Agency (IMA) on October 1. The activation ceremony officially marked the beginning of the Army's dynamic transformation to standardized installation management.
Transferring the management of installations from the Army's major commands to the IMA presented, and will continue to present, significant challenges; however, we are already seeing positive results. These results are due to the work of installation management professionals drawn from across the Army to man the IMA. By reducing process deviation between our installations, the Army will improve mission readiness and installation services, preserve the environment, and enhance the well-being of soldiers, family members arid civilians.
In an effort to provide predictability, the Army initiated two major installation standardization initiatives-Army installation design standards and Army baseline services standards. The Army's installation design standards bring installation construction, renovation, repair and maintenance requirements into a framework that yields the desired end state across all Army installations. Apart from planning and budgeting benefits, installation, design standards will complement the operational, safety and aesthetic aspects of our installations.
In addition to design standards, the Army established performance standards for base support services by initiating the Army baseline service standards program. This program establishes standards for the 95 services delivered by our installations. This standard will be the foundation from which resource requirements will be based.
Although standardization will streamline operations, the Army remains committed to providing base support by the most cost-effective manner. To achieve the most costeffective processes, the Army is focused on adopting best practices from industry, city management and other services for facility and infrastructure efficiency programs. These include base realignment and closure, joint use installations, footprint reduction, competitive sourcing, enhanced use leasing and public-private ventures, allowing for more efficient use of critical base operations and sustainment restoration modernization dollars. The residential communities initiative is an excellent example of how the Army is partnering with the private sector to get commercial expertise and working capital in support of the housing management business.
Another innovative practice example is the Army's use of environmental guaranteed fixed price remediation contracts. Under this innovative, performance-based contracting strategy, the Army has seen cost savings of at least 14 percent and cleanup time lines approaching half the duration of traditional costplus contracting methods.
The Army looks to the future for its installations with the installation management strategy. It provides the framework for achieving the future force this decade. We have aggressively managed our strategy for the six Stryker brigade combat teams by enhancing power projection facilities, compressing construction programming schedules, emphasizing design standardization, developing installation facility templates and visiting sites. Our plan has made the fielding of the first unit possible this year, with another next year. We are well along in establishing installation facilities in Alaska and at Fort Polk, La., and planning and programming are under way for Hawaii and the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The installation management strategy focuses on expanding the installation's support to the combatant commanders at every point along the spectrum of military operations. Future installations will provide vital information hubs, expand power projection capabilities, prepare sustainment bases and provide for the well-being of the force.
The crucial role installations play in supporting morale, welfare and recreation is never more evident than when our nation is at war and they provide critical support to families. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, a family assistance hotline was expanded to provide families accurate information, useful resources and helpful referrals related to family issues. When soldiers began deploying to Southwest Asia for Operation Enduring Freedom, morale, welfare and recreation specialists were close behind, organizing recreational, sports and fitness activities. As deployed soldiers return home, Operation Ready provided information on coping with stress and making reunions work. Whether assisting families before military operations, assisting deployed soldiers and their family members back home during operations, or helping soldiers and family members reunite, installation morale, welfare and support programs and services are an integral part of any successful military operation.
The accomplishments of the soldiers and Army civilians at our installations proved to be exceptional this year, transcending the accomplishments of centralization, standardization, innovation, transformation and family support as previously mentioned. Installations will continue to provide the Army's foundation for waging the global war on terrorism and the basis for transforming the Army facilities into dynamic, responsive, sustainable installations.
[Author Affiliation]
By Maj. Gen. Larry J. Lust
Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management
[Author Affiliation]
MAJ. GEN. LARRY J. LUST assumed duties as the assistant chief of staff for Installation Management in June 2002 after serving as deputy chief of staff, G-4 since July 2000. Upon completion of Infantry Officer Candidate School in 1970, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in Armor. His initial tour of duty was as training officer, 19th Battalion, 5th Training Brigade, Fort Knox, Ky. He was then assigned to Vietnam where he served as rifle platoon leader, 1-327th Infantry Battalion, 101st Airborne Division; assistant S-2, 196th Light Infantry Brigade; assistant S-3, 3-21st Infantry Battalion (Task Force Gimlet); and tank company advisor, 22nd Tank Regiment, Army of Vietnam. He has held a variety of command and staff positions, including S-3 air, S-4, and commander, Company A, 3-63rd Armor Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), Augsburg, Germany; commander, Combat Support Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; commander, Division Support Command, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), U.S. Army Europe; deputy commanding general (Support), Joint Task force-Somalia; commanding general U.N. Logistics Support Command; deputy commanding general, U.S. Forces-Somalia; commanding general, 3rd Corps Support Command; deputy chief of staff for logistics, U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army; and director of logistics and security assistance, Headquarters, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany; chief, Tank Automotive and Armament Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. His military education includes Armor officer basic and advance courses, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He holds a master's degree In logistics management from Florida Institute of Technology.
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