JANUARY 15, 2026 — Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy A. George and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer discussed transformation initiatives, emerging technologies and Soldier readiness on Jan. 12 during the first Army Senior Leader Situation Report, hosted by the 10th Mountain Division and broadcast to the total Army from Fort Drum.
“As we travel around, one of the things we have learned is that you, the American Soldier, are the greatest innovator,” Driscoll said to an audience of 10th Mountain Division (LI) and Army National Guard Soldiers. “And as we’re traveling, we are listening to you and basically saying, ‘What are the things that are working, and how can we scale them across the Army?’ And we have seen success all over the Army.”
Driscoll highlighted the 10th Mountain Division’s deployment to the southern border last year, which helped test the effectiveness of counter-drone technology. He also cited the 25th Infantry Division’s Lightning Lab where Soldiers can produce drones.
Under the Army Transformation Initiative, Driscoll said Soldiers are training and deploying with next-generation equipment that will give them superior advantages on the battlefield. George added that Soldiers should feel empowered to become subject matter experts on new technologies so their feedback can inform the Army’s procurement decisions.
“We want to give things to units and let you tell us what works, what doesn’t, and you should be the ones deciding what we buy and don’t buy,” George said. “It has been unit leaders who have told us what our new mobile brigades are going to look like.”
This feedback is critical, George noted, as infantry brigade combat teams are slated to become mobile brigades within the next year to 18 months. In the face of continuous change, he said that Soldiers will still need to rely on the basics.
“We have to stay ruthlessly focused on the fundamentals,” George said. “What’s not going to change on the battlefield is that you will have to be extremely fit and disciplined. No matter how much tech you throw in there it is critically important – and I think all of you know this – if you are not disciplined and if you are not good at the basics, it will have long term impacts.”
During an hourlong Q&A session, Soldiers asked about counter-UAS systems, barracks improvements, re-enlistment incentives and dwell time between CONUS deployments.
Spc. Colton Bush, an infantryman assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, asked senior leaders to predict what new technology they expect to see in the next decade.
“I think a lot of what’s going to happen is you will see very modular systems,” Weimer said. “We’re trying to make things smaller … lighter.”
He also cited advanced night vision goggles and the Next Generation Command and Control initiative to create faster, integrated C2 capabilities.
“How much time you have left on this enlistment?” Weimer asked the Soldier.
“One and a half years,” he responded.
“You’ll see some of it,” Weimer said. “And when you re-enlist, you’ll get the rest of it.”
By U.S. Army Public Affairs