FEBRUARY 14, 2023 – The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command hosted the first of its biannual Army People Sync Conferences this year from Feb. 7-10. The conference focused on synchronizing Army efforts to improve and reform the Army People Enterprise to build its Army professionals and ensure the Army is meeting the needs for a Multi-Domain Operations capable force.
Senior leaders across the U.S. Army gathered to discuss topics including talent management, recruiting and retention, the Integrated Personnel and Pay System, and the implementation and modernization of the Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model, or ReARMM, to better prepare the Army of 2030 for competition, crisis, and conflict.
While acquiring the force of 2030 was discussed at length during the conference, Gen. Gary M. Brito, commanding general, TRADOC, stressed modernizing the force requires more, and events like the APSC are critical to its success.
“It’s important that we’re all here today,” Brito said. “Recruiting is a concern that we are working diligently to solve, but it’s not all about recruiting [at this conference]. We have accessions, attrition, and retention that we’re working very hard on, but more importantly we have our people. We must do all that we can to remain people focused as we deliver the Army of 2030.”
Army leadership led discussions on talent management and the Civilian Implementation Plan, a new approach to improve the Army civilian professional workforce and ReARMM modernization.
“The expectations that we have of young talent today is very different than what we may have seen even just a few years ago,” explained Dr. Todd A. Fore, deputy assistant secretary of the Army, Civilian Personnel. “It’s important to be able to explain to the young talent we’re recruiting what advantages and benefits they can expect as an Army civilian so we can remain competitive in the job market.”
Lt. Gen. Douglas F. Stitt, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, continued the discussion with a briefing on the accessions and retention mission for the Army of 2030 and beyond, and the updated Active Component Manning Guidance.
Other briefings included Human Capital Enterprise structure and its importance in sustaining Army readiness and preserving the all-volunteer force from U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
“Without growing our leaders, we can’t grow the capabilities we need. These conferences help us identify the gaps so we can inform our senior leaders and determine what to do next,” explained Lt. Gen. Maria R. Gervais, Deputy Commanding General, TRADOC. “It all starts with that first handshake. If we don’t get that right, then the rest won’t follow suit.”
Smaller working groups were conducted throughout the week to further synchronize efforts. These working groups are a unique feature of the Army People Sync Conference that provide leaders with the opportunity to meet directly with the Army’s senior most leaders to discuss the best plan of execution for reform within the Army.
The Army People Sync Conference will be held again later this year as Army leadership continues to adapt and make the necessary changes to the initiatives and programs to create a more people-centric Army Enterprise.
Story by Nina Borgeson
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command