Although the Trump administration isn’t likely to be remembered fondly by most historians, some U.S. institutions actually benefited from the 45th president’s tenure. A case in point is the Army, which ended the Obama years with declining readiness and a faltering modernization program. Today, the Army is aiming to achieve the highest rate of readiness in two-thirds of its brigade combat teams. The Army’s fiscal 2021 procurement budget is up 60% from four years ago, and the R&D budget is up 70%. Trump’s formula for fixing the nation’s oldest military service was simple: give it more money, and avoid getting it involved in new wars. However, the formula probably wouldn’t have worked without a cohesive leadership team at the Department of the Army that stuck with a coherent, practical plan. The Biden administration should stick with the plan too. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.
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