Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart April 20 to talk about the chairman of the Joint Chiefs’ intent for the future of the U.S. military.
Battaglia spoke in the Patch Theater, where more than 100 enlisted service members from all branches had gathered.
The topics ranged from new policy forecasts to how well service members are taking the fight to the enemy. He discussed restructuring the military after the conflict in Afghanistan winds down, and troops returning to garrison units to resume training to answer the next call to action.
Battaglia illustrated the four main points the CJCS wants the enlisted troops to focus on.
He stressed the importance of achieving the national objectives in the current conflict, focusing on developing the joint forces model for 2020, keeping faith with the military family and renewing a commitment to the profession of arms.
“We want to be problem preventers, not problem solvers,” said Battaglia of the over-arching thought behind achieving the four main points. “We want to do everything we can to be to the left of the problem.”
He spoke for about 45 minutes, reiterating the CJCS’ positions, before opening the floor to questions from the audience. He concluded with encouraging words for the troops.
“Don’t think for one minute that you’re going to find yourself behind a desk doing a certain duty and that it’s not going to have any effect on the overall mission objective and lines of operation for your commander’s campaign plan or theater security plan,” Battalgia said. “It’s a team effort, and there’s no ‘I’ in team.
“In our business, we rely on one another to get through periods of turbulence and uncertainty. A special breed of folks like you, who we find on our left and right, leading from the front or following close behind, all of those individuals make up this team.”
Battaglia will continue visiting installations throughout Europe to encourage the troops and perpetuate the CJCS’ guidance and intent for the coming post-Operation Enduring Freedom climate the military is about to find itself in.
