FORT HOOD, Texas –The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is more than a large, capable terrorist organization and the Army is adjusting tactics in order to defeat them said the Army Chief of Staff during a visit to Fort Hood Monday.
Gen. Mark Milley said the Army began weeks ago to re-evaluate the “ways and means” of the president’s strategy of destroying the terror group. In the wake of the recent bombings in Paris and Beirut, Milley acknowledged that Army planners are taking a “hard look” at additional tactical changes.
“There’s no question in my mind that Daesh, as we call them, are a serious threat to U.S. national security interests,” he said, using the preferred acronym of the group’s Arabic name. “The president has said it repeatedly, that the United States is committed to destroying (Daesh).”
Describing it as a “proto-state” capable of planning and conducting terrorist attacks both in the Middle East and across Europe, Milley said that the destruction of Daesh is as complex a tactical ground situation for military commanders as he has ever seen.
“It doesn’t get much more complex than it does right now in Iraq and Syria,” he said in an interview following a day spent with both active duty and National Guard Soldiers training for upcoming deployments.
Milley’s unannounced visit re-enforced his top priority of training and readiness with Soldiers and leaders from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and members of the Massachusetts National Guard conducting exercises on the installation’s massive live fire ranges.
“You need to be prepared to go at a moment’s notice,” Milley said to Soldiers. “You need to make sure your tactics, your techniques and your procedures at are a very high level of readiness. When called, you will be ready to go.”
As one of largest Army installations, Milley said Fort Hood plays a prominent role for today’s forces. He mentioned the significant combat power of the 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Cav. Regt., along with support from air defense artillery, military police, engineers, signal and mission command units under III Corps. -Army.mil
