Rising to the Challenge
Strategic planning is the key to future success.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

This month marks the 74th anniversary of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), formerly The Retired Officers Association. For the past 74 years, the association has held true to the vision of its founder, Col. Arthur T. Marix, usmc. Over the years, strategies and tactics have shifted to fit the situation, but the mission has remained the same: to assist military officers and their families and to promote a strong national defense. The recent name change is just one example of a strategic move that better reflects the current situation and positions the organization for future strength.

In this light, MOAA's president, Vice. Adm. Norbert R. Ryan Jr., USN-Ret., discusses the association's planning process in his column on page 10. As your board of directors and staff formulate future plans, we will, of course, announce key initiatives in the pages of this magazine and through MOAA's Web Base and other publications. No doubt, the coming years will present opportunities and challenges as the association continues to work to represent the military community.

As I mentioned, one facet of MOAA's mission is to promote a strong national defense. In support of this broad mission, we help keep you informed about uniformed services news and developments. As you are aware, our nation's uniformed services today face tremendous challenges. Major force drawdowns of the '90s now meet unanticipated mission growth in the post-Sept. 11 world.

To give you some insight as to how the services are coping and planning for the future, we periodically present updates from defense leaders. This month we bring you Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. In an interview with contributing editor Tom Philpott (page 54), Jumper discusses readiness, operations, and force size as well as efforts to modernize and transform the Air Force.

Like all the uniformed services, the Air Force is taking on new missions and increasing operations tempo — while dealing with a slimmed-down force structure and aging equipment. National Guard and Reserve members are playing greater roles, stressing individuals and putting civilian employers under pressure.

"Early in the '90s, the Air Force came down by 40 percent," says Jumper. "With the Soviet Union's collapse, we struggled to find the new baseline. Now the question is, did we go down too far [in light of] a 400 percent increase in contingency operations?"

MOAA's foundation is caring for military people, whether retired or actively serving. Jumper leaves us with this assurance: "I'd like your readers, retirees especially, to know that quality of personnel isn't a problem. ... This generation of Americans, when properly led and motivated, is no less dedicated or patriotic or committed than any generation that ever served."