Transforming Military Training: Using the Lessons of the Past to Build the Army of the Future

In the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with the larger war against terrorism, the U.S. military is now confronted with new challenges requiring significant changes in strategy, doctrine, training and education. At this critical juncture, it is vital to understand how the U.S. armed forces are moving to adjust their strategy and tactics to better meet such threats now, and in the future.

On September 14, Brookings’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy and 21st Century Defense Initiative co-hosted a discussion with Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth. Lt. Gen. Petraeus discussed reforms that the U.S. military is undertaking to confront the new challenges of warfare. Carlos Pascual, vice president and director of Foreign Policy Studies, made introductory remarks and moderated the discussion.

Lt. Gen. Petraeus’ briefing coincided with the launch of the Brookings 21st Century Defense Initiative—a new program of research, analysis, and outreach on the future of war and the implications for the U.S. military, under the leadership of Senior Fellows Peter W. Singer and Michael E. O’Hanlon.