JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Maj. Gen. Michael Talley and Command Sgt. Maj. Victor Laragione, commanding general and command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence, hosted a strategic planning workshop for MEDCoE leaders at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston March 21-23.
The mission of the three-day workshop was to recalibrate the MEDCoE strategic plan to meet the challenges of large-scale combat operations in the multi-domain environment by establishing a common framework and synchronizing resources necessary to develop leaders, steward the profession, and drive change for Army Medicine and the Army of 2030 and beyond.
On the first day, senior leaders from the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center, U.S. Army North, U.S. Army South, U.S. Army Futures Command, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Army Medical Command addressed the attendees to give a more complete picture of the current operating environment and provide guidance and perspective prior to the breakout planning workshops.
The workshops, which took place on the second day, provided an opportunity for a cross-section of MEDCoE personnel to form working groups assigned to a previously determined line of effort.
During the course of the day, the groups critically reviewed, validated and updated existing objectives and desired outcomes. They presented their ideas and plans to the reassembled group for discussion at the end of the day.
“We have some work to do with our campaign plan, our strategy,” said Talley, addressing the attendees. “This is the beginning. It all starts with you, the leaders in this organization, setting the pathway and communicating what's going on at echelon. That's all going to keep us moving in the same direction.”
On day three, the attendees participated in a half-day workshop focused on the benefits of identifying and developing an outward mindset.
As the workshop closed, Talley summed up the way forward for his command by saying, “We're on the right pathway. We have a common operating picture. This will allow us to go forward from now to 2030. We started off a couple of days ago reviewing what's at stake in the strategic operating environment. What's at stake for building the Army and Army Medicine for 2030. Coming together collectively with a plan that applies the ends, ways, and means that we're going to need is essential and must be enduring.”