Military

US' 'Atrophied' Military Unable to Sustain Itself in 'Multi-Domain Conflicts'

General Gustave F. Perna told an audience at the US Army's Global Force Symposium that the country's military malaise stemmed from a dependence on contractors to sustain its combat units, a practice that grew significantly in use during the "War on Terror" fought since 2001.

Moreover, the focus on "counterinsurgency" battles during this period, against non-professional foes in "permissive" environments, has meant the military has potentially lost many of the skills necessary to fight wars in complex battlefields against professionally trained enemies.

"I believe we're not ready to execute a decisive action fight against a near-peer competitor. It's not because we don't have great leaders and soldiers who have been trained in the last 15 years, it's because the skills we need for sustainment have atrophied," said Gen. Perna.