Joint Forces Command Responds to Gates Announcement

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 9, 2010 - U.S. Joint Forces Command officials issued a statement today in response to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates' recommendation to eliminate the command and assign its operational functions to other organizations.

Gates announced the recommendation today among a host of other initiatives designed to make the Defense Department more efficient.

Joint Forces Command is the Defense Department's proponent for joint training, doctrine and operations in the military. Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of U.S. Forces Iraq, is slated to become its new commander, replacing Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, who is taking the reins of U.S. Central Command.

Here is the text of the Joint Forces Command statement:

We all will work to carry out the Secretary's decision to disestablish Joint Forces Command. There will be much hard work and analysis in the time ahead and we will do the best we can to provide solid data on which to base decisions.

We have been assured that our work force will receive the best professional career advice and placement assistance available. This assistance begins with tomorrow's visit of Dr. Clifford Stanley, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, to talk with our leadership about the way ahead.

While this decision will understandably cause concern among our work force, we will be diligent to make sure we keep distractions to a minimum and continue to provide the best possible support to the warfighter.