First Army's 'Bold Shift' to focus on pre-mob training Published July 29, 2014 By David Vergun Army News Service WASHINGTON -- In addition to running mobilization sites, First U.S. Army has been given the mission of focusing on pre-mobilization training of the National Guard and Army Reserve. This change will result in fewer contractors involved in pre-mob training, said Lt. Gen. Michael S. Tucker, commander, First Army, speaking at the 2014 U.S. Army Reserve Command Commanders Conference in Alexandria, Virginia, July 22, 2014. Over the last 12 years of war, the Guard and Reserve have each "stood up huge training enterprises" for pre-mob training, he said. Now, First Army will coordinate the pre-mob training. It will also continue to conduct the post-mob training at sites such as Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The new mission focus by First Army goes by the name of "Bold Shift" initiative, and the transition should be completed by the end of 2016, Tucker said. Manpower will not be increased to do the pre-mob training, he said. However, a different mix of Soldiers will be required in First Army. For example, a number of field-grade officers will be swapped for warrant officers who have more of the technical expertise that Reserve Components require. First Army's headquarters staff will also be reduced. All of these personnel decisions were made after a complete mission-essential task review was conducted, Tucker said, and approval for the changes was given by the Army chief of staff. "It's a huge undertaking," Tucker said. "We will partner with the Reserve Components to advise, train, assist, and support to achieve (Army Forces Generation) requirements both pre- and post-mob, through multi-component integrated training." The ARFORGEN cycle driving those mobilization requirements has slowed recently. Thirteen years ago, 190,000 Soldiers were mobilized per year. This year it's 32,000. Next year will be about 20,000 and then it will settle out to about 10,000 per year, absent new conflicts, Tucker said, with deployments to places like Guantanamo Bay, the Horn of Africa, Multinational Force of Observers and Kosovo Force. Despite the slowdown, the Army will "still need surge capability," Tucker said. That function is largely carried out by Reserve troop program units. As result of the drawdown and lower rate of mobilization, First Army officials said a number of multifunctional training brigade sites will become inactive over the next few years. Those sites slated to be inactive are: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Fort McCoy, Wisconsin; Camp Atterbury, Indiana; Fort Stewart, Georgia; and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Those that will remain active are: Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Hood, Texas; and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.