U.S. Army Japan changing approach
to meet needs of the new century
By Fred Knapp, Zama bureau
chief
Maj. Gen. Alan Johnson |
As recent terrorist attacks highlight the need for a more agile military, U.S. Army
Japan is continuing changes to bring it up to speed and to bury its former "Sleepy
Hollow" mentality, its commander says.
Army Maj. Gen. Alan Johnson, U.S. Army Japan commander, said the Sept. 11 attacks in
the United States — and the U.S. response — will be indicative of things to
come.
"I think what we’re seeing here is truly a glimpse into the type of wars,
type of conflicts we’re going to see in this new century. It’s going to be
fought on many different levels — information dominance, very, very rapid movement,
very quick response, very lethal and sometimes unconventional," Johnson said.
The Army as a whole has been changing, Johnson said, with experience in Kosovo and
elsewhere suggesting "perhaps the structure is not quite right. Perhaps we better
look at other ways of getting our forces to the conflict or where the nation needs
us."
That kind of change has been under way in Japan for some time, Johnson said.
He cited last year’s creation of the 9th Theater Support Command, which he heads.
The command has small "early entry" teams that can enter an area to scout it and
determine how to get the flow of supplies and other logistics started immediately.
There have also been changes in the supplies at Sagami General Depot, the vast
warehouse and outdoor storage complex at Camp Zama.
"Things that shouldn’t have been here have been shipped out to where they
ought to be," Johnson said. Unrelated to the Sept. 11 attacks, "We just had a
huge shipment of goods … from Sagami Depot to Korea." Johnson said the shipment
included small arms. In return, some overstocked chemical and biological protective suits
in South Korea are being sent to Sagami Depot, he said.
Johnson said other changes include updating the type of ammunition stored by the Army
at Kure, and streamlining the organization of port operations at Yokohama and Naha.
Organizational changes include efforts at faster planning, buttressed by a
just-completed review of everything U.S. Army Japan headquarters does.
"We need to be able to plan and execute operations better. We have to be able to
provide support quicker; we have to be able to perhaps move elements of
headquarters," he said.
Johnson contrasted that kind of thinking with what he said used to be U.S. Army
Japan’s reputation as a "Sleepy Hollow" assignment.
Under that mentality, people thought, "We don’t really need to be alert
because we’re not going to be called on anyway, we’re just sort of treading
water here … Just kind of come here, do your time, enjoy Japan. It’s a great
tour," Johnson said. "Those are sort of the things you used to hear about Army
Japan. And at various levels or degrees, much of it was true."
However, he said, that attitude is also changing.
"We need to be able to support a transformed Army," Johnson said, adding,
"The community, I think, has gotten used to the notion that change is OK."
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