By Angie Thorne | Public Affairs Office

Gen. Randy A. George, chief of staff of the U.S. Army, recently visited the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Johnson.

During his visit, he observed rotational training and spoke with Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

As George witnessed the rotation in action, he saw first hand the collaboration between brigade combat teams such as the 82nd and 101st  Airborne Divisions that contributed to making the rotation a success.

“Our CTCs (combat training centers), including JRTC, provide our formations the opportunity to see themselves on the modern battlefield. We can rapidly incorporate observations from conflicts worldwide, giving us the chance to quickly test evolving tactics and technology in a tough, realistic training environment,” George said.

George said he wants more leaders involved in capability development to visit the CTCs and wants Fort Johnson’s tactical units to inform changes based on their innovation and tactical employment.

“Warfare and our world are changing rapidly. We must continuously adapt to stay ahead of our adversaries on the battlefield. Our Army combat training centers help us refine our tactics and training from the bottom up. We test what works and what doesn’t. We focus on making our formations more lethal,” he said.

As George toured the Fort Johnson training areas, his spouse, Patricia George, was busy touring facilities such as Fort Johnson’s School Age Center, Army Community Center, housing and the Home of Heroes Soldier Recreation Center, which is the headquarters of Fort Johnson’s Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers. Her tour focused on soldiers and families.

Topics of discussion included programs prioritizing spouse employment, youth, education, exceptional Family members and how BOSS continues to succeed by integrating with major subordinate commands and the community through a robust network of representatives.

Along with installation leadership, she also attended the Fort Johnson Department of Defense STARBASE, a youth program that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math in an interactive way.