U.S. Military Readiness at the Beginning of Hostilities

Our Army remains at the forefront of the nations foreign policy arm. Through employment, national will, and determination, the United States Military continues forward in its quest for readiness and preparedness. Our military continues to modernize personnel, weapons systems, technology advances, and tactics. Historically, the outbreak of hostilities offers a snapshot of preparedness for our military. Through trial and error, historical analysis, and leader intuition, the military forges ahead with its continuous battle of staying prepared for future hostilities. This analysis will focus on that very topic and answer a fundamental question. Are we better prepared at the outbreak of hostilities than we were 30-40 years ago? We must journey back through time and examine historical examples. We can answer this question, reinforced with data to conclude whether or not the U.S. military has overcome the fundamental obstacles to achieve force readiness prior to the commencement of combat operations. Lets begin.