Military Review

Publishing Disclaimer: In all of its publications and products, Military Review presents professional information. However, the views expressed therein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Army University, the Department of the Army, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

 

Letter from the Editor

 

Col. Andrew Steadman, U.S. Army

 

Download the PDF Download the PDF

 

Col. Andrew Steadman, U.S. Army

Col. Andrew Steadman, U.S. Army
Director, Army University Press

On 2 October 2025, the U.S. Army activated its newest four-star command in Austin, Texas: Transformation and Training Command (T2COM). This new organization combines U.S. Army Futures Command and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command—established fifty-two years ago to professionalize the post-Vietnam Army.1

T2COM unifies the functions of force design, force development, and force generation. Its commander, Gen. David Hodne, makes the mission clear:

From vision to victory, we lead the Army’s continuous transformation, modernizing capabilities, developing leaders and advancing the profession to deliver decisive readiness.2

This transformation is not simply an organizational change. T2COM is reimagining how the Army trains and fights through a rigorous, “blank whiteboard” methodology for solving complex problems and a commitment to being lean, adaptive, and data-driven.

T2COM’s approach represents a profound shift in culture, process, and mindset—one essential for the U.S. Army to deliver war-winning capabilities at a pace that outmatches its adversaries.

This sense of urgency and innovation is not exclusive to T2COM. Every Army leader faces the challenge of adapting for the next fight. Leaders must not allow traditional systems, processes, and ways of thinking or fighting to anchor them. As Gen. James Rainey emphasized in his August 2025 Military Review online exclusive article, “We need leaders who are intellectually humble and passionately curious.”3

In this period of transformation, enterprising leaders will experiment with emerging technologies, wrestle with new ideas, and challenge “the way we’ve always done it.” When they do, it will be vital that they share their insights and contribute to the professional dialogue—because the impact of their ideas can extend far beyond the edge of their unit’s area.

Sgt. 1st Class Travis Lee Mann provides a perfect example. His article, “Steppes of Resistance: Mongolian Nationalism as a Strategic Resistance to Chinese Revanchism in the Indo-Pacific,” earned third place in this year’s General William E. DePuy Writing Competition and is featured in this issue of Military Review.

In response, U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Richard Buangan wrote,

Travis Mann’s paper correctly illustrates the dilemma many countries in the Indo-Pacific face when preserving their sovereignty and national identity amid intense pressure from aggressive Chinese efforts to culturally, politically, and economically dominate nation-states on its periphery while dislodging U.S. power and influence, which has served as a force for good and prosperity since the end of World War II.

I found Mann’s arguments incredibly persuasive, drawn from accurate descriptions of experiences throughout Mongolia’s long and rich history. His suggested U.S. government lines of effort to effectively support Mongolia’s long-term goals to remain sovereign, democratic, and free—despite its long border with China—are not only realistic and well-measured but also aligned with existing U.S. foreign policy goals for Mongolia.

As Ambassador, I intend to encourage and direct my embassy country team to give serious thought to adopting many of SFC Mann’s suggested strategies and tactics once his paper is published.4

Mann’s insights bridged geographic and civil-military boundaries to influence the perspective of a senior U.S. official and his staff—not to mention the thousands of other leaders who will read his work.

That Mann is a noncommissioned officer only reinforces the value of adding experienced, knowledgeable, and diverse voices to the professional dialogue. Well done, Travis.

Today, how will you challenge outdated ways of thinking, start with a “blank whiteboard,” and reimagine how to outmatch the next adversary? More importantly—how will you share what you learn?

 

Notes External Disclaimer

  1. “Army Stands Up Transformation and Training Command,” Association of the United States Army, 3 October 2025, https://www.ausa.org/news/army-stands-transformation-and-training-command.
  2. “Army Stands Up Transformation and Training Command.”
  3. James Rainey, “2025 Kermit Roosevelt Lecture,” Military Review Online Exclusive, 8 August 2025, https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journals/Military-Review/Online-Exclusive/2025-OLE/Kermit-Roosevelt-Lecture/.
  4. Richard Buangan, personal message to author, n.d.

 

 

Back to Top

November-December 2025