Soldiers to gather this week for Warfighter Conference

Amid a shrinking Army at Fort Benning and installations across the nation, soldiers will gather this week for the 2015 Maneuver Warfighter Conference at McGinnis-Wickam Hall.

The event, held Tuesday through Thursday, gives military leaders a chance to share ideas on the challenges for the warfighter in the infantry, armor and cavalry. Last year, the event attracted about 1,000 soldiers but a public affairs spokesman didn't know how many might attend this year's forum with the theme "Future Maneuver -- Building Soldiers, Leaders and Formations that are smart, fast, lethal and precise."

The conference is held as 2,600 of the 3,600 soldiers of the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team are reassigned as the Army shrinks the force to 450,000. It kicks off at 8 a.m. Tuesday in Marshall Auditorium with opening remarks from Maj. Gen. Scott Miller, commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

Gen. David G. Perkins, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will talk about the Operationalizing the Army Operating Concept at 9 a.m.

Lt. Gen. Robert B. Brown, former commander at Fort Benning, will focus on the Human Dimension. Brown is now the commanding general

of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth commandant.

Two former leaders at Fort Benning will highlight the conference on Wednesday. Maj. Gen. James Rainey, the former commandant of the U.S. Infantry School, is scheduled to speak on Operations in Afghanistan. He recently assumed command of the U.S. National Support Element in Afghanistan and duties as deputy commanding general of support.

More than a year after leaving Fort Benning in July 2014, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster returns to the post as director of Army Capabilities Integration Center and deputy commanding general of futures at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Eustis. He served more than two years as the commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

Just after noon on Thursday, Miller will present the closing remarks at the conference.

The week also is filled with several events recognizing the armor and the infantry.

On Tuesday at the RiverMill Event Center, the Cavalry and Armor Association will host the 2015 Gold Medallion Dinner, where the Order of Saint George Gold Medallion will be presented to retired Maj. Gen. Rob Goff, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Webster and Jody Harmon. The honor is the highest award for a member of the Army's armor force.

Also on Tuesday at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, the Infantry Association presents the Doughboy Award to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the infantry. It is the highest award that can be bestowed on an infantry soldier.

Honorees this year are retired Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger and actor Gary Sinise, who portrayed Lt. Dan Taylor in the 1994 movie "Forrest Gump." Taylor was a cocky officer who was wounded in the Vietnam War and lost his legs.

This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 9:59 PM with the headline "Soldiers to gather this week for Warfighter Conference ."