Readiness Is an Ability, Not a Condition

The American military invests enormous resources in check-the-box readiness. We measure personnel strength, equipment availability, training completion, maintenance status, and countless other

The American military invests enormous resources in check-the-box readiness. We measure personnel strength, equipment availability, training completion, maintenance status, and countless other indicators intended to tell commanders whether their organizations are ready to fight. We inspect, certify, evaluate, and report on a spreadsheet. We have developed sophisticated systems for describing the condition of the force, and we devote extraordinary effort to maintaining those systems. Yet an uncom