Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy attends the George C. Marshall Dinner during the Association of the United States Army's 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in October 2019 2019. (Sgt. Dana Clarke/Army)
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy stepped down Wednesday as the new Biden administration took charge, bringing to an end the three-and-a-half years McCarthy has served as either the highest or second-highest ranking civilian within the Department of the Army.
McCarthy’s tenure was marked by ambitious modernization initiatives as the Army orients away from nearly two decades of counter-insurgency conflict and toward competition with other global powers. But domestic issues, including civil unrest and the Army’s handling of missing soldiers and sexual assaults, have drawn increased scrutiny in recent months.
Assistant Secretary of the Army John Whitley, the service’s comptroller, will serve as acting secretary until President Joe Biden selects nominees to lead each of the services and they are confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
McCarthy, a veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment, said in an interview this week that he hasn’t yet sketched out his next career plans. His unique role in helping manage the National Guard in Washington, D.C., has required his focus to remain on the inauguration, he said.
Security for the presidential transition has been a top priority in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. In recent days, the FBI worked to vet 25,000 Guard troops who came to D.C. to help ensure a peaceful inauguration. Twelve troops were ultimately flagged and sent home, though few details have been offered as to what raised suspicions about them.
“It’s always a broad concern that soldiers are thoroughly vetted for any type of extremist threats,” McCarthy said Monday. “[On] Jan. 6, there were a handful of service members across the department that had participated in the riot. So, for all the hosts of those reasons, we’re running all the names through the FBI database.”
In a statement Wednesday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville bid farewell to his civilian counterpart. He emphasized McCarthy’s efforts to field new equipment to formations, while acknowledging the pandemic and protests this spring and summer that frequently tapped National Guard soldiers.
“His inspirational leadership and unwavering integrity have spearheaded the most ambitious Army modernization efforts since the 1970s,” McConville said in his farewell message. “He instituted reforms that put the Army’s People First, and guided the Army through some of the most challenging times affecting the Nation and our society in recent memory.”
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When McCarthy was sworn in as secretary in late September 2019, many of his priorities carried over from his previous two years as the Army undersecretary.
“The agenda has been consistent for over three-and-a-half years that I’ve been here,” he said, noting the focus on combat training center rotations and increasing unit readiness. “Over four years ago we had about two Brigade Combat Teams ready, [and] today we have north of 27 at the highest levels of readiness.”
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy talks with a vendor during the Association of the United States Army's 2019 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in October 2019. (Sgt. Dana Clarke/Army)
The Army has also stood up a new four-star Futures Command and made it a priority to develop long range precision fires, next generation combat vehicles and a future vertical lift platform, among other initiatives. The service is on its fifth budget in a row that’s investing in those programs, McCarthy noted.
“You’ll see many of [those technologies] entering the formation, literally in soldier’s hands, this fiscal year and next,” McCarthy added. “The next two to three fiscal years, you’ll see tranches of these capabilities landing, enhancing our long range precision fires, our networks, missile defense and soldier lethality in particular.”
The Army also introduced a new force generation scheme this fall, dubbed the “Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model,” that will allocate Army units to different regions of the world in roughly one year.
The new model will give units expertise in the specific theaters where they would deploy during an actual conflict and allow them to stockpile new equipment for those clashes. It will also offer far more predictability so soldiers can, for instance, receive the new Next Generation Squad Automatic Weapon and IVAS goggles, according to McCarthy and other senior leaders.
“If you have predictability of where the units are going to be in the cycle, whether they’re deploying or home on re-fit, that’s when you will know what units will be able to equip or absorb new equipment,” McCarthy said. “Nineteen years of sustained combat operations have made it hard for us to have predictability and stability” necessary to receive that new equipment.
The modernization and readiness priorities were focused outwardly, with the goal to be able to fight and win against near-peer adversaries like Russia and China in the coming decades. But the past year in particular has been mired in domestic trouble.
This spring, the global coronavirus pandemic required the activation of thousands of Guardsmen and stymied Army training rotations and deployments, including a division-sized exercise in Europe. Trouble continued this summer, when the murder of Spc. Vanessa Guillen spotlighted the failings of leadership at Fort Hood, in Texas.
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, center, meets with local officials in Killeen, Texas, following the death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen inside a 3rd Cavalry Regiment armory on Fort Hood. (Hunter King/The Killeen Daily Herald via AP)
An independent committee determined there was an environment at the post that allowed sexual assault and harassment to proliferate, and that Army CID agents assigned there were under-experienced and overworked — a problem that agents say exists across the force.
“Using independent panels is an extraordinary step, quite frankly,” McCarthy said of the decision to tap five experts from outside the Army to review Fort Hood’s command climate. That independent committee was “objective” and provided “a holistic view from the outside, [with] fresh eyes,” he added.
Fourteen leaders at Fort Hood, from the deputy commander down to the squad level, were relieved or suspended in the wake of that independent committee’s review. Other investigations related to Fort Hood remain pending.
Army Futures Command boss Gen. John Murray was tasked with carrying out an in-depth investigation into the actions taken by the post’s chain of command following the disappearance of Guillen. The 6th Military Police Group, which oversees CID agents at Fort Hood, is also the subject of an investigation.
Also this summer, the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black suspect, by Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests, including within the nation’s capital. The deployment of Guard troops to D..C. during protests and riots was met with criticism, especially after two D.C. Guard helicopters flew low over protesters on the night of June 1 in an apparent effort to intimidate and scatter them.
McCarthy, who was technically in the chain of command for those Guard pilots, could not comment on the investigation into the incident. DefenseOne reported this fall that the D.C. Guard and the Defense Department Inspector General’s Office remain at odds over who should take responsibility.
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy talks with soldiers of the 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command in South Korea on Jan. 29. (Staff Sgt. Michael Reinsch/Army)
Guard mobilizations were far more welcomed by the media and citizens of the district early in 2021 — after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The Associated Press reported that at least 22 current or former members of the U.S. military and law enforcement have been identified as being at or near the Capitol building during the riot.
The presence of veterans and active troops has caused some to urge the military to clamp down on extremism in the ranks, an amorphous problem that can be difficult to identify in practice.
“We don’t really have a thorough understanding of just how many people were there,” McCarthy said of the Capitol riot. “We’re looking at this very hard and working with federal law enforcement to find out if there were others, over and above the ones that have been reported to us.”
Identifying any more soldiers who participated in the riot has been made a priority for Provost Marshal Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, according to McCarthy. The provost marshal relies on the FBI and other agencies that monitor extremist groups, often through their online footprints, to flag soldiers engaged in extremist activities.
“If this does truly exist, we have to go after it,” McCarthy said when asked whether the Army needed to change how it is pursuing extremism in the ranks. “We turn to our experts to help us look at this type of problem set, how to understand it and where to look for it. And if necessary, we’ll put the appropriate resources in place to canvass the institution.”
Biden inauguration in nation's capital
1 of 33A National Guard stands at a road block near the Supreme Court ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Gerald Herbert/AP)
2 of 33Soldiers from the North Carolina Army National Guard patrol the Rosslyn Metro station on the morning of the inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (Luke Sharrett/Getty Images)
3 of 33Members of the National Guard stand at a road block near the Supreme Court ahead of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (John Minchillo/AP)
4 of 33Left to right: Doug Emhoff, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, incoming first lady Jill Biden, President-elect Joe Biden, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar arrive for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president on Jan. 20, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
5 of 33President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden arrive to Biden's inauguration on the West Front of the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
6 of 33Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush arrive before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president on Jan. 20, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
7 of 33Former President Bill Clinton arrives with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
8 of 33Former President Barack Obama, left, bumps fists with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as they arrive for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president on the West Front of the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
9 of 33Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
10 of 33President Joe Biden speaks during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021.(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool)
11 of 33President-elect Joe Biden, his wife Jill Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff arrive at the steps of the U.S. Capitol for the start of the official inauguration ceremonies, in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
12 of 33Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley arrives for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president on Jan. 20, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)
13 of 33Members of the National Guard salute as they stand near the U.S. Capitol while the national anthem is sung during the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
14 of 33Members of the National Guard salute as they stand near the Capitol while the national anthem is sung during the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
15 of 33Members of the National Guard stand on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)
16 of 33National Guard troops look on during the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on the West Front of the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
17 of 33President Joe Biden, first lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice President Harris, attend a Pass-in-Review ceremony, hosted by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol after the 59th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2021 in Washington. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
18 of 33Outgoing President Donald Trump addresses guests at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Jan. 20, 2021. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images)
19 of 33President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. Trump is en route to his Mar-a-Lago Florida Resort. (Alex Brandon/AP)
20 of 33Outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump descend Marine One as they arrive at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Jan. 20, 2021. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images)
21 of 33Outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump step out of Marine One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Jan. 20, 2021. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images)
22 of 33From left to right: first lady Dr. Jill Biden, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Doug Emhoffl, Harris' husband, watch a military pass-in-review during the inauguration on the West Front of the Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Washington. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
23 of 33President Joe Biden, center, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Maj. Gen. Omar J. Jones salute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 20, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (Joshua Roberts-Pool/Getty Images)
24 of 33President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attend a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony at the Capitol Jan. 20, 2021, in Arlington, Va. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
25 of 33Members of the military march on 15th Street towards the White House during a presidential escort to the White House following President Joe Biden taking the oath of office in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Jose Luis Magana/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
26 of 33President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk up Pennsylvania Avenue towards the White House in Washington after Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in at the Capitol on Jan. 20, 202. (Doug Mills/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
27 of 33Military bands parade past President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as they prepare to depart the Capitol following their taking the Oath of Office as the 46th president and 49th vice president of the United States in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Rod Lamkey/Pool, AFP via Getty Images)
28 of 33An honor guard deploys to line up along Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
29 of 33A military band parades on the street near the White House after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn in at the Capitol on Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
30 of 33President-elect Joe Biden bumps fists with former President Barack Obama during Biden's inauguration, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. (Pool Photo via AP)
31 of 33President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden wave as they arrive at the North Portico of the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/Pool via AP)
32 of 33Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, as their children Ashley and Hunter watch. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via AP)
33 of 33President Joe Biden waits to sign his first executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)
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