Few institutions of American power have borne greater burdens or faced greater challenges in the post-September 11 world than the United States Army. While the Pentagon leadership has long called for a smaller, lighter Army, the realities of Iraq, Afghanistan, and the war on terrorism have created an unprecedented crisis in America's land forces, which are increasingly undermanned and overstretched.

Can the U.S. Army be saved before it reaches its breaking point? What is the strategic purpose of American land forces, and how should they be structured for the missions they face? How large should the Army be, and what kind of procurement, equipping, and training do its soldiers need in order to defend against present and future challenges to American national security?

These and other questions will be the subject of an all-day AEI conference, the first in a new series on the future of America’s Armed Forces. General Peter J. Schoomaker, U.S. Army chief of staff, will deliver the keynote address.