Tremendous possibilities exist for all nations to build a better future, says General Henry H. Shelton, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, "but only if we are wise enough and determined enough to do the hard work necessary today to create a peaceful international environment." Peacetime military engagement, he writes, "can be a valuable tool for shaping this environment and preventing conflicts from occurring."

"The legitimate object of war is a more perfect peace."

-- General of the Army William T. Sherman, 20 July 1865           

Today, the military forces of the United States are working together with friends and allies from all over the world, not in combat operations but in promoting peace, stability, and the rule of law. These military endeavors are part of a national security strategy aimed at shaping the international environment through military, diplomatic, and economic initiatives to help reduce tensions. Through peacetime military engagement efforts with other nations, we help foster institutions and international relationships that can help stop crises from occurring, and if they do occur, prevent them from escalating into conflict.

The three components to current peacetime military engagement activities are overseas presence, a vigorous joint and combined exercise program, and direct military-to-military contacts.

The foundation of peacetime military engagement is the presence of American military forces deployed outside of the United States. Maintaining a substantial overseas presence promotes regional stability by providing concrete form and substance to our bilateral and multilateral security commitments. The troops forward deployed in Europe and the Pacific also deter potential adversaries from taking aggressive actions by demonstrating the determination to defend U.S. interests, allies, partners, and friends. Forward units also allow the United States to respond rapidly to crises and are a critical contribution to the "shaping" element of America's national security strategy.

Exercises are the second pillar of peacetime military engagement. Conducted with allies and friends, these endeavors improve the combat readiness of the units involved and demonstrate the ability to form and operate effectively as a coalition. Annually, the United States conducts nearly 200 exercises with allied and friendly militaries, demonstrating both capabilities and resolve to friends and potential adversaries. For the armed forces of emerging democracies, these exercises also afford them an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between military and civilian leaders, including the fundamental principle of civilian control of the military.

Military-to-military contacts, the third component of peacetime military engagement, involve regular and periodic visits between senior leaders, visits by lower ranking officers at the working level, educational exchanges, and international military education and training programs. When combined with other programs such as the Partnership for Peace, defense cooperation activities, and foreign military sales, the combined effect is a long-term professional relationship between our armed forces and those of another country. With countries that are neither staunch friends nor confirmed foes, military-to-military contacts help build constructive security relationships where exercises are not feasible. These contacts can also promote additional avenues of communication that can pay dividends when a crisis occurs. While peacetime military engagement activities are an important investment in preventing war and destruction, these efforts are not cost-free. In the past four years we have conducted some 48 major operations, and today we have 125,000-plus service members "away from home" in the Balkans, the Sinai, Haiti, the Asia-Pacific region, Southwest Asia, and many other places, plus another 200,000 forward deployed in Europe and the Pacific.

The number of deployments needed to support peacetime military engagement efforts, respond to various crises around the world, and continue the rigorous training needed to maintain combat readiness creates a level of effort that is challenging. With combat forces some 40 percent smaller than just a decade ago, the United States must carefully prioritize the tasks assigned to the military in order to insure long-term readiness. Continuing military engagement as a key part of the national security strategy requires a clear understanding of the demands such a strategy places on our military forces.

The future offers tremendous possibilities for all the nations of the world to build a better tomorrow, but only if we are wise enough and determined enough to do the hard work necessary today to create a peaceful international environment. Military engagement in peacetime can be a valuable tool for shaping this environment and preventing conflicts from occurring. Cooperative military efforts between the United States and other nations can complement the political and economic measures aimed at strengthening ties with our allies, partners, and friends. Through these efforts we can help create what General Sherman termed "a more perfect peace."