Under Secretary of the Army Joseph W. Westphal discusses Army Transformation, Business Transformation and Army Equipment Modernization during Government Executive Leadership Briefing's "Fireside Chats", Oct. 10, 2012, at the National Press Club, Washington, DC. The moderated forum included government and defense industry executives and discussions on the impact of sequestration on Army programs, current operations in Afghanistan, business transformation initiatives, and posturing the Army for the future. Under Secretary Westphal underscored the importance of Army initiatives to address suicide (Ready and Resilient), fiscal challenges and the Army's commitment to Soldiers and leader development to meet current and future requirements. "We really have to focus on our people. They are our strength. The first thing we have to do as we transition to a smaller force, and into a force of a future, is invest in these individuals. We will maintain the best educated Army in history and it's critical that we continue making investments to ensure that in the future," Westphal commented. Government Executive Leadership Briefings are a moderated breakfast-time event that are hosted by the Government Executive Media Group. The forum is designed to promote open discussions amongst federal and industry leaders about current issues. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Bernardo Fuller)