Army National Guard Divisions: A Hedge against Uncertainty.
Abstract
In the current post-cold war era, the leadership of the United States is faced with an usual peacetime dilemma. Domestic concerns and the end of the Cold War have caused many policy makers to turn away from National Security issues. A major unresolved issue in the ongoing debate about the appropriate size of the Armed Forces is whether the nation should continue to maintain a reserve over and above those specifically identified in current operations plans. Since its founding, the United States has relied on a small standing Army, backed up by a large, organized militia for its defense and national security. Over the course of the past two hundred and twenty years, there have been many attempts by the Army's active component to challenge the readiness, training and combat capability of today's National Guard. Too often this attempt has ignored the ability of the U.S. Army to execute its portion of the National Security Strategy (NSS). The conclusion is to avoid an unacceptable level of risk to the strategic defense of the United States by balancing the simultaneity of threats as outlined in the NSS.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 18, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA363525
Entities
People
- Roosevelt Barfield
Organizations
- United States Army War College