The U.S. Army National Guard and Urban Warfare: Building a Needed Capability
Abstract
The U.S. Army National Guard provides more than 50% of the Army's combat maneuver brigades. Less than half of those brigades are assigned measurable warfighting roles in major regional contingency planning. The relevancy and warfighting readiness of the remaining maneuver brigades are consistently questioned. This paper will argue that while these brigades may be considered excess to the requirements for two major regional contingencies, they could fill a valuable role in enhancing the readiness of the U.S. Army for large-scale urban warfare. Additionally, these brigades should be expected to play an important role in support of local, state, and federal authorities for domestic contingencies. To be effective in both urban operations and domestic missions, however, National Guard brigades must be reorganized and retrained for the specific demands of the urban environment. Redirected towards these unique demands, the Army National Guard will be far more capable as both a warfighting force and as a responder to domestic contingencies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 10, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA389738
Entities
People
- Jeffrey P. Holt
Organizations
- United States Army War College