Accessibility: Improving the Mobilization Framework in Order to Leverage Availability of the Air National Guard
Abstract
Going to war is not supposed to be easy. Sending citizens, including members of the regular and reserve forces, into harm's way is not supposed to be routine. The powers to declare war, regulate the armed forces, and call forth the militia all belong to the Congress. At the time of the nation's founding, placing these powers in a body whose members could barely get along assured that war would not come easily. Although recognizing the need for a ready force, the framers of the Constitution harbored fears of a standing army. Together with these safeguards, the procedural processes embodied in Air Force instructions (AFI) and business rules impose strict guidelines on when and how the nation may call Air National Guard (ANG) forces to duty. These guidelines determine the accessibility of the ANG--the measure of the ease with which the nation obtains the capabilities that reside in that organization. However, for at least the last nine years, the Air Force--unlike its sister services--has routinely circumvented many of these mandates in order to access the ANG without employing involuntary mobilization. This loophole tactic inflates the perceived combat capability of the active component of the Air Force (RegAF) while incorrectly calling into question the availability of ANG units and individual guardsmen.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA538533
Entities
People
- Sean F. Conroy
Organizations
- Air University