Reserve Component Transformation: How Does the Army Maintain Readiness in a Declining State of War?
Abstract
The Army Reserve Component over the past decade deployed multiple units and personnel as part of the conflicts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, units were mobilized as part of domestic and global crises involving natural disaster relief and homeland security operations. This operational tempo (OPTEMPO) is unprecedented in our history, and our reliance on using citizen Soldiers in military operations has become part of our overall strategy of incorporating Reserve Component (RC) forces into the Total Force. However, have we ensured that these forces are trained and ready for tomorrow's crises? Due to the high OPTEMPO of the last decade and changes in the geostrategic environment, the time is now to implement long-range plans that clearly define roles and responsibilities that take into consideration the experience that RC forces have gained over the last 10 years. The longer the Department of Defense waits to implement programs that ensure the training and readiness of RC forces, the longer the Army jeopardizes the momentum that RC forces maintain. The central theme of this article is defining how the Army will maintain RC readiness during a time of declining state of war while transforming the RC into an operational force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 04, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA565221
Entities
People
- Willie Rios Iii
Organizations
- Texas A&M University