Strengthening America’s Defenses in the New Security Environment: Second Report to Congress (PDF; 7.55 MB)
Source: The Commission on the National Guard and the Reserves

The sponsors of the legislation have stated that at a time when we are asking more of the National Guard both at home and abroad, its effectiveness is hampered by Cold War structures and a lack of institutional power within the Pentagon commensurate with its increasingly important role. In summary, the proponents conclude that:

• The Department of Defense and the parent services of the National Guard have not adapted to the significant role of the National Guard in the post-9/11 security environment.
• Decision-making processes within the Department of Defense do not adequately consider the interests of the National Guard and do not always include National Guard participation and input at the appropriate level.
• DOD’s failure to appropriately consider National Guard needs and funding requirements has produced a National Guard that is not fully ready to meet current and emerging missions.

We believe that addressing the fundamental problems facing the National Guard requires a broader approach than the legislation envisions. It requires a strategic framework that focuses not only on the National Guard Bureau but also on the parent services of the National Guard, the organizational structure of DOD as a whole, the role of United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the role of the states and their governors, and the role of other government agencies involved in homeland security missions. In that regard, the Commission believes it necessary to consider how best to empower not exclusively the National Guard Bureau but rather overall national security capabilities—including those of the National Guard, as part of a much broader, integrated team.

This entry was posted on Sunday, March 4th, 2007 at 12:14 pm and is filed under Military and defense. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.