Deployment of National Guard and Reserve in the Global War on Terrorism (PDF; 2.7 MB)
Source: Defense Science Board

The task force found that there is general consensus that the guidelines for the reserve components satisfy their needs for predictability and sustainability. However, given current levels of operational demand, today’s Army active, National Guard, and reserve force structure will not support DOD’s policy. Now can it be supported when planned increases in end-strength are reached. Further, even if the policy could be supported numerically — either by additional end strength or reduction in operational tempo — other factors need to be addresses for effective implementation. Principal among them is the need to increase the amount of training conducted at reserve home stations prior to mobilization — requiring, at the least, substantially increased costs for equipment.

A related concern is the availability of National Guard and reserve personnel and equipment to meet homeland security, civil support, and domestic emergency requirements along with robust overseas deployments. Meeting this broad spectrum of responsibilities will require a review of current force structure as well as innovative mechanisms to ensure equipment availability in times of domestic crisis.

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