By Michael Mazarr, PhD This report examines the rise and decades-old reign of a pervasive foreign policy consensus which holds that military strength is the preeminent form of national power and why it continues to hold presidential candidates, who fear the perceived political risks, hostage to a faulty and counterproductive doctrine that makes America less…
The National Guard and Reserves (collectively, the Reserve Components) are under-manned, under-funded, and under-equipped for the demands we are making of them. The men and women who make up the Reserves continue to carry on, accomplishing the missions the nation asks of them. But to keep faith with America’s citizen-soldiers will require leadership from the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the United States Congress to advance an agenda that keeps the Reserves ready and relevant.
This report makes the case that fixing the challenges faced by the Reserve Components will require several initiatives. Because the Reserve Components now constitute an operational force rather than a strategic reserve, these forces require additional training on an on-going basis. In addition, Congress ought to pass legislation that limits the percentage of National Guard force that can be committed to operations at any one time in order to ensure that a sufficient force remains in the United States to respond to local disasters. Congress should also provide additional benefits to members of the Reserve Components as well at to their employers to ensure shared sacrifice by all of society.
