INTRODUCTION
In August 1970, Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird directed the military departments to apply a Total Force concept to all aspects of planning, programming, manning, equipping, and employing National Guard and Reserve forces. Then as now, the U.S. armed forces were restructuring to meet the threat of a dynamic security environment while dealing with the economic realities of decreasing defense budgets. Secretary Laird reached the inescapable conclusion that increased reliance on the National Guard and Reserve forces was a prerequisite to a cost-effective force structure.
In 1973, the Department of Defense adopted the concept as the Total Force policy, which recognized that all of America's military -- Active, Guard, and Reserve -- should be readily available to provide for the common defense. Each succeeding Administration has emphasized this approach. The nation has benefited from the lower peacetime sustaining costs of Reserve forces, compared to similar active units, that result in a more capable force structure for a smaller defense budget. Today, after 25 years, the Total Force concept and the subsequent Total Force policy have proven to be a clear and continuing success.
Yesterday
Prior to 1970, the Ready Reserve Force were neither forces ready nor forces in being. The Army National Guard and Army Reserve were World War II/Korean War vintage units well out of the mainstream Army. They experienced serious shortages of modern equipment, including radios, aircraft, trucks, and ground surveillance equipment. There was also a backlog of 133,000 enlistees (12 percent of the force) awaiting initial active duty for training. The Naval Reserve's 80-ship fleet was in a poor state of readiness resulting from inadequate funding of ship maintenance. The ships' ordnance and electronic training equipment were of World War II vintage. The Marine Corps Reserve's 4th Aircraft Wing had no electronic warfare or in-flight refueling capability, and no rotary wing aircraft. The Air National Guard still operated 359 Korean War era F-84 fighters, and the Air Force Reserve operated 332 Korean War vintage C-119 cargo airplanes.
In the early 1970s, individual and professional qualifications were far below those of the active components (AC). Personnel policy allowed unlimited accessions of individuals with lower mental category test scores and of non-high school graduates. Only a high school diploma was required for commissioning as a Second Lieutenant or promotion to any officer rank in the Army; Reservists could complete the Officer Basic Course through correspondence courses. The composition of the reserve component (RC) did not reflect the racial and gender makeup of the general population. During that period, African-American membership in the Reserves was less than 2 percent of the force. Some states did not have any African-American representation in the National Guard. Total minority membership was less than 4 percent; women made up less than one-half of one percent of the force.
Today
With increased reliance on citizen-soldiers, the National Guard and Reserves serve to link the civilian community and the military as partners in national defense. The Reserves are now much more capable of supporting the National Security Strategy. Army National Guard and Army Reserve units operate front-line, state-of-the-art equipment, and provide large numbers of key combat, combat support, and combat service support forces. The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve provide fighters, bombers, transports, aerial refueling aircraft, and other resources to the active Air Force in both wartime and peacetime. The Naval Reserve is equipped and trained to augment and sustain the active Navy with 34 aircraft squadrons and 21 ships, including one operational aircraft carrier. The Marine Corps Reserve provides combat, combat support, and combat service support units to augment and reinforce Marine Expeditionary Forces. Coast Guard Reserve members are assigned directly to active component units for training and operational missions.
The Reserves have successfully expanded the recruiting base to tap more diverse segments of American society. African-Americans now account for over 16 percent of the force. Total minority membership is approximately 23 percent, while women represent approximately 14 percent of Reserve personnel.
In 1995, the professional qualifications of National Guard and Reserves personnel are comparable to those of their active duty counterparts. Individuals from the lower mental test score categories and non-high school graduates are all but precluded from enlistment in the Guard and Reserve. The Officer Basic Course must be attended in residence, and completion of specific professional military education courses is required for promotion to all noncommissioned officer and higher commissioned ranks. Senior Service College courses are required for promotion to general or flag rank.
Today, Selected Reserve units and individuals are prepared to deploy anywhere on the globe and rapidly integrate with active force operations, as they did during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Today the Guard and Reserve provide approximately 38 percent of the armed forces' end strength, while costing only 8 percent of DoD's budget. The Guard and Reserves are an excellent value. They have evolved into an efficient and effective national security resource at an attractive, low cost.
Tomorrow
The Reserve Forces will continue to be a strong partner, performing key missions within the Total Force. By being accessible and mission-ready, they will enable DoD to reduce the risk associated with a smaller active force. The National Military Strategy will continue the requirement for highly trained and equipped combatready reserve forces to ensure the nation's ability to fight and win. As resources continue to decline and the tempo of day-to-day military operations remain high, reserve forces will continue to be a significant force multiplier. Based on the findings of the Commission on Roles and Missions, a DoD-wide review of how to better integrate the Reserve components into the Total Force is currently under way. The results of this review will be presented to the Roles and Missions Senior Advisory Group in the spring of 1996.
A MISSION-READY FORCE
The Department's goal is to ensure reserve component units are manned, trained, and equipped to support the National Security Strategy, including the ability to respond to the two nearly-simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRCs). To accomplish this, the National Guard and Reserve must be trained and equipped with modern, compatible equipment to perform assigned missions with their active duty counterparts and coalition partners. DoD has made great strides over the past 25 years, but compatibility issues and shortfalls of essential support equipment remain. DoD's strategy to improve personnel readiness involves sound analysis and maximizing training opportunities. DoD's equipment strategy entails capitalizing on equipment redistribution, modifications, and smart business practices, using new procurement only when necessary.
Traditionally, the National Guard and Reserve units and personnel maintained readiness via training exercises, with the performance of real world operational missions the occasional by-product. In recent years, a critical paradigm shift has occurred. Today, reserve forces perform peacetime operational missions worldwide, with training as the by-product. This fulfills a double need -- relieving the stress of active operational and personnel tempo while maintaining RC readiness.
Force Support Package
The Force Support Packages (FSP) are the Army's grouping of corps and theater level combat support and combat service support units organized to support the Major Contingency Response Force and the Rapid Regional Support Force in worldwide contingencies. The Total Force package of early deploying, high priority units is a good example of active and reserve force integration. There are currently 1,183 units in the FSP, 46 percent from the RC. Army planners group the FSP into two packages prioritized by anticipated sequence of need. These support packages enjoy priority for resourcing, following the principle of first-to-fight being the first resourced.
Enhanced Brigades
To provide a strategic hedge, the October 1993 Bottom-Up Review recommended reorganizing the Army National Guard to include 15 enhanced readiness brigades. The Army Guard's enhanced brigades replaced former round-out brigades and are now the nation's principal reserve ground combat maneuver force. They consist of seven infantry brigades, five mechanized infantry brigades, two armor brigades, and one armored cavalry regiment. By FY 1999, the Army plans to complete a series of initiatives that will result in brigades that are organized, equipped, and trained for deployment, command and control compatible, and logistically supportable by any Army corps or division. The Army has resourced National Guard enhanced brigades to achieve premobilization proficiency sufficient to meet full readiness requirements within 90 days of mobilization. Enhancements already developed or in progress include:
Title XI Initiatives
The 19 provisions of Title XI of the FY 1993 National Defense Authorization Act (also called the Army National Guard Combat Readiness Reform Act of 1992) are in the third year of implementation. Many of the programs described above for the enhanced readiness brigades and Force Support Package units respond directly to Title XI requirements. From the beginning, the Army has also applied Title XI requirements to early deploying units of the Army Reserve. Now, the FY 1996 National Defense Authorization Act amends Title XI to include early deploying units in most provisions. Thus, all Force Support Package RC units receive priority for readiness initiatives appropriate to their war plan timelines. The initiatives:
Collectively, these initiatives and programs directly support the improved readiness of Army National Guard and Army Reserve forces.
Equipment
During 1995, the Services allocated $1.3 billion to the reserve components for the procurement of new equipment and upgrades. Congress provided an additional $764 million in procurement funding for new equipment, such as C-130 aircraft, heavy tactical trucks, and aircraft system enhancements and modifications. However, the primary method for providing reserve forces with modern combat equipment is the redistribution of major weapons systems from active forces. The value of equipment redistributed to the Reserves last year was approximately $7.5 billion.
The reserve components continually strive to improve compatibility and interoperability with the active components in the tactical, logistical support, and communication areas. For example, Army Reserve and National Guard units possess tactical radios that include both older models and the latest frequency-hopping secure voice Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS). Last year over 7,000 SINCGARS radio sets were fielded. Several hundred Army Reserve tactical wheeled vehicles, some over 25 years old, are in the process of being refurbished through the Extended Service Program, a cost-effective method of enhancing operational readiness. Marine Corps Reserve RH-53D helicopters are scheduled to be replaced with CH-53D/E helicopters, identical to active component models. The Naval Reserve continues to modernize with Coastal Minehunter (MHC) and Mine Countermeasures (MCM) ships. The Air Force is upgrading the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard with digital communications equipment.
Facilities
The base realignment and closure (BRAC) process allows for all closing installations with major training sites to maintain training areas and minimum support facilities in a reserve enclave. Realignments, consolidations, and use of reserve enclaves at BRAC installations have improved RC facilities posture and allowed the RC to reduce the backlog of construction through FY 1995 by $2 billion. Use of BRAC facilities enabled RC units to move out of many leased facilities and into government owned property, substantially reducing costs while consolidating units and improving readiness.
In 1995, the Reserves moved forward with 188 projects in the military construction program. This provided facilities funding for Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units converting to new weapon systems, while the Army National Guard and Army Reserve were provided new and upgraded maintenance shops and state-of-the-art training facilities. In 1996, the Guard and Reserves will design and start construction of 152 projects totaling $437 million in new maintenance, training, and operations facilities.
Training
Well organized and professionally conducted training is the cornerstone of personnel readiness. Reserve component training presents special challenges. When compared to their active duty counterparts, National Guard and Reserve members have limited time available to train. Training is difficult to support because members are widely dispersed. The RC is examining innovative technologies with potential to meet these challenges and to leverage scarce training resources.
Distance learning techniques have demonstrated this potential. Distance learning involves using available instructional technologies -- print, video tape, computer-based training, interactive video disk, and video teletraining -- to deliver training to a student's training location or home. This is one cost-effective way to overcome RC geographical dispersion and limited training time. When combined with current and emerging simulation technology, new and dramatic opportunities may occur. These include performing Virtual Brigade exercises, which involve unit headquarters located throughout the United States exercising electronically. DoD has established a Total Force Distance Learning Action Team to document distance learning requirements, establish standards, achieve interoperability, and develop an implementation strategy. The Government Alliance for Training and Education (GATE) was established in March 1995 as a spin-off of the Department's Distance Learning action team. GATE has over 20 federal agencies now working together to promote intergovernmental sharing of distance learning resources.
The use of simulation devices, particularly at the Reservist's home or reserve center training site on weeknights and weekends, has also demonstrated value. The Department supports the use of simulation training as a time-saving and cost-effective approach to enhance individual proficiency. DoD's long-range goal is to provide simulation devices that focus on the specific training needed and are inexpensive enough to field at every required training site. The Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency has made great strides in this area since 1990. Funding support for training simulators and related research and development has been critical to the progress in this area to date and will be needed to sustain future training readiness.
The Army's Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS) will provide automated support for the information and decision making needs of Army Guard and Reserve commanders, staffs, and functional managers by using commercial off-the-shelf hardware and software. RCAS will provide the data needed to plan and control mobilization and improve day-to-day administrative tasks. Ongoing funding and schedule problems with RCAS caused the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to restructure the program on a strict design-to-cost basis. This newly restructured program will leverage new information management technology, improve user support, and lower overall cost, while meeting critical information requirements of the Army Guard and Reserve.
AN ACCESSIBLE FORCE
Accessibility is the term which describes the degree to which Reservists are available to deploy when called-up -- voluntarily or involuntarily -- to fill the manpower needs of the Military Services. Accessibility has taken on increased importance in the Department in recent years because the Services have placed greater reliance on their RC for both wartime and peacetime requirements.
Mobilization Authorities
During the Cold War, the main mission of the reserve forces was to mobilize to help active forces fight and win a global war. Today Reservists routinely volunteer for a wide range of peacetime operations around the world. Recent U.S. presidents have shown no reluctance to use their statutory authority to gain access to large numbers of Reservists when required for different purposes. Examples include Operation Desert Shield in August 1990, Operation Desert Storm in January 1991, and Operation Uphold Democracy in September 1994. The provisions available to mobilize large numbers of Reservists are:
Reserve members and units may volunteer and be accessed under Title 10 U.S.C. The number of reserve volunteers available -- and how long they may remain on active duty -- depends on how many Reservists volunteer, funding available, and active force end-strength authorizations.
The Department's policy on use of the Reserves covers a wide spectrum. For MRCs and national emergencies, ordering RC units and individuals to active duty without their consent will be assumed. For lesser regional conflicts, domestic emergencies, and other missions, maximum consideration will be given to accessing volunteer reserve units and individuals before requesting Presidential authority for an involuntary order to active duty. The National Guard provides the primary response to state emergencies and natural disasters. Internationally, active forces initially respond to peace enforcement, peacekeeping, psychological operations, humanitarian assistance operations, and disaster relief overseas. Guard and Reserve units and individuals provide a readily accessible base to relieve active component operational tempo.
Enhanced Accessibility
By 1998, RC membership will be reduced almost 25 percent from a 1989 peak of nearly 1.2 million Selected Reservists. However, by 1998 the Reserve forces will have increased roles in national defense. The Department continues to explore ways to further enhance Reserve accessibility to perform a wide range of peacetime operations. New programs are being developed that will increase the use of the Guard and Reserve, using training time to meet peacetime operational requirements of the commanders in chiefs (CINCs) while achieving RC training objectives. Under a pilot program sponsored by the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the CINCs, and the Services, suitable operational peacetime projects are being identified that will meet the dual criteria to provide valuable training for the reserve forces and serve to decrease the increasingly burdensome OPTEMPO and personnel tempo (PERSTEMPO) of the active forces. One initiative already yielding positive results involves the Defense intelligence community's increased use of Reservists to provide joint support for peacetime operational intelligence requirements.
A NEEDED FORCE
During 1995, the National Guard and Reserve contributed to a variety of missions in the continental United States (CONUS) and worldwide, supporting Unified Commands, international peacekeeping organizations, humanitarian relief operations, and Operation Joint Endeavor. Examples of the Total Force in action include the following:
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
At any time, as many as 20 percent of the units of the Total Army participating in overseas operational deployments are from the Guard and Reserve. In January 1995, more than 400 Army National Guard soldiers from 24 states deployed for a six-month rotation to the Sinai Desert as part of the Multinational Force and Observer (MFO) mission. Hundreds of National Guard medical personnel deployed to U.S. Southern Command and U.S. Atlantic Command, providing medical and dental care and patient education to local populations. Approximately 6,200 Guard soldiers supported humanitarian and civic activities, including construction/renovation of over 27 kilometers of road, 31 schools, and 37 medical clinics. National Guard organizations from 16 states have formed partnerships with the governments of 14 countries of Eastern Europe to link democratization efforts abroad with grassroots America. Army Guard soldiers from seven states comprised as much as two-thirds of the Special Forces in Haiti for Operation Uphold Democracy. The Army National Guard operated seven repair sites in the United States in 1995 to receive and repair vehicles and equipment under the Retrograde of Materiel from Europe (RETROEUR) program. They received over 9,000 vehicles and brought nearly 4,000 to required standards for issue. Almost 1,000 Army Guard soldiers are participating in Operation Joint Endeavor.
ARMY RESERVE
Army Reservists also participated in the MFO mission in the Sinai and supported other active Army operations in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan. The Army Reserve joined with units of the Army National Guard to provide engineer, military police, medical/dental, maintenance, military intelligence, public affairs, and signal support to the U.S. Southern Command. Army Reserve ordnance, quartermaster, transportation, and Judge Advocate General units supported European Command, while Reserve engineers rebuilt and maintained major training areas. Army Reservists in Japan and Korea provided installation engineer, postal, fuel handling, and medical support personnel. Reservists were mobilized for Operation Uphold Democracy and continue to be mobilized to support other ongoing operations. The Army Reserve had 308 soldiers in Europe in 1995 to support the RETROEUR program. They prepared a portion of the 12,800 vehicles and other equipment identified to return to CONUS for repair and reissue. Over 2,100 Army Reserve soldiers are participating in Operation Joint Endeavor.
NAVAL RESERVE
A Navy Reserve Mobile Construction Battalion (Seabees) deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Haitian and Cuban refugee support operations. Aviation elements deployed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt in support of NATO/UN operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while a Reserve Helicopter Combat Support Squadron deployed HH-60 aircraft in less than 24 hours to conduct plane guard duty for the USS Abraham Lincoln. Reservists surveyed and redistributed $85 million worth of excess material in Europe to commands in Europe and CONUS. Ten of the 14 Naval Reserve Force ships greatly alleviated active operational tempo by deploying for four to six months to the Western Pacific, North Atlantic, Great Lakes, and South Atlantic. For 1995, the Naval Reserve Force contributed over 1.5 million workdays of peacetime contributory support to active components. The Naval Reserve is also participating in Operation Joint Endeavor.
MARINE CORPS RESERVE
During FY 1995, the Marine Corps Reserve participated in 14 major joint operations and training exercises, including Operation Joint Endeavor. Over 500 Reserve Marines provided security for 14,000 Haitians and 30,000 Cubans in refugee camps at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Eighty-eight Marine Reservists also provided maintenance support for 45 days at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, backfilling active forces deployed in support of operations at Guantanamo. Over 100 Marine Reservists served as linguists, international police monitors, and equipment maintenance personnel supporting Operation Uphold Democracy. One hundred Reserve engineers and military police participated in a joint training exercise to rebuild a trauma hospital in Tirana, Albania. Over 500 additional Reservists supported other Marine Corps operations and exercises in Norway, Hawaii, Korea, and Thailand. Over 50 reserve intelligence personnel supported national, theater, and service agencies, developing products disseminated both within the intelligence community and to operational forces; deploying in support of Operation Provide Promise; and serving as attaches and observers in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and states of the former Soviet Union.
AIR NATIONAL GUARD
During FY 1995, in addition to supporting Operation Joint Endeavor, the Air National Guard performed over 88,000 workdays in support of AC missions, including airlift, aerial refueling, communications, intelligence, civil engineering, and medical support. Air National Guard A-10s deployed to Aviano, Italy, for 120 days of participation in Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Every day of the year, the Air Guard provides KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft for movement of fighter aircraft between CONUS and Europe, while C-130 aircraft augment the airlift mission. Air National Guard medical teams in Zimbabwe provided training in disaster preparedness, trauma life support, and self-aid/ buddy care, while optometry teams deployed to the Republic of Georgia provided eye care and over 2,500 pairs of glasses in a two-day period.
AIR FORCE RESERVE
The Air Force Reserve contributed over 175,000 man-days in direct support of the active component in 1995. Air Force Reserve air crews perform up to 30 percent of the Air Mobility Command's peacetime flying mission. The entire Air Force Reserve fleet of fighters, bombers, tankers, transport, and rescue aircraft are fully integrated and provide OPTEMPO relief for their active duty counterparts. During FY 1995, Air Force Reserve C-130 airlifters supported the Multinational Force in Haiti, while C-141 and C-5 airlifters and KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft supported the UN withdrawal from Somalia and humanitarian assistance efforts in Rwanda. Over 400 Air Force Reserve pilots and support personnel participated in Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Air Force Reserve civil engineering, security police, medical, and communications personnel supported Operation Uphold Democracy, while other Air Force Reservists participated in the European Command's military-to-military contact program. Many other significant contributions continue to be made in areas such as international peacekeeping (Operations Deny Flight and Southern Watch), search and rescue, counterdrug operations, firefighting, space launch support, weather observation, and Operation Joint Endeavor.
COAST GUARD RESERVE
During FY 1995, the Coast Guard Reserve initiated Team Coast Guard, which assigns Reservists directly to AC units for training. To facilitate Reserve training, commanders plan for seasonal surges in operations, as well as OPTEMPO increases resulting from natural disasters and other unanticipated events. Coast Guard Reservists responded to multiple disasters, including responding to an oil pipeline incident in Houston; floods in Texas and the Midwest; and Hurricanes Felix and Luis. The Coast Guard Reserve also participated in Operation Uphold Democracy.
MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING RESERVE QUALITY OF LIFE
Improved quality of life (QOL) enhances readiness. Over the past 25 years, much has been done to place members of the reserve components on equal standing with their active counterparts with regard to benefits, access to military facilities and services, recruiting incentives, involuntary separation incentives, and training. Reservists often face pressures and concerns that their active counterparts do not; they must balance civilian employment commitments with voluntary military service and excel at both.
Taking the Initiative
In an effort to improve RC quality of life, the Department has developed new initiatives in family readiness and employer support, protections against economic loss, and quality of participation.
FAMILY SUPPORT READINESS
DoD initiatives are allowing Reserve component families to be better informed about benefits and entitlements and better prepared in event of a mobilization. In 1995, the first-ever instruction on RC family programs made it a command responsibility to develop family readiness plans. In the National Guard, there are now 54 full-time state family program coordinators. The Department is also preparing a range of initiatives to maximize opportunities for Reservists and their families to participate in military community life.
EMPLOYER SUPPORT
The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (NCESGR), established in 1972, developed and implemented the first-ever partnership among employers/supervisors, Reservists, and military commanders. The partnership draws on the strengths of NCESGR's past programs as well as new, innovative employer-support initiatives to lead to win/win solutions for DoD and America's employers. One proposal recently submitted to Congress would establish a program of income insurance for Reservists involuntarily ordered to active duty for more than 30 days. Initiatives are also under way to address a long-standing concern about the impact on small businesses caused by the prolonged absence of Reservists.
Implementing Legislation
The Department continues to implement recent legislative actions affecting QOL. These include:
Making a Difference for Reserve Members and Families
Montgomery GI Bill benefits for Selected Reserves have been a major recruiting incentive for the RC. The Department supports proposed legislation that would expand benefits. Proposed legislation would provide an amount not to exceed $350 per month above the basic Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve benefit to individuals who have a skill or specialty designated by the Secretary concerned or are in a critical unit as designated by the Secretary concerned. The legislation also includes an additional incentive to attract trained service members leaving active duty into the Guard and Reserves. Service members leaving active duty who affiliate with a National Guard or Reserve unit designated as critical, or are in a critical skill or specialty designated by the Secretary concerned, would be eligible for this additional benefit in exchange for an additional six year commitment. This benefit would be in addition to the service member's active duty Montgomery GI Bill benefits.
Through the Reserve Component Transition Assistance Program, the Department has successfully reshaped and balanced the Reserve Forces. The transition program includes Special Separation Pay, Early Qualification for Retired Pay, continued eligibility for commissaries and exchanges, and extension of Montgomery GI Bill educational assistance. The program will enable the Department to effectively complete almost 90 percent of its drawdown and restructuring plans by the end of FY 1996.
Innovative Readiness Training Conducted in Communities and Support for Specific Youth Programs
Every day, citizen-soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines provide a critical link between the military and civilian communities. DoD's involvement in providing support and services for eligible organizations and activities outside DoD -- initially implemented under the 1993 Defense Authorization Act and continued under the 1996 Defense Authorization Act -- has been particularly beneficial in strengthening that relationship and in improving readiness. Readiness training is conducted by combat support units and individuals -- especially from the Guard and Reserve -- off base and within communities throughout the United States, its territories, and possessions. These units and individuals hone their wartime skills while working in partnership with the community in a manner that does not compete with the private sector or other governmental agencies. Combat support units and individuals benefit by training in a more realistic hands-on setting, and the community benefits by receiving needed health care, engineering, or infrastructure support, thus providing taxpayers an added value.
INNOVATIVE READINESS TRAINING INITIATIVES
More than 20 engineering/infrastructure and seven health care programs have been conducted in 24 states. Following is a sample:
SPECIFIC YOUTH PROGRAMS
DoD has traditionally supported specific residential and nonresidential youth training programs which provide National Guard and Reserve personnel the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, and management skills. These efforts are provided in addition to regular training and focus upon at-risk youth. Examples include:
CONCLUSION
The Total Force concept has evolved over the last 25 years into a viable, well-articulated policy. Today, the National Guard and Reserve contribute significantly to America's National Security Strategy. Whether they are ensuring the decisive force necessary to fight and win two nearly simultaneous MRCs, supporting emerging democracies, keeping the peace, or helping to discourage the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the National Guard and Reserve remain involved. Every day around the globe, Reserve Forces are working hand-in-hand with their active duty counterparts to secure peace and freedom.
A strengthened Total Force policy has enabled the nation to return to a sturdy and well-tested American principle: in a democracy the responsibility for national defense must be shared by a vigilant active component force, ably supported by a ready Reserve composed of well trained and equipped citizen soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. The reserve components are full partners with the active components in Total Force training and performance standards. As the reserve components assume increasing peacetime and wartime responsibility in the Total Force, America is beginning to understand the sacrifices its citizen-soldiers make in the interest of the national defense. The Department and the American people have demonstrated their willingness to support the Reservists, their families, and employers as they continue to play an even greater role in America's future.
