fromtheeditor
An Active Reserve
Previously operating as a strategic reserve, National Guard
and Reserve servicemembers soon might account for more
than half the ground forces in Iraq.
A
s this issue went to ■ name the chief of the NGB
press, 114,384 National a principal advisor to the sec-
Guard and Reserve troops retary of defense through the
were serving on federal ac- chairman of the Joint Chiefs
tive duty. According to the of Staff, and
National Guard Bureau (NGB), these ser- ■ increase the grade of the
vicemembers soon will be close to provid- position of chief to a four-
ing more than half of U.S. ground forces in star general.
Iraq. A few years ago, the Guard was, in fact, To bring you up-to-speed
contributing more than half of these forces. on these developments, Mili-
In the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack, tary Offi cer interviewed Lt.
reserve components have transitioned Gen. H. Steven Blum, chief
from strategic reserves to operational of the NGB (see “A Stronger
forces. Two major developments this year Voice,” page 50). Regarding
refl ect that reality. NDAA provisions, Blum says,
First, on Jan. 31, the independent Com- “It recognizes the new reality
mission on the National Guard and Re- of what the Guard is required
serves (CNGR) delivered its fi nal report. to do in peace and war. It
Congress chartered this commission “to recognizes our joint contribution to all the
recommend changes to ensure that the combatant commanders around the world.”
National Guard and other reserve com- To be prepared for their expanded mis-
ponents are organized, trained, equipped, sion, guardmembers must train well and
compensated, and supported to best meet train effi ciently. The story “Virtual Com-
the needs of U.S. national security.” bat,” page 56, takes a look at an innovative
The CNGR made 95 recommendations training tool — the Mobile Close Combat
(full text at
www.cngr.gov). “At the core of Tactical Trainer — that helps prepare
these changes is the explicit recognition of citizen-warriors for battle.
the evolution of the reserve components “Reserve components bring to a fi ght
from a purely strategic force, with lengthy a dimension that nobody else can,” says
mobilization times designed to meet Cold Blum. “When you call out the Guard and
War threats from large nation-states, to an Reserves, you call out America. That is
operational force,” the commission wrote. immensely powerful.”
And second, President George W. Bush
signed the 2008 National Defense Autho-
rization Act (NDAA) in January, which
included provisions that:
■ make the NGB a joint activity of DoD, — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.
10 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2008 PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
AAug_editors.indd
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