Members of Detachment 1, 484th Military Police Company, Montana Army National Guard, participate in hand grenade training on July 21, 2009, during their annual training at Fort Harrison, Mont. (Army photo)
By: FEDweek StaffWhile the plan to change the role the Army National Guard plays within the overall framework of national defense is sound, experts warn that some aspects could pose more problems than they would resolve.
The initiative – known as Guard 4.0 – would call upon Guard units to maintain a state of high readiness through multi-year training. A report published by the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) identifies specific areas of concern with the plan.
The report’s authors noted that the Guard has a history that traces back to the state militias that formed when the nation was born. Just as it was then, citizens choose Guard service over the active-duty Army because of the flexibility and predictability it offers.
“The counterbalance to increased training days and mobilizations is predictability,” the report stated. “This predictability allows soldiers, families and employers to prepare for increased requirements for National Guard duty, thereby easing the transition and stabilizing the training and mobilization cycle.”
Nevertheless, the report noted that reintegration for Guard troops has historically not gone as smooth as it should. The National Guard is by definition spread out geographically, and as such less capable of offering the same array of reintegration services evenly as the active Army provides. Even with additional funding, a “parity in service benefits and resources” shortfall could have an adverse effect on retention and future enlistments.
“Building the foundation must come first; this requires additional funding. New facilities, new medical programs, new employer benefits, new equipment, new recruiting methods and incentives – the list goes on,” the report stated. “These things are all foundational, not secondary.”
If the Guard does not continue to offer members the opportunities to both serve their country and be “engaging members of their hometown communities,” foster their education goals and contribute to the workforce, the report’s authors say, “the Guard may be overworked.”
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