New Roles Emerging in The Total Force

As we enter the 21st century, the National Guard faces greater challenges than ever before. From our origin as a militia force more than 363 years ago, the National Guard has become a Total Force partner in the security fabric of this nation.

Our task is to prepare and train to meet our federal missions, while remaining ready to perform state missions. This places a greater responsibility on the Guard to meet readiness standards required for national security.

The National Guard continues to perform missions for the warfighting commanders in chief (CINCs). The missions supported by the National Guard range from humanitarian actions in U.S. Southern Command, Atlantic Command (now Joint Forces Command), and Pacific Command, to humanitarian and peacekeeping operations in Central Command, European Command and Southern Command.

This year, overall support to the CINCs provided by National Guard units and personnel worldwide totaled almost one million duty-days, up almost 20 percent from FY99. That represents more than 37,675 Guard members contributing successfully to the federal mission and serving side by side with our active-duty and Reserve component counterparts.

Today's National Guard citizen-soldiers and citizen-airmen serve our nation and states with unparalleled professionalism. The Army National Guard, a viable, effective community partner throughout this nation, is located in 2,700 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Our Air National Guard, with 88 flying units at more than 170 installations, is likewise a community partner and represents the U.S. military in more than 250 locations nationwide. National Guard units train every day to meet the same standards and with the same equipment as the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.

State Focus of National Guard

Under the Constitution, the National Guard has a dual mission. It provides trained and disciplined forces for domestic emergencies, on call or as needed. As this mission continues to grow, so too does support to the states in areas such as homeland security, military assistance to civil authority, drug-demand reduction, and youth programs.

We consider all of our National Guard units as forward deployed--always closely connected to our communities and the state. Yet each unit remains ready as a first-rate military force. These units serve with the active Army and Air Force units at installations in the United States and overseas. The support provided by the Guard may be either a state mission or a call to federal active duty by the President. Historically, we see such relationships as a tradition of service to the nation. National Guard units have fought with honor and distinction in all major U.S. military operations from 1637 to the present.

Army Guard Steps to the Plate

With Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990, National Guard participation has become more demanding in support of the Army. The Army depends upon the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve as well to meet more than 54 percent of the National Military Strategy requirements.

When the Army National Guard performs these CINC missions in faraway places, our forces must be missioned according to how they are trained and resourced. To do anything less is to undermine military readiness and challenge our capacity to meet national security objectives.

I am greatly encouraged by recent Army studies undertaken to determine the best use of its active, Guard and Reserve forces. I am confident these studies will reflect Total Force missioning as the best possible solution in implementing our National Military Strategy.

The missioning of Guard divisions is still a work in progress and no final decisions have been made on what missions our Army National Guard divisions might assume. Keep in mind that, since 1989, the number of Army deployments has grown by over 300 percent, while the Army's active and Reserve components have shrunk by over 40 percent. Missions of the post-Cold War environment, coupled with downsizing, necessitate greater use of the Reserve components. With approximately 54 percent of the Army now in the Reserve components, the Army must call upon the Army Guard and Army Reserve to meet its force application requirements in areas such as Southern Watch, Bosnia, Germany, Hungary, etc.

As we become a Total Force, the Army is aligning certain Army National Guard divisions and enhanced separate brigades with active-duty corps. The units of corps, both active and National Guard, are expected to respond together as a team. This includes missions and operational requirements spanning the entire spectrum of Army operations. The Army is also working with the warfighting CINCs to address their specific missions and ensure that the Reserve component is an integral part of the overall picture.

Although in the past there has been a perceived distance between the Army and the Army National Guard, the future teaming and missioning of Army National Guard divisions illustrates the progress toward Total Force and toward becoming a relevant and ready force for national security.

As the active component and the Reserve component integrate their efforts, we are seeing remarkable results. Take, for instance, the Texas Army National Guard Lone Star Division (49th Armored Division), which just completed its first rotation, commanding the American sector in northern Bosnia since early last March. This division included soldiers in the active Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and an 11-nation multinational force comprising Scandinavian, Russian and Turkish troops. The Texas National Guard helped prolong nearly five years of peace among Serbs, Croats and Muslims in that part of the Balkans before turning the mission over to the Army's 3rd Infantry Division. This marks the first time since the Korean War that a National Guard division was given charge of active-duty troops.

In yet another success story, we are exchanging our Army Guard commanders with active Army commanders for battalion commands at Ft. Lewis, Wash., and Ft. Sill, Okla. This follows our success with exchanging active and Guard commanders at the company level. By all accounts, this program is a success and will continue to grow and evolve.

The National Guard's journey as an Army Total Force partner is consistent with the vision set forth by the chief of staff of the Army. In line with GEN Eric Shinseki's vision, the National Guard recognizes the Army transformation process as the critical key to becoming the Objective Force of the 21st century. As the Army and the National Guard become greater Total Force partners, the goals and objectives of the Army will guide the Guard and Reserve components to enhance responsiveness, deployability, agility, versatility and lethality as the force characteristics essential to meet our future national security commitments.

As the Army moves through this process of transformation, there is a deliberate planning effort to mission National Guard divisions. Some initiatives critical to this effort are already programmed, such as increased optempo funding, additional full-time support, and modernization of equipment for Guard divisions. Army and National Guard planners are examining the resource requirements for war-missioning the ARNG divisions. Enhancements to pre-mobilization readiness and post-mobilization validation will allow trained and ready National Guard combat forces to meet the CINCs' requirements.

These new arrangements with the Army mean that National Guard combat divisions are more likely to be called on not only for warfighting but also as rotation units for peacekeeping in places such as Bosnia and Kosovo. These changes do not yet make the National Guard divisions a part of the Pentagon's official war plans, which are written by the commanders in chief of combat commands. We are looking forward to this next step by the Department of the Army.

The National Guard has always responded when the community calls for support or faces grave danger. Throughout our history the National Guard has been strongly committed to the community and the state in times of peril. In instances of fire, flood or local disaster, the citizens of our communities have taken for granted the arrival of National Guard personnel and equipment to remediate community and regional emergencies. As we are a vital part of the community, we must ensure that we maintain our commitment to the nation, the state, and the communities we serve.

ANG: Holding Higher Ground

As I look back on the accomplishments of the Air Guard this year, the level of deployment and participation is at its highest ever. Even with a high optempo, the men and women of the Air Guard are continuing to fly real-world missions at home and abroad.

For the Air Guard's 88 flying units, participation in Air Force operations worldwide reached the highest level ever. For the year 2000, our Air Guard units participated in operations in 41 countries; ANG air crews averaged 85 operational days and 45 days away from station; flew 355 deployments; involved a total of 20,000 people and more than 1,100 aircraft in operations worldwide. In addition, more than 25,000 Air Guard members participated in the Air Expeditionary Force operations in three overseas theaters: CENTCOM, EUCOM, and SOUTHCOM

Operation Northern Watch rotated units in and out to conduct operations for a total of 156 days with five units, 25 F-16s and 1,580 personnel. With a primary mission of dropping precision-guided munitions, these units performed side by side with the active Air Force, in step all the way.

Southern Watch was also busy with more than 300 days of flying coverage with 11 units, 18 F-16s, 12 A-10s, 12 F-15s, and more than 3,118 personnel. While flying defensive counter-air and offensive counter-air operations, these units set the standard. The venerable A-10 was also present for antiarmor efforts as needed. Other operations involving the Air Guard included Coronet Nighthawk, which is part of the counterdrug program (SOUTHCOM).

Meanwhile, wildfires in the western states required C-130 support to help in this country's worst fire season in decades. Landing just long enough to change crews and fill up water tanks, the the C-130 fire support was critical in suppressing the fires.

The Air Guard is developing information-warfare capabilities, which includes an Information Warfare Branch, Space Intelligence Division, Operations Directorate. This branch will provide management of the ANG Information Warfare program, which in turn supports and guides ANG units in meeting information warfare problems. By leveraging its core competencies to meet wartime and other operational requirements, ANG is well-suited to advocate missions in information warfare. Its core processes are policy and guidance, field support, mission acquisition, and capability development.

As part of the ANG network/regional operations security centers, the C4 Directorate has a net operations security center that will provide network oversight to six regional centers: Pease, N.H.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Meridian, Miss.; Lincoln, Neb.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Portland, Ore. Each center oversees network security for 12 to 14 base network-control centers.

These burgeoning programs ultimately speak to the future of the Air National Guard and the increasing role to be filled with a multitude of information skills and specializations. As these programs come online, they will set the pace for the future of the Air Guard and the future security of this nation.

Reserve Component Automation System

From my perspective, the National Guard is stepping forward with its depth of skills in information technology and carrying forward a leading edge program. For that reason, we are today enjoying the benefits of the Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS) that connects all National Guard and Reserve organizations. I am particularly proud of the progress we have made.

As we look back on this year and consider the future, we have moved forward in a number of areas. Our RCAS program has teamed-up to produce the National Guard Distributive Training Technology Project (DTTP), a significant technological communications backbone. It electronically links all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. Uniquely, it accommodates transfer of voice, video and data, and supports the National Guard readiness objectives. Mobilized units in Bosnia, for example, use their RCAS e-mail to correspond with their units and their state area commands. Members of the 49th Armored Division deployed to Bosnia contacted their families using DTTP classroom facilities in Houston, Texas.

With the RCAS system in its support role, the National Guard was able to operate with a greater efficiency and less manpower than ten years ago. Tapping into new technologies allows us to be more efficient, more effective, less resource-consuming, and in tune with global opportunities with global applications. The National Guard is using a commercial solution to solve its information problems and looking for other opportunities to benefit from the development of combined solutions.

State Partnership for Peace Program

For many years, the National Guard has worked to bring about communication with our military counterparts worldwide. What is important about building these relationships is what we learn about each other. In a formal sense, the National Guard State Partnership for Peace is an opportunity to tell the world about democracy and the National Guard, as well as how we conduct our business at the state level. It gives us a wonderful opportunity to talk about our democratic values as Americans and how we work together to solve community problems on a global scale.

The State Partnership for Peace (SPP) program was established after a proposal in 1993 to pair states with emerging Eastern European countries and former Soviet Union (FSU) states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). The National Guard proposal was prompted by CINCEUR's January 1993 decision to staff military liaison teams in the Baltics with Reserve component personnel, in order to avoid sending provocative signals to the Russian Federation. SPP thus began as a bilateral military-to-military contact program with which to engage the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Since that time, the program has grown to 32 countries worldwide. Each country is paired with a state or a territory, which provides a team to work in-country to meet theater and U.S. engagement objectives on a range of issues. As this program continues to grow and expand, we can look forward to the National Guard and the Reserve component to play an important and critical part in the future of the countries involved.

National Guard Counterdrug Program

Illegal narcotics remain one of the most pervasive and deadly threats facing our nation. The National Guard has taken seriously the campaign against it through a wide range of drug supply-and-demand reduction operations. Domestically, National Guard members employ their skills in foreign languages, intelligence analysis, map-making, communications, engineering, drug crop eradication, transportation, logistics, inspection and reconnaissance supporting federal, state and local law-enforcement drug interdiction programs. Organizational and training skills are uniquely applied in community-level antidrug campaign support. Internationally, the Guard assists major U.S. commands, such as Southern Command, in identifying smugglers through its year-round intercept and radar operations.

The National Guard Bureau Counterdrug office is leading a proactive effort to integrate emerging technologies into its operations and to adapt its capabilities and missions to the changing drug-threat environment. State Guard counterdrug officials join in this ambitious endeavor and ensure that Guard members maintain their combat readiness in addition to a high level of proficiency in counterdrug operations.

National Guard Family Support Program

We learned many lessons from the Persian Gulf War, and much of what we learned had to do with our families. Since that period, our family programs at the state level have grown strong, working hard to get ready for the next deployment. As was true in the past, it is certainly true today: It is family support that is important to the soldier or airman who is deployed to provide support worldwide. When things go wrong at home, it is a great comfort to our Guard members, no matter where in the world they might be, that there is volunteer assistance on hand to help when needed.

As the National Guard moves forward in this new century, family program support and volunteer efforts will continue to grow and to improve. We can expect better access to benefits and greater reliance on the program for individual support in those times when a spouse is deployed.

ESGR Issues

It is important to recognize the contributions of employers who make adjustments for Guard members who are called out for active duty. Without their support, it would be difficult for the National Guard to undertake and sustain the federal and state missions in our area of responsibility. Without their understanding and patience, many Guard members would be forced to make a choice between their full-time job and their part-time job with the National Guard. Our employers are integral to the Guard and Reserve program and should be recognized for the invaluable support they provide to our national security.

Conclusion

If the year 2000 is any indication of the future, the National Guard faces a continuation of major support to federal and state missions with increasing operations and personnel tempo. As we look back to this time last year, the National Guard was called out to provide support and recovery following major hurricanes, floods, ice storms, Y2K, World Trade Organization meeting, law enforcement support, and a multitude of unmerciful Western wildfires.

There are a number of issues that may change during this new century. As we build on the successes of the last century, it will be important for our national security to maintain a strong and ready National Guard. With more than 363 years of experience in the defense of this nation, the National Guard stands ready to provide the resources and manpower to meet any challenge. The National Guard also possesses the infrastructure, facilities and backbone to meet those challenges, whether it is homeland security, weapons of mass destruction (WMD), terrorist acts, national missile defense, or any other threat. Undoubtedly, the National Guard provides the quickest, the surest and the strongest response possible to meet the consequences of a potential WMD event.

Within the community, we will continue to provide a meeting place at our facilities nationwide. We will see greater opportunities for community support beyond emergency action, such as distance learning, specialized training, computer security and information operations. All are important, and possible, because the National Guard represents the community and the nation.

While a part of the community, we are also citizen-soldiers who are called to serve our nation. Service to our community, our state and nation is a calling we follow in the defense of our country. It is also service that provides the opportunity to grow and expand, to reach out and learn about our piece of the world, preserving democracy for future generations. Ideally, service to our nation through the National Guard is a grand and personal investment in the future of this nation.

I am sure that one day in the year 2100, our successors will look back on what we have accomplished in the last century and say: "The National Guard was there, and ready; the National Guard is ready today."

Lt Gen Russell C Davis, USAF, was appointed chief, National Guard Bureau, on 4 August 1998. General Davis earned a bachelor's degree in general education from the University of Nebraska in Omaha, Neb., in 1963 and later attended graduate and law schools at Drake University, receiving a juris doctor degree. He joined the Air force in 1958. He received his pilot wings and was commissioned a second lieutenant in March 1960. He served on active duty until April 1965, at which point he joined the Iowa Air National Guard. General Davis served in numerous positions of increased authority that led to his becoming executive to the chief of the National Guard Bureau in February 1980. He joined the District of Columbia Air National Guard and assumed duties as wing commander in February 1982. In July 1990, he assumed the position of Air National Guard assistant to the commander, Tactical Air Command. General Davis is a command pilot and has more than 4,700 flying hours in the B-47, T-33, F-89, F-84, F-100, A-7, V-4 and F -16 aircraft. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters. In civilian life, General Davis practiced law from 1969-78 primarily in the insurance securities, corporate and tax law areas. General Davis and his wife, Shirley, have two children.

I CORPS -- GUARD AND ACTIVE COMPONENT TEAMING

40th Inf. Div., California ARNG, Los Alamitos, & 2nd Inf. Div., Korea

29th Inf. Brigade, Hawaii ARNG, Honolulu

81st Brigade, Washington ARNG, Seattle

116th Cavalry Brigade, Idaho ARNG, Boise

III CORPS -- FT. HOOD, TEXAS, TEAMING

7th Inf. Div., Active Div. HO with ARNG Brigades, Ft. Carson, Colorado

39th Inf. Brigade, Arkansas ARNG, Little Rock

41st Inf. Brigade, Oregon ARNG, Portland

45th Inf. Brigade, Oklahoma ARNG, Edmond

155th Armored Brigade, Mississippi ARNG, Tupelo

34th Inf. Div, Minnesota ARNG, St Paul, & 4th Inf. Div., Ft. Hood, Texas

38th Inf. Div., Indiana ARNG, Indianapolis, & Ft. Carson, Colorado

49th Armored Div., Texas ARNG, Austin, & 1st Cay. Div., Ft. Hood, Texas

V CORPS -- HEIDLEBERG, GERMANY, TEAMING

35th Inf. Div., Kansas ARNG, Ft. Leavenworth & Ft. Riley, Kansas

256th Inf. Brigade, Louisiana ARNG, Lafayette

278th Armored Cav. Regt., Tennessee ARNG, Knoxville

XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS -- FT. BRAGG, N.C., TEAMING

28th Inf. Div., Pennsylvania ARNG, Harrisburg, & 3rd Inf. Div. Ft. Stewart, Ga.

29th Inf. Div. Virginia ARNG, Ft. Belvoir, Va., & 10th Mountain Div., Ft. Drum, N.Y.

42nd Inf. Div., N.Y. ARNG, Troy, N.Y. & 101st Airborne Div., Ft. Campbell, Ky.

24th Inf. Div., active Division HQ w/ARNG brigades, Ft. Riley, Kansas

27th Inf. Brigade, New York ARNG, Syracuse

30th Inf. Brigade, North Carolina ARNG, Clinton

48th Inf. Brigade, Georgia ARNG, Macon

53rd Inf. Brigade, Florida ARNG, Tampa

76th Inf. Brigade, Indiana ARNG, Indianapolis

218th Inf. Brigade, South Carolina ARNG, Newborn

COPYRIGHT 2001 Reserve Officers Association of the United States
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group