Welcome decision averts crisis

Following months of meetings, reviews, negotiations and advice, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen announced Dec. 20 his decision to defer cuts to the Army Guard proposed in the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review.

Until this announcement, Cohen was considering the reduction of 25,000 more soldiers from the Army National Guard and Reserve. However, through collaborative efforts with reserve-component leaders and associations, members of Congress and our nation's governors, Cohen reevaluated key factors used to develop the QDR and suspended further actions to cut the force.

In his reassessment of the QDR, Cohen recognized that the Army of the early 2 1st Century will be far busier than its original architects envisioned. He seriously took into account the increased mission participation of Guard and Reserve units providing vital capabilities for the sustainment of global military operations.

He acknowledged the Army's initiatives to redesign the Army Guard divisions in concert with Army Chief of Staff Gen. Eric Shinseki's innovative vision for a lighter, faster and more versatile Army. Any cuts to reserve-component end strength at this time could hinder those initiatives.

Finally, Cohen viewed preparations and recommendations for the next QDR in 2001 as an opportunity for the Defense Department and the Army to consider new dynamics, new vision and new partnerships.

New National Guard partnerships with the Association of the United States Army and Reserve Officers Association played a critical role in the process to encourage the secretary to reopen the Defense Department's QDR "play book." Our unique association alliances provided Congress with a precedent-setting, total force perspective representing the best interests of all our armed forces.

Congress and our nations governors wholly committed to the suspension of reserve-component QDR cuts - conveyed their objections to the secretary throughout deliberations. We are fortunate Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., actively pursued postponing QDR recommendations from the beginning. Ultimately, Lott, the Senate National Guard Caucus and many of their Senate colleagues, totalling 59, signed letters to Cohen opposing cuts to the Guard.

On behalf of all our governors, leaders of the National Governors' Association also presented Cohen with compelling reasons to preserve the Guard's current strength. Citing multiple reasons for maintaining a healthy Guard force, the governors expressed dismay over the timing of the proposed cuts and provided the secretary with valuable validation for his ultimate decision.

As a result of this welcome decision, we can and should thank Cohen for his willingness to listen to a variety of viewpoints. We can and should be grateful for the incomparable support we receive from Congress, our governors and association partnerships. But, in the final analysis, all of us can rest assured that the efforts we've made in changing the QMs proposed course have served to benefit the American people most of all.

A Fallen Hero

With as much enthusiasm as we embrace this decision, we are equally saddened with the loss of a great National Guardsman, retired Maj. Gen. Francis S. Greenlief, who died from a heart attack Dec. 18 following a long bout with cancer.

Greenlief served our association for 10 years as executive director after three exceptional years as the chief of National Guard Bureau. Though retired, the general never ended his service to the National Guard. He worked consummately - almost daily- in the halls of Congress, in the board rooms of defense industry leaders and around the country, in armories and bases, with soldiers and airmen, to secure the role of the National Guard.

His legacy of service to the Guard was recently secured when a conference room was dedicated in the National Guard Memorial in his honor. While we have lost a great leader, a great advocate and a great friend, our future will always be enriched and strengthened by his noble ideals, patriotic example and near prophetic vision.

Copyright National Guard Association of the United States Jan 2000
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