Sustaining the Army’s All-Volunteer Force is a national challenge. In a nation of nearly 300 million people, only one million wear our Army’s uniform - less than one-half of one percent. A key component of operational readiness is personnel strength. The challenge facing our Army is daunting: to maintain the operational readiness necessary to win the persistent Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) while transforming capabilities to defeat any future threat to the nation.
Our Army is tough, dependable and resilient, but out of balance. To restore balance, the Army needs to properly prepare Soldiers for success in the current conflict, reset expeditiously for future contingencies, and transform to meet future demands, while at the same time sustaining our Soldiers, their Families, and Army civilians. Essential to achieving a rebalanced Army is the need to grow the Active Army to an end-strength of 700,000. At the same time, the Army National Guard must grow to the 358,000 and the Army Reserve to 206,000. One immediate benefit of the increased size would be to lengthen the present short dwell-time for Soldiers which has been detrimental to morale and effectiveness. These end strengths would allow for a proper reset time for the Soldier to prepare for future deployment. As our Army continues major combat and stability operations, it is imperative that a fully resourced and capable enlisted and officer corps be maintained. To better support the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) model, the Army needs predictable access to our Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers who have become, by necessity, an operational force rather than a strategic reserve. To meet its personnel requirements, the Army depends on viable Active Component (AC) and Reserve Component (RC) recruiting and retention programs and proven officer commissioning sources.
The Army relies on an influx of new personnel as Soldiers retire or separate from military service. With the help of the Administration and Congress, the Army strives to achieve its enlistment and retention goals. In this effort, the Army has initiated numerous recruitment initiatives; developed programs to facilitate transformation; pushed for consistency in Active and Reserve Component policies; and implemented programs to “affect the influencers” while spreading the concept of ”Army Strong”. The Army is maintaining a comprehensive and integrated human resource capability that enables appropriate Soldier readiness and well-being. To support this on-going effort, the entire array of AC and RC incentives, compensation, and entitlements are vital to the success of meeting end-strength requirements and must be maintained or expanded.
Recruiting and retention of health care, legal, and religious professionals for all components continues to fall far short of requirements. Enhancement of these professionals’ recruiting and retention incentives is necessary.
The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) plays an important role in mediating conflicts between citizen Soldiers and their employers. Therefore, ESGR’s efforts must be fully supported. In addition, we must encourage employers to employ and retain our RC Soldiers through incentives such as federal tax credits for employers of mobilized members of the RC.
The Army relies on three separate, essential, and complementary officer commissioning programs: Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), United States Military Academy (USMA) and Officer Candidate School (OCS). Funding for these vital programs must continue. The Army Junior ROTC program has the mission to “Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens” and expose them to the benefits of military service. Expansion of these programs must be funded to at least 1900 units. We must also continue the Military Selective Service Act that provides a data base allowing a rapid mobilization in time of national emergency.
WE THEREFORE RESOLVE to urge the Administration and Congress to:
- Increase the Active Army end strength to 700,000 as soon as possible
- Increase the Army National Guard strength to 358,000 and the Army Reserve to 206,000
- Continue to fund Army recruiting initiatives to include enlistment bonuses and health care professional incentives
- Support programs designed to affect the influencers and the overall recruiting effort
- Facilitate a stronger partnership between members of the RC and their employers through tax incentives and continued support of the ESGR program
- Continue to support ROTC, USMA and OCS commissioning programs
- Fund an expanded number of JROTC units