Operational Reserve

By OCAR for STAND-TO!February 17, 2010

Operational Reserve

What is it'

An Operational Reserve provides operational capabilities and strategic depth to meet U.S. defense requirements across the full spectrum of conflict. In their operational roles, reserve components participate in a full range of missions according to their services' force-generation plans. Today's Army Reserve boasts an agile, flexible organizational structure that provides cohesive functional force packages when and where they are needed to achieve mission success.

What has the Army Reserve done'

Since 9/11, the Army Reserve has mobilized more than 184,000 Army Reserve Soldiers. As an operational force, the Army Reserve remains committed to the Army force generation model, ARFORGEN, this helps Army Reserve Soldiers, their families and their employers predict training and deployment cycles.

To prepare Soldiers for deployment, a streamlined training strategy was developed that maximized the time Soldiers are deployed and reduced operational tempo.

As the Army Reserve has evolved, so has its structure. Reducing the number of support headquarters and creating more deployable commands has produced more specialized capabilities in our core competencies: medicine, transportation, supply, civil affairs, military police, engineers, intelligence and chemical, among others.

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What does the Army Reserve have planned for the future'

Shaping a force for the future that effectively and efficiently supports the Army, the Joint Force and their units is critical to continued success - and success on the battlefield is our primary benchmark. Congress recognizes the contributions of Reserve components in the success of ongoing overseas contingency operations and to homeland defense. The Army Reserve is reengineering its systems and processes to be fast and flexible to ensure we remain poised to support any mission with a ready source of trained and capable Army Reserve Soldiers and units.

Why is this important to the Army'

Aca,!Ac An operational force provides the Army with relevant, essential capabilities to mitigate domestic emergencies, support homeland defense missions, and support overseas contingency operations.

Aca,!Ac As an operational force, the Army Reserve is one of the best returns American taxpayers get for their money. The values and talents that are part of its skill-rich organization benefit this nation beyond the traditional role of defense. This is the legacy of warrior-citizens.

Aca,!Ac An operational reserve provides predictability for Army Reserve Soldiers, their families and their employers. This provides operational and functional Army Reserve units for ARFORGEN.

Resources:

<a href=" http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/120017p.pdf " target="_blank">Department of Defense Directive 1200.17, Managing the Reserve Components as an Operational Force (Oct. 29, 2008)</a>

<a href="http://www.usar.army.mil/arweb/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">Army Reserve Web site</a>