THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 30, 1994 TAG: 9411290019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Squeezed by a tight defense budget and weakened by dwindling troop levels, the Defense Department is looking to reservists and the National Guard to relieve overworked forces. Sounds sensible to us.
Instead of sometimes-contrived, often-cushy annual training, many reservists would get real billets to ease the strain upon fewer and fewer active-duty personnel who are being asked to take on more and more. Like most businesses - and households - the military is seeking ways to get more bang out of its severely limited bucks.
As if it weren't enough to be cutting back on defense hardware and people to operate it, the military this year was dealt a double whammy when it had to expend huge sums for unanticipated missions in hot spots including Haiti, Rwanda and the Persian Gulf.
Troubling questions arose about U.S. capability to fight two wars concurrently - called for by the national-defense plan - and the stress on military families. The questions linger.
While the recent election campaign brought promises of no further cuts in military spending, it also brought pledges against tax hikes and movement toward a balanced budget. Just how these objectives can be reconciled is unclear.
Meanwhile, it makes sense for the Pentagon to focus on what it has in hand - about 1 million National Guard members and reservists - to do its job. A plan approved by Defense Secretary William Perry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff visualizes assigning troops from National Guard and reserve units to ongoing military operations, including peacekeeping missions, abroad.
Benefits for participants would include real-life experience that has it all over routine training exercises, plus additional credit toward military retirement and pensions. Negatives include the long separations from families and jobs. The Pentagon also must ponder a possible drop in retention.
Reservists generally recognize that they're subject to the needs of the military. Those unwilling or unable to adjust to a busier schedule in uniform to help make better use of the $10 billion spent annually on their components' training may opt for farewells.
While details for using National Guard and reserve forces remain to be worked out, active-duty personnel may be encouraged by the prospect that the top brass is responding to their plight. Taxpayers may be encouraged, too, that the Pentagon is looking to weekend warriors to help maintain a strong defense.
KEYWORDS: NATIONAL GUARD U.S. ARMED FORCES
by CNB