From our friends at EANGUS.
Introduction:
The Department of the Defense is planning to significantly change the Army’s force structure. These changes have the potentially to negatively impact the National Guard.
The Issue:
These cuts would force an additional reduction of National Guard members below pre-9/11 numbers as well as eliminate all Apaches from the Army National Guard.
Background:
The Fiscal Year 2015 Army budget proposal will be sent to Congress in the near future. The proposed budget should ensure the force structure and proposed end strength of the Army National Guard maintains it as operational reserve.
The final troop levels of this proposal will be decided by Congress, not the Department of Defense. Over the past decade, Congress and the Department of Defense have made significant monetary investments into the Army National Guard. To allow these investments to be wasted would be fiscally irresponsible and negatively impact 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.
The National Guard is tasked with two very distinct missions. The first is to act as a reserve component to the active forces during a time of war. The second mission is to homeland response during domestic emergencies. It is imperative that both of these missions are taken into account during any revised force structure planning.
Recently, Representatives Joe Wilson (R-SC), Nick Rahall (D-WV), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), and Candice Miller (R-MI) introduced H.R. 3930, a bill that would establish a National Commission on the Structure of the Army. As the name implies, this legislation will create a National Commission on the Structure of the Army and prohibit the Army from using FY15 funds to divest, retire, or transfer any aircraft out of the Army National Guard. Additionally, it will prohibit the Army from using FY15 funds to reduce personnel below the authorized end strength levels of 350,000 for the Army National Guard.
