The navy's reserve component

The morning of April 19, 1775, saw soldiers of the British Army arriving at the Massachusetts town of Lexington. Their mission was to seize and destroy militia weapons and ammunition, but the local militia, known as Minutemen, stood on Lexington Green, awaiting their arrival. During the standoff, someone fired a shot, which led the British troops to fire at the Colonial militia. The Minutemen dispersed, and the British headed toward nearby Concord. At the Concord North Bridge, a small group of militia battled a force of British soldiers. At this point, the British commander decided to retreat back toward Lexington, as it became evident that more and more Minutemen were arriving from all of the local villages and farms.

--Captain John Parker April 20, 1775

The Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy is more capable and relevant than ever. On any give day, more than 20,000 Reservists are on some type of orders, providing fully integrated operational support to their Active Component (AC) and joint commands, both at home and away. More than 26,000 Navy Reservists have been mobilized since 9/11, and thousands more are preparing to serve in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.

Although most Reserve sailors are compensated for only a few days each month, they are in the Navy 24/7, selflessly serving their nation with honor, courage and commitment. As the president instructed them three years ago, they stand fully ready ... they are the new Minutemen in the same tradition as those who stood on the Commons in Lexington and at the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts. As veterans, they provide military experience and capabilities as well as myriad critical civilian skill sets in support of Sea Power 21, ready to quickly surge to any crisis abroad and respond to disasters at home.

Integrated and operating within their AC commands, Reserve sailors live in every state and are regionally aligned with NORTHCOM for the defense of the homeland, ready to answer the call as Americans have done for 229 years. Reservists are proud, dedicated and very capable, and they eagerly assist with the recruitment of citizens to be sailors, to live an honorable life of service in tomorrow's Navy.

THE HOME GAME

"We the People" are all joined in a common interest: homeland defense. Only a few times in our history has the enemy brought the fight to our country. Declaring independence in 1776, we defeated the British twice in a span of nearly 40 years. No one can forget the "Day of Infamy" at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, nor will anyone soon forget the events of 9/11, three short years ago, in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania. We are now engaged in the global war on terrorism (GWOT), another long war to preserve our way of life, and we must win this "away" game to ensure that it does not become another "home" game.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Through ongoing transformation, the Navy is accelerating the nation's war-fighting advantage. A new human capital strategy will analyze requirements and better allocate all manpower, including those in uniform (Active and Reserve Components), government civilians and contractors. Commander Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk is working closely with Commander Naval Reserve Forces Command in New Orleans to better align the missions and force structure necessary to win the GWOT and meet future threats. There is a much-needed culture change taking place within the Navy that focuses on what it takes to win in an era of global instability, rather than what preserves the past. Simply said, we need tomorrow's Navy today, to find savings to provide more effective joint warfighting capabilities and to recapitalize the fleet.

The Navy Reserve's vision continues to be support to the Fleet, ready and fully integrated, and is expanded in the "countdown" chart in this article. The RC provides predictable and periodic surge support to the Fleet, and is ready and fully integrated into Navy's operating forces. The Navy is getting slightly smaller, but much more effective and efficient, providing increased warfighting wholeness and better value to our taxpayers.

We have changed the way we assess ourselves, as well as the way we train in support of the Fleet Response Plan (FRP). We are transitioning to a capabilities-based force driven by Navy requirements. The CNO directed and Fleet Forces Command executed a Zero Based Review (ZBR) designed to inventory the RC against 61 capabilities and "map" them to Navy mission areas. Every billet and every unit is being examined for both surge and operational support value to the supported commands.

This ZBR process ultimately will define all Navy manpower requirements. Where a 24/7 capability is needed, it makes sense to have an Active Duty sailor. Where the requirement is predictable and periodic, it makes sense to assign a Reservist with about 38 days or more of availability to surge to his or her supported AC commands. Greater utilization of Reserve sailors leverages previous investment and experience, and increases the operational capability of the Navy at approximately one-fifth the annual cost of an Active Duty sailor.

MOBILIZATION

Historically, effectiveness of the RC has been measured by the number of personnel mobilized and on active duty. Since 9/11, more than 26,000 Navy Reservists have been mobilized, and nearly 12,000 served on active duty during the peak of Operation Iraqi Freedom in May 2003. However, the mobilization metric fails far short of measuring the work being done by Reservists each and every day. In a recent one-week snapshot, more than 10,000 full-time support sailors were embedded in fleet billets or serving in operational units. At the same time, more than 9,000 Selected Reservists were on some type of orders performing various kinds of work at their supported commands. Another 2,500 were performing their drills in support of their active duty units. These numbers highlight that in any given week, more than 20 percent of Navy Reservists are providing direct operational support to the Fleet. This contribution is extremely valuable and is a huge return on invested training costs, enabling mature and seasoned veterans to surge to Fleet requirements.

WHERE ARE WE WORKING?

Navy Reservists are operating across the globe and are embedded in all Navy commands, at Fleet Operations Centers and at every combatant commander headquarters. More than 1,700 Reservists are assigned to joint commands, and every joint task force exercise is manned and umpired by Reservists. Most are not mobilized, but rather, they are brought in on short-term orders. Some are brought in for weeks, perhaps even up to 179 days or more on active duty for special work, or even recalled to active duty for years.

Reservists working in joint commands use highly specialized skills honed in the civilian work force. In fact, the average Reservist in the intelligence community performs more than 76 days of duty days per year, usually working in one of 27 Joint Reserve Intelligence Centers, providing distant support for operations in the field and at sea. This reachback capability provides timely, quality intelligence without generating a logistics tail that drives up the cost of war.

A CULTURE OF READINESS

The secretary of Defense has directed that Reservists should plan on being utilized about one year out of every six years. Because the requirement to surge can come at any time, the president told us to be ready! When Reservists deploy to support the war, they want to know three things: when, where and for how long? They are ready to serve, and while deployed, deserve the same pay and benefits earned by Active Component personnel. We are working toward a common pay and benefits system for personnel from all components, Active, Guard and Reserve.

The Navy Reserve has implemented Knowledge Management in the past year, which has sharpened our insights into current and future readiness. Everything we do now leads to improved readiness. In 2003, we began another very productive initiative to enable Navy leadership to view RC readiness information through the TYCOM (Type Commander) Readiness Management System. We created an innovative module called the Navy Reserve Readiness Module that links numerous databases, including the Reserve Automated Medical Information System, the Navy Reserve Order Writing System, the Reserve Headquarters System, and the Navy Marine Corps Processing System.

Decision makers can use these systems on any desktop computer to drill down through every region, every Reserve Center, every unit, and even call up the individual readiness status of every sailor. This easy-to-use system has greatly improved readiness and simplified "live" reporting.

The timeliness and way that information flows to the force is one of our biggest challenges. The degree to which we effectively communicate significantly affects our level of success. We have created several forums for communicating Navy priorities, key leadership messages, relevant news, and opportunities to and from the field--they have proven to be very effective. We host a weekly briefing by video teleconference to inform the force and solicit input from every echelon. We established an e-mail communication protocol through the public affairs office to electronically distribute information to more than 5,000 key Navy Reservists and DoD personnel. Our award-winning magazine, The Navy Reservist, is mailed monthly to every Navy Reservist's home (88,000 individuals and their families). The flow of information enables us to identify quickly issues and opportunities and to target the proper audiences for action. The speed of actionable information has greatly increased as we build the Navy of the future.

TODAY'S NAVY RESERVE

The Active Reserve Integration model is tied closely with this year's strategic plan called ASAP, for Alignment, Synchronization, Assessment and Programming. ASAP means we are aligning staffs, including making Navy Reserve Readiness Commands additional duty (ADDU) to Navy Regions, and Reserve Unit Commanding Officers ADDU to supported command COs. We are synchronizing data to enable us to plan and act as "One Navy." During the ZBR process, Fleet Forces Command is assessing all of the Navy Reserve programs, units and personnel and mapping them against 61 naval capabilities. The results of the assessment are included in OPNAV programming, which includes Naw's RC as an important player in the planning, programming, budgeting and execution system, partnering resources to provide better support to the warfighters.

MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS

I am convinced that [Maritime Domain Awareness] responsibility should rest first and foremost with the United States Coast Guard. I am also convinced that there is a role for the United States Navy to play in response and in support of the Coast Guard, bringing our resources to bear wherever they are required.

--ADM Vern Clark Chief of Naval Operations

The Navy is partnering with the Coast Guard because we share a common interest in defending the maritime approaches to the nation. When a ship comes near our coastline, we need to know where it is going and what cargo it is carrying. Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is the effective understanding of all things associated with the global maritime environment that could affect the security, safety, economy or environment of the United States.

Significant roles will be played by several combatant commanders--NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM, STRATCOM--and many other federal and state departments. PACOM, EUCOM and CENTCOM will also be significant players in MDA if we are to be successful in countering threats far from our shores. Significant efforts by DoD and DHS to make MDA truly interagency are just beginning. The Navy Reserve has tremendous potential to join other major stakeholders in providing workable solutions to a more cost-effective MDA strategy.

In November 2004, ADM Tim Keating became the new NORTHCOM commander. In developing MDA, his staff will be utilizing lessons learned from many years of successful North American air defense operations that have monitored all air traffic in U.S. airspace. Navy Reservists stand ready to augment the MDA staff with personnel from the Space Warfare Command, Intelligence, Naval Control and Guidance of Shipping, Tactical Support Center and Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare units.

NORTHCOM is planning to stand up a Joint Reserve Unit with intelligence community watchstanders and analysts who will conduct port security surveys while working with the Coast Guard's Joint Harbor Operation/Maritime Operations Centers. A new program of Navy Reserve customs inspectors will also be formed and deployed with Expeditionary Logistics Support Force personnel. We are moving forward with innovative concepts to support the GWOT and making excellent progress with our joint Total Force partners.

THE FUTURE

As we begin a new year, perhaps the biggest challenge involves the anticipated demand for Navy Reservists to support land-based missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The secretary of Defense has directed the Navy to take a close look at the combat service support missions, and we are leaning forward to aggressively plan our engagement strategies. The GWOT presents new and dynamic challenges to the Navy and the nation and will require a flexible Navy Reserve capable of supporting non-traditional missions.

Navy is taking charge of its RC. Some specialized communities, such as public affairs, control the entire selection and processing system, and are directly assigning personnel to supported commands. This is exactly how all assignments will be accomplished in the future, leveraging experience, demographics and desire to serve in operational units, to perform operational mission support.

The future detailing of our Reservists will also incorporate a Sea Warrior initiative called the Career Management System. As part of the Navy's Enterprise Human Capital Management System, this self-serve, Web-based tool will allow every sailor to view all available Navy billets. It will also provide the necessary details, including job description, required competencies, unit location, and special requirements, so that our sailors can apply for jobs that best fit their career plans and also meet the needs of the Navy.

In FY05, Navy will reduce force size by 7,900 Active and 2,500 Reserve sailors. To execute the assigned FRP, Navy AC and RC have accelerated their alignment, synchronizing their efforts to become a more effective and efficient warfighting team.

SUMMARY

Navy Reservists provide worldwide operational support and we are proud of our many accomplishments since 9/11. We continue to push for further integration and alignment within the Navy, while surging with greater speed, flexibility and responsiveness than ever before. Our dedicated sailors provide the key to future success. During Operation Enduring Freedom, a deployed combatant ship CO said, "People ask me if I'm worried about the youth of America today. I tell 'em, not at all, because I see the very best of them every day."

Navy Reserve leadership agrees. Our sailors have never been so capable and committed. Their honor, courage and commitment make our profession the most highly respected profession in the United States today and our Navy the most admired around the world. We could not be more proud of the effort they put forth and the results they have achieved over the past year. We are looking forward to even greater success as our alignment efforts progress and many new initiatives mature and become adopted by the fleet. The Navy Reserve is the Navy's Sea Trial organization for any new program involving hardware, systems or personnel. Our talented citizensailors combine military experience with leading-edge civilian skills to improve all Navy operational capabilities.

Most critical to our success remains the important roles of our families and employers. Our families enable us to go forward with love and support; our employers guarantee our jobs when we return, often with additional benefits as their much-appreciated contributions to the cause. All of us serve together and cannot win the GWOT without the many tremendous sacrifices Americans make for national defense.

VADM John G. Cotton graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in June 1973 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Earning his wings in October 1974, he became a 3rd generation pilot--his father was a Naval aviator and his grandfather flew with the Lafayette Flying Corps in World War I. He was forward deployed to Japan, 1975-1978, flying the A-7 Corsair II with VA-93 aboard USS Midway (CV-41), and then served on the Commander Light Attack Wing U.S. Pacific Fleet staff at NAS Lemoore, Calif., 1978-1980.

Becoming a commercial airline pilot, he affiliated with the Navy Reserve at NAF Washington, D.C., later flying with VA-2082, the A-7B augment unit at NAS New Orleans, and then with the Navy's last RF-8G Crusader squadrons, VFP-306 and VFP-206. Returning to VA-2082, he became CO in 1988. In 1989, he joined VA-204 in New Orleans, completed FA-18 Hornet strike fighter and adversary pilot transition training in 1991, and commanded the VFA-204 "River Rattlers" from July 1993 to September 1994.

From 1994-1996, he was CO NAS Keflavik 1066 at NAF Washington, and received the RADM Stanley David Griggs "Excellence in Leadership" Memorial Award. He was then CO Navy Command Center 106 at the Pentagon, and also served as an instructor at the Command Leadership School at NETC Newport, R.I.

VADM Cotton's initial flag assignment was deputy commander Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet, 1997-1999. Recalled to active duty, he also served as deputy commander Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, supporting Operation Southern Watch and Desert Thunder.

At the Pentagon in 1999-2000, he was again recalled to active duty as deputy chief of Navy Reserve N095B. He then served as assistant deputy chief of Naval Operations Warfare Requirements and Programs N6/N7R, and was a member of the SECDEF Reserve Forces Policy Board, 2000-2003. Admiral Cotton took a leave of absence from American Airlines in October 2003 to return to active duty as chief of Navy Reserve and commander Navy Reserve Force.

Personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service, Meritorious Service, Navy Commendation, and Navy Achievement Medals. He has more than 4,200 hours of military flight time and is a graduate of Executive and Reserve Component programs at the Naval War College, Naval Postgraduate School, National Defense University, Army War College, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Reserve Officers Association of the United States
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