The Chief, Army Reserve addresses "courage to change" in the Army Reserve

We are an Army Reserve serving an Army and a Nation at war. Tens of thousands of our Soldiers are serving courageously around the world. Army Reserve Soldiers are either deployed, preparing to deploy, or returning from deployment. Today, a call to active duty is no longer a remote possibility, but rather an expectation for which all of our Soldiers, their families and employers, must prepare.

Make no mistake--our Soldiers know that service involves sacrifice. Any success attributed to the Army Reserve in the Global War on Terror is due to our Soldiers' sacrifice and courage, both at home and abroad. They have bravely answered their Nation's call to duty and they have sacrificed as they trained, mobilized and deployed. More than anything, I am extremely proud of every Army Reserve Soldier. I am grateful for their service to our Nation, and I tell that to every audience I speak to, from reporters and members of Congress to employers and industry executives. I am honored and humbled to be among them.

In January, I traveled to Central Command and met with Soldiers from Army Reserve units who are deployed to Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain. These remarkable men and women are tough, resilient and disciplined warriors. They are dedicated to accomplishing the missions they were called to perform. Despite the strain and danger of demanding operations, enemies, long hours, and the unforgiving environment, they told me time after time that they are proud to serve our country. They are truly the American heroes of our generation. My greatest ambition is to ensure that the Army Reserve continues to attract and retain Americans of this high caliber.

As I talked with our deployed Soldiers, I heard comments about mobilization, extensions, equipment, pay, cross leveling between units, re-enlistment bonuses, and family support--all valid and important issues that are being addressed. As I listened, I noted that each of these falls into one of the following areas: organizing, manning, training, equipping, mobilizing, and resourcing, which are Title 10 U.S. Code responsibilities assigned to the Chief, Army Reserve. Over the past three years, I have focused my efforts on changing these areas to accommodate the new realities of warfighting in the 21st Century and how we go to war. In some areas we are modifying what exists, such as the command and control of Army Reserve units. In other areas, we are starting fresh, such as the Federal Reserve Restructuring Initiative we implemented in 2003.

Why change? It's simple. We have to change because the conditions of warfare and how we approach it have changed. We are fighting in a global war, rather than in a theater of operations. We are fighting on an asymmetrical battlefield, rather than on a linear battlefield. We are fighting a continuous, protracted war, rather than a war with a discrete start and finish, such as the first Gulf War, and operations by Army units are the norm, not the exception. We are deploying parts of units, rather than whole units. Mobilizing the Reserve Components is no longer the exception, but the norm. Our Army is rapidly transforming to meet these new conditions. To remain relevant, the Army Reserve must also seek change--deep, lasting, and profound change.

I shared with our deployed Soldiers that Army Reserve leaders have been working diligently to implement new strategies in organizing, manning, training, mobilizing and equipping that lay the foundation for change that will lead to several outcomes:

* change that leads to resolving their concerns sooner rather than later;

* change that improves our ability to provide trained units and qualified Soldiers to the Global War on Terror; and

* change that prepares our force for future conflicts in which we will inevitably be called to serve.

We are using the energy and urgency of Army transformation and the demands of the Global War on Terror to change the Army Reserve. We are overhauling our organization from a technically focused, force-in-reserve to a learning organization that provides trained, ready, "inactive duty" Soldiers poised and available for active service, ready as if they knew the hour and day they will be called. To make these changes happen, the Army Reserve is working closely with Forces Command (FORSCOM) and the Department of the Army staff to gain the support, resources, and authority that will help us change the Army Reserve. I'd like to review some of our strategies here.

Since America was attacked on September 11, 2001, the Army Reserve has mobilized more than 126,000 (as of Jan. 26, 2005) Army Reserve Soldiers for the Global War. Never in the history of our 96-year old organization has this country depended on the Army Reserve more than they do today. Yet, the experience of the last three years shows the Army Reserve must re-structure to be the agile, adaptive, and rotationally-based force that the Army and Joint Forces need.

To do this, we are changing, or optimizing, our force from one that supported a Cold War Army to one that is integral to the Army's future force. Starting with the structure of our force, we are first converting or eliminating units that are less relevant and too costly to modernize. As we make these changes we will maintain our current end-strength. While the Army Reserve will remain the same size in number of Soldiers, the composition of our force will change dramatically. Like all change, this force optimization will undoubtedly cause some turbulence in our ranks for a couple of years. But be assured, we need every Army Reserve Soldier who is currently in the ranks to re-enlist and stay with us. While changes to your position, unit, or training location may occur, you will always have a place in the Army Reserve as long as you want to serve and you meet Army standards.

To sustain the numbers of Army Reserve units and Soldiers needed to meet the continuing requirements of the Global War on Terror, we are implementing the Army Reserve Expeditionary Force (AREF) (see Figure 1), a dynamic new readiness, training, equipping and resourcing strategy that revolutionizes our force so that we can better mobilize, train and equip Army Reserve units for the fight. Through the use of a five-year rotation cycle, AREF offers increased predictability to our Soldiers, their families and employers.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

With this concept, the majority of Army Reserve units are assigned to one often Army Reserve Expeditionary Packages (AREP)(See Figure 1). While units in Year One (left side of Figure 1) are prepared, trained and equipped to mobilize and deploy wherever and whenever needed, units in Year Five (right side of chart), on the other end of the cycle, are reconstituting after returning from a deployment. Under AREF, resources, such as equipment, are aligned according to where units are in the rotation cycle.

In conjunction with the new AREF strategy, the Army Reserve is also implementing a new equipping strategy that is synchronized with the AREF. As units progress through each year of the five-year cycle, their state of readiness increases. Units in Year One, those ready to deploy, are at the highest level of readiness. Units in Year Five, those reconstituting from a deployment, are at the lowest level. In Year Two, the year prior to deployment, units receive full complements of modernized equipment compatible with AC equipment. This influx of equipment allows Army Reserve units to train up on their go-to-war systems prior to mobilization and deployment. This way, we locate the equipment where it is needed the most--going with the units heading for deployment.

The deployed Soldiers with whom I met in the desert reinforced the value of our Army Reserve training philosophy--that every Soldier we deploy must be battle-ready. In this war, there are no secure rear areas. Our Soldiers must be Warriors always and must train that way! Tough physical training, frequent qualification on personal and crew served weapons, and constant battle drills hone the skills our Soldiers require to accomplish these difficult missions and return home safely to their families and employers. Training is the "sine qua non," or essential element, of a ready force.

The Army Reserve's "Command Training Guidance" in 2005 focuses commanders on preparing their Soldiers for war, rather than training only on their technical specialties. We will test proficiency with semi-annual weapons qualification, annual Warrior Task Training (WTT), semi-annual physical fitness tests, nuclear, chemical and biological proficiency, and battle drill programs. Mobilization is no longer an unexpected event, so we are striving to reduce post-mobilization training to less than a month and focusing it on critical collective unit tasks, theater-specific training, mission rehearsals, and validation.

During 2004, the Army Reserve pursued many changes to regulations, policies and, in some cases, statutes to meet the human needs of our force in the 21st Century. To that end, the Army Reserve is working with the Department of the Army staff to update antiquated policies on: Selective Reserve Incentive Program; new authorities for officer and enlisted incentives; special pays; Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) enlistment and reenlistment bonuses; and, assignments and attachments of Army Reserve Soldiers. The Army Reserve is striving to obtain much stronger and vastly improved authorities and bonuses for its Soldiers, equitable with those the Active Component currently possesses.

To recognize and express appreciation to Army Reserve Soldiers who have served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom, the Army Reserve initiated the "Army Reserve Warrior-Citizen Award Program." Through this program, we will convey in a small way our Nation's gratitude for our Soldier's selfless service and sacrifice to the Global War on Terror. Within 90 days of demobilization, unit commanders will conduct a formal "welcome home" ceremony for returning Soldiers and their families. Commanders and Command Sergeants Major will present Soldiers with an encased American flag, specially-designed commemorative coins, a lapel pin set for the Soldier and spouse, and a "Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen" flag. The ceremonies will be open to families, employers, co-workers, community leaders, civic organizations, elected officials and the media.

We in the Army Reserve honor the lives of our fallen Soldiers by remaining strong and focused on mobilization, readiness, training and deployment, and on families and employers. The changes I have described are far-reaching and even startling to some. But they are necessary to ensure that the U.S. Army Reserve is capable of continuing to fulfill its mission as mandated by Congress and the American people.

Our responsibilities under Title 10 U.S. Code have not changed, but the world has changed and the Army we support is transforming rapidly. We cannot afford to delay--our Soldiers and the American people deserve better. As an institution, the Army Reserve must have the courage to change.

However, regardless of structure, size and mission responsibilities, the Army Reserve is part of the Army serving a nation at war. And the success of the Army Reserve rests, always, upon our Soldiers, employees, their families, and employers. They are the heart, soul, conscience, and foundation of our institution.

LTG James R. Helmly

Chief, Army Reserve

Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command

COPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Army Reserve
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