In the Sept 1 issue of Time, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is quoted saying “Some decades back, they made a conscious decision to put into the reserves - and almost only into the reserves - certain skill sets so that if the country was ever tempted to do something militarily, they’d have to call the reserves, which means that it would have to be supported broadly.”
First time I ever heard this idea. Is there any truth to this? Is there a deliberate policy of handicapping the active duty armed forces so they have to rely on the reserves for certain needs? If so, whose idea was it?
On a seperate note, why does Rumsfeld say “the country” might be tempted to do something military. The country cannot directly send troops anywhere and even if it could such a event would obviously have nation wide support. Isn’t Rumsfeld really saying that Congress or the President might use troops in a manner that the country might not approve of?
I’m in the reserves and I know that I am required to train and be as proficient in my duties as the active duty.
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First time I ever heard this idea. Is there any truth to this? Is there a deliberate policy of handicapping the active duty armed forces so they have to rely on the reserves for certain needs? If so, whose idea was it?**
The reserves usually “backfill” positions or augment active duty, I don’t think it’s a handicap unless the reserve troops are not trained to do the assignment.
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On a seperate note, why does Rumsfeld say “the country” might be tempted to do something military. The country cannot directly send troops anywhere and even if it could such a event would obviously have nation wide support. Isn’t Rumsfeld really saying that Congress or the President might use troops in a manner that the country might not approve of? **
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Some references with “the country” are deemed to say that since we elect officials…you know govt 4 the people, by the people…it implies that the country as a whole supports the decision to take military action. You’re right though…the Pres has to ask for permission to go to war.
Well, there ARE certain units that exist only in the Reserves…the first one that comes to mind is the Reserve C-130 unit from Pennsylvania that does psychological warfare. They drop leaflets, and the airplanes are equipped with powerful transmitters and jammers that can block out “undesirable” broadcasts and replace them with whatever we want. This is limited, of course, to the few hundred miles around the airplane and by how long the airplane can stay airborne.
There is no active-duty unit that performs this task, so if psywar is needed then the Reserves get called up.
Similarly, the US Marine Corps’ ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liason Company) units were sent to the reserves in the last ten years, and the HAWK anti aircraft missile battalions just over ten years ago.
Yes, this same line of thought was quite current ten years ago when I was still in.
Although the active force can fight a quick war by itself, it lacks the Civil/Military Affaris, Psyops, Military Police and Loggies it would need for a war with the Klingons.