# President Biden Orders Callup of Reservists for Europe **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [July 14, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011 "2023-07-14T02:44:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/1 "2023-07-14T02:44:11Z")
I didn’t see a thread on this, and it seems important: [Biden orders 3,000 reservists to be ready for Europe deployments - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/13/biden-military-reservists-europe-deployment-00106271#:~:text=The%20president%27s%20order%20also%20for,supply%20those%20troops%20with%20equipment). Here is a link to the actual order: > **[Ordering the Selected Reserve and Certain Members of the Individual Ready...](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/07/13/ordering-the-selected-reserve-and-certain-members-of-the-individual-ready-reserve-of-the-armed-forces-to-active-duty/)** > > By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 121 and 12304 of title 10, United States Code, I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces... Is this just because of the rcruitment shortfalls? Or are they worried about something? ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/2 "2023-07-14T02:48:59Z")
I would like to know. Twitters turds are claiming ww3. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/3 "2023-07-14T02:55:30Z")
I think any rational person who’s actually paying attention since Russia invaded Ukraine has been worried about WWIII, but it seems a steep jump to think it’s that imminent, or that barely trained rookies are really going to do a lot of good in modern warfare anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/4 "2023-07-14T03:30:35Z")
I think the most benign explanation is that the various military branches have been missing their recruitment goals for the past two years, and this has left gaps in the European command, and that’s not tolerable during a hot war. So you call 'em up. That’s what they are there for. It might be right and necessary. Less benign: They have worrisome intel and are shoring up. Even less benign: Things are escalating and this may be the first of many callups. Notice the order only limits the callups to 3,000 _at a time._ Right now I’m hoping for ‘benign’. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/5 "2023-07-14T03:34:28Z")
One important point: this is not an increase in EUCOM strength. This is allowing reserve components to participate in the deployment pool for current NATO commitments. > **[Reservists Set to Deploy for Europe NATO Mission Following New Biden Order](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/07/13/biden-allows-pentagon-tap-reservists-european-mission-amid-ukraine-war.html)** > > President Joe Biden signed an executive order that allows the military to use up to 3,000 reserve service members to augment its forces in Europe. > [@](#): > > Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, the Joint Staff director for operations who also briefed reporters, said, “These authorities will enable the department to better support and sustain its enhanced presence and level of operations” in Europe. > > **Sims stressed that “these are not additional forces.”** (emphasis added) As such, it’s almost certainly to allow Regular forces to lower their tempo and reconstitute/recuperate/train Stateside more. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/6 "2023-07-14T03:45:39Z")
I think you’re right. It’s more of an authorization for 3000 reserve and presumably National Guard troops to be mobilized at a time. It’s kind of a strange number - a Brigade Combat Team is about 4000-4700 troops, so 3000 must be for some combination of independent battalions to be mobilized to spell already deployed troops. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/7 "2023-07-14T07:26:24Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I think you’re right. It’s more of an authorization for 3000 reserve and presumably National Guard troops to be mobilized at a time. > > It’s kind of a strange number - a Brigade Combat Team is about 4000-4700 troops, so 3000 must be for some combination of independent battalions to be mobilized to spell already deployed troops. That’s a bad presumption. National Guard falls under Title 32 not Title 10 and can’t be called to active duty the same way. If they are calling up IRR and select reservists it will be as individual augmentees to fill shortfalls not as whole units. In general the NG has to be mobilized as units under mobilization orders. With some exceptions the Reserves are combat support and combat service support so there won’t be any reserve BCT. There are many National Guard BCT but it would require a different type of order to mobilize them. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/8 "2023-07-14T10:47:31Z")
How many US troops are routinely stationed in Europe? I’m guessing that 3000 extra bodies is a very very small percentage. My blind guess: Could it be that the authorization for 3000 isn’t designed to be a “surge”?Could it just a bureaucratic necessity, to allow activating a few extra people who are needed right now to keep supplies flowing to Ukraine? Maybe truck drivers, mechanics. electronic techs, even just warehouse workers? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/9 "2023-07-14T14:27:31Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > barely trained rookies Having been a reservist myself, I can state from experience that this is not an accurate statement. Most, if not all, of the reservists I served with were, like me, former active duty personnel who continued to serve and train part-time in case we were needed. Many held civilian jobs similar to what they did in the Reserves - mechanics, technicians, medical jobs… Reservists don’t dress up and play Army or Navy for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/10 "2023-07-14T14:48:12Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > How many US troops are routinely stationed in Europe? > I’m guessing that 3000 extra bodies is a very very small percentage. > > My blind guess: > Could it be that the authorization for 3000 isn’t designed to be a “surge”?Could it just a bureaucratic necessity, to allow activating a few extra people who are needed right now to keep supplies flowing to Ukraine? > Maybe truck drivers, mechanics. electronic techs, even just warehouse workers? There are about 7,000 troops in Europe for Operation Atlantic Resolve. That’s in addition to those that are stationed there permanently. The difference is those that are stationed there get to live there long term with their families. Those that are deployed there leave families behind. It’s a strain on the force. Most of those who are stationed there are in Germany. Most of Atlantic Resolve is in Eastern Europe. I doubt that most of the transport of goods is being done by soldiers. It’s most likely done by contractors. The mobilized reservists will be supporting the US combat troops that are there for the ongoing show of force. There are a lot of support MOS that filled in the Reserves for this reason. There are more needed during extended deployments ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/11 "2023-07-14T14:58:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > With some exceptions the Reserves are combat support and combat service support so there won’t be any reserve BCT. In case anyone is wondering what Loach means here: > **[Combat support | United States Army](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_support#United_States_Army)** > > Currently, U.S. Army organizational doctrine uses the classification "Maneuver, Fires and Effects" (MFE) and "Operations Support" (OS) to group the former combat support arms branches into Maneuver Support; Special Operations Forces; Network and Space Operations; and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance functional areas. > Within the U.S. Army, the traditional combat support branches are/were: > 1.Chemical Corps (Chemical Warfare Service 1918 / Chemical Corps 1945) | > 2.Military Intellig... > **[Combat service support (United States)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_service_support_(United_States))** > > Combat service support is a topic that is, broadly speaking, a subset of military logistics. However, combat service support is often more limited in depth, as the related groups primarily address factors supporting readiness for combat operations. The United States Department of Defense organizes various agencies providing services such as medical assistance, for example, akin to other nations' militaries. > In the United States Army, the term combat service support was until 2008 defined as the ... ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/12 "2023-07-14T15:06:14Z")
Either way, it’s a more piecemeal replacement program than I think people assume when they hear “3000 reservists called up for service in Europe”, which is that it’s a 3000 person combat unit deploying as one. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-biden-orders-callup-of-reservists-for-europe/987011/13 "2023-07-14T15:45:27Z")
That’s right. Most people probably aren’t even aware of the long term rotating deployment. The reservists will augment the active duty units that have already been scheduled to go. Why couldn’t I get a nice European deployment when I was in? I would have jumped at the chance to go to Poland.