Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Solomon Ortiz Opening Statement

Hearing on Fiscal Year 2011 Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard Training and Operations

“The subcommittee will come to order.  Today the Readiness Subcommittee meets to receive testimony on the fiscal year 2011 budget request for training for the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard.

“Witnesses have also been asked to provide their views on current training operations and the future needs of their respective components.  I thank our distinguished witnesses from the Army and Air Force for appearing before the subcommittee today.  All of them have had distinguished military careers, and we are all grateful to them for their service.

“Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, hundreds of thousands of Americans serving in these components of our military, the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard, have been mobilized and deployed on missions both here at home and overseas.

“Today, more than 98,000 soldiers and airmen from these elements of our military are on active duty, carrying out missions that cover the full range of military activities.  Each one of them has left behind their families, and put their civilian jobs on hold, as they serve the nation.

“Those soldiers and airmen not mobilized on active duty also continue to serve, and stand ready to support domestic authorities in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.

“Clearly, the high number of troops mobilized today attests to the fact that the reserve elements of our military are no longer a ‘strategic’ reserve intended to be rarely used.  These reserve components are now clearly ‘operational’ reserves that support, augment, and assist our active duty forces on a routine and continuing basis.

“We look forward to hearing today just how this transformation was accomplished, and what it means to the soldiers and airmen who have served and continue to serve.

“We also look forward to hearing how the fiscal year 2011 budget request matches up with the expected missions and operations.

“Finally, and most critically, we look forward to hearing how we maintain these components as an ‘operational reserve’ in the future, even as the war in Iraq begins to end. 

“As of today, many questions on this issue remain unanswered, including: How much will it cost each year to maintain our reserve forces at their current level of activity?  How many reserve soldiers and airmen can we expect to have mobilized in future years?  If the reserves return to a ‘strategic reserve’ status, what would it mean for the quality of the force, and for recruiting and retention?  Over the long term, is it possible that the size of our reserve forces may need to grow?  If so, in what way?  These are the issues we will be exploring today.

“Our witnesses today are: Lieutenant General Jack C. Stultz, Commanding General

United States Army Reserve Command; Lieutenant General Harry M. Wyatt III, Director, Air National Guard and Major General Raymond W. Carpenter and Acting Director, Army National Guard.

            “The Chair recognizes the distinguished gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Forbes, for any remarks he would like to make.”

###