According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “It is not an overstatement to say that as goes the health of the reserve component, so goes the health of the all-volunteer force.” In its Phase III report from the Beyond Goldwater-Nichols project, CSIS says the health of the nation’s reserve forces “is not a boutique issue that is only relevant for a small group of defense experts,” rather it is “an issue of strategic national importance.” Defense officials have acknowledged that the US military cannot conduct today’s and future operations without reserve forces. However, the authors of the report believe that DOD must devote “far more resources” than it currently plans to spend on the reserve components. Strong as the report is on enhancing the reserves, it deals a blow to proponents of elevating the status of the chief of the National Guard Bureau. It does not recommend either placing the NGB director on the Joint Chiefs or increasing the rank to four stars.
Top Lawmakers Want 15 Percent Pay Raise for Enlisted Troops
April 19, 2024
A new law introduced by Congress would raise the pay rate 15 percent for junior enlisted troops and seek improvements on a range of quality of life issues, such as pay and compensation, child care, housing, health care access, and military spouse employment.