Reserve Meeting

The Pentagon's Reserve Forces Policy Board plans to hold a meeting on Sept. 5, according to a notice published in this morning's Federal Register:

Purpose of the Meeting: The purpose of the meeting is obtain, review and evaluate information related to strategies, policies, and practices designed to improve and enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and effectiveness of the reserve components.

Agenda: The Reserve Forces Policy Board will hold a meeting from 8 a.m. until 4:10 p.m. The portion of the meeting from 3:15 p.m. until 4:10 p.m. will be closed and is not open to the public. The open portion of the meeting will consist of administrative details, remarks from the Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel & Readiness) on her role as the RFPB's sponsor and the future role of the Reserve Components (RC) within the Department of Defense (DoD); from the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation on today's fiscal challenges facing DoD and future implications for the out year Future Year Defense Program; from the Adjutant Generals of California and Wisconsin on their views of AC/RC mix considerations, and roles and missions; an update on the RFPB's Cost Methodology Project; and RFPB subcommittee briefs. The closed session of the meeting will consist of the Secretary of Defense discussing RC readiness, capability shortfalls, roles and missions and future composition of the Active and Reserve Component.

Today's Inside the Army has some related news:

State Guard Leaders Oppose Army Chief's Brigade-Design Proposal

The adjutants general of seven U.S. states have rejected an idea by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno to optimize four of the Army National Guard's 28 brigade combat teams for security assistance missions, according to a previously unreported letter.

"We understood you would like the Guard to consider converting four . . . [brigade combat teams] to some other structure, such as Advise and Assist Brigades," or AABs, the two-star guard leaders from Arkansas, Indiana, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas wrote in the June 28 missive to Odierno.

Such a plan "does not appear to be a realistic option" because it would create a mismatch between the unit designs of the active-duty Army and the reserves, they contend. "'Advise and assist' is a mission that is and has been conducted by BCTs, not a viable force structure," the adjutants general write.

We also have the letter the story is based on:

Adjutants General Letter To Odierno On National Guard Force Structure