Quote:
Originally Posted by Webstral
Going further, do the various states really require combat brigades organized and equipped like Regular Army units for any purpose written into any of the applicable constitutions? Unless Mexico or Canada is planning an invasion, none of the border states have any use for tanks and MRL in the pursuit of state security and disaster relief. There isn’t much justification for infantry, either. Well-equipped MPs, yes. Infantry, no. The NG combat brigades are a federal reserve that the states get control of until the feds need them. It’s all very silly.
The Army National Guard is in dire need of repurposing. Combat brigades should be phased out and replaced with a National Guard equivalent of Maneuver Enhancement Brigades and Sustainment Brigades. These brigades would be able to take care of disaster relief and security missions perfectly well. One might go so far as to imagine a very small combat arms force for each state maintained on active duty and trained specifically to do rare but tough internal security jobs. These guys would be very few in number, though.
The jobs that MEB and SB perform are a bit more forgiving of on-the-job relearning than combat roles. It would be much more palatable to call up a NG MEB and send them in-theater after a month of refresher training.
The Army’s reserve combat arms strength should be built into the picture. The balance of active combat brigades to active support brigades should be adjusted so that a significantly larger number of trigger-pullers are training at bases where the logistical and support systems are in place already. Instead of relying on the National Guard for additional combat units, the Army should have the combat units it needs training on a full-time basis but a relative shortage of active support units. The support would come from activated NG units.
Webstral
|
You know, this is an intresting train of thought. If the RA was responsible solely for the combat arms with all support functions part of the National Guard with the Reserves responsible for training/expansion, hmmmmm need to run some numbers...