Total Army Force Mix.: Reshaping America's Army.

Turbulence in today's Army has had a profound and debilitating effect on unit and soldier readiness. Drastic reductions in manpower and funds over the past five years, combined with oppressive increases in deployments, have resulted in an exhausted if not unready force. While the Army has become more creative in mixing active and reserve forces to accomplish its many missions, it has discarded the 'roundout' concept at the very time it needs some form of augmentation to fill the Army to the level envisioned by its leadership and dictated by the demands of the National Military Strategy. This paper proposes a return to the roundout concept. But it recommends that, instead of trying to force the brIgade roundout to work, the Army roundout at a logical, trainable echelon-the platoon. This proposal salvages the Army's concept of preparing for two MRCs, identifies some spaces for creation of additional units that are historically the busiest in the Army, and provides some budgetary savings which should be focused on the Army's future. It also will reduce the suspicion and distrust now existing between the AC and RC. But most importantly, this proposal recognizes that as the Army gets smaller, it must rely on the entire force-active, guard, and reserves. The best way to ensure the force is totally prepared is to integrate components in such a way that integrated training becomes the norm.