Casey Coane posted on March 01, 2011 00:15
March 2011 Navy
By RADM Casey W. Coane, USN (Ret)
Our feature topic this month is the Navy Reserve. On the 4th, we will be at the Navy Memorial for the annual Reserve birthday celebration. We help sponsor this activity each year and are proud to do so. VADM Debbink is our guest columnist on the next page and Force Command Master Chief Ronnie Wright is our senior enlisted voice on page 12.
When I began writing this column more than five years ago, the Navy Reserve was in alignment turmoil. End-strength was declining significantly. Reserve Centers were becoming NOSCs. Many of us were upset about force structure that we were losing. I wrote about Reserve billets migrating from tooth to tail. In the midst of those discussions, Reservists were deploying to war, some by then for the second time. The Defense Department had redefined the Strategic Reserve as Reservists not currently deployed in the Operational Reserve. The long-time Navy Air and Surface Reserve headquarters in New Orleans were moving – Air to San Diego and Surface renamed to Navy Reserve Forces Command and heading to Norfolk. Reserve Readiness Commands were aligning with Navy Regional Commands. Change was everywhere and it was uncomfortable.
Where is the force today? Endstrength seems to be about stable at 53,975 Selected Reservists, 10,735 Full-Time Support, and 37,186 Inactive Ready Reserve. While there will always be adjustments, the alignment and integration of the Navy Reserve Force with and into the Active Component is ruled a success by many. Certainly, the view within the Pentagon is that it has been a success. We welcome comments from you in the field as to your view of success. It does seem that, compared to five years ago, there is much more stability within the force.
Desert Storm seems a long time ago; and our younger readers have only heard about it; they didn’t live it. When that war began, we mobilized Navy Reservists and we demonstrated that we weren’t very good at doing that. Actually, we were terrible at it. As we continue to deploy Reservists in significant numbers to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and other supporting bases in theater, it is clear that we have come very, very far, indeed. Under VADM Debbink’s leadership, annual deployment pools have been created, notification times have lengthened, and unplanned sudden deployments minimized. Our Reservists should expect this kind of organization; but now, in large part, they are receiving it. On the other end of deployments, the Returning Warrior Workshops are so very important to the Service member but just as much to his or her family. Do we get everything right, no. Are we doing enough to communicate with the families of deployers, no. Are there demobilization issues to be fixed, yes. Is the Navy Reserve trying to get it right, absolutely.
Largely because of this extended war effort, AUSN, along with other associations, has made great legislative progress in supporting Reservists. We have added TRICARE Reserve Select and, now, TRICARE Retired Reserve. These are hugely important programs for the health of Reservists who otherwise have no medical insurance. The new GI Bill would not have been possible without the attention brought by this war, and there are still Reserve parity issues in the funding of that program. AUSN will continue to monitor the issues that Reservists care about and will continue to work with the Chief of Navy Reserve to help move his programs forward. We are well aware that history shows that the Reserve has often been used as a bill payer in tough times. How the Reserve Component fares in the trying budget cycles ahead will tell the true story of integration.
As always, enjoy the read.