ARNG Role

So with the Army's reorganization into more self-contained brigade combat teams and the seeming elevation of divisions to act like current corps, where does the Army National Guard fit in?

The Guard will have its brigades reorganized as the active brigade combat teams and will lose their divisions.

In World War I and II, National Guard divisions were mobilized to fight as divisions. Same in Korea. None were activated for Vietnam service and in the Persian Gulf War, only brigades were activated but none were certified as combat ready before the ceasefire. A division headquarters was activated for Balkan service this decade and in the Iraq War, enhanced brigades were mobilized but broken down and used as separate battalions. I think 5 brigades were used this way. Since the major combat operations, brigades have been mobilized and sent as brigades to operate in the counter-insurgency. Still, no divisions have been activated to operate as divisions.

So what does this mean for the future? I think it means that for rapid response, our two-line battalion brigade combat teams will accept a National Guard battalion to give it a triangular structure when there is enough time. And for a longer war or with longer warning to train them up, National Guard brigades will be activated to operate under active divisions.

I wonder how many brigades we expect our divisions to be able to command? So far it looks like they handle 5 brigades maximum for Iraq. For high intensity operations is this realistic? Will technology and experience allow for more brigades even in high intensity operations?

And what about China? Perhaps the Army accepts that any war with China outside of peripheral fronts like Korea, Taiwan, and mabye Vietnam will require building completely new units on the order of World War II if we intend to take the war to the mainland so there is little point keeping units in reserve to fight such a large war. It looks like the near future will only hold major theater wars and fights that require a rotation base like Iraq and Afghanistan today.

I look forward to seeing how the Guard is to be used in war.