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STATEMENT
BY
LIEUTENANT
GENERAL ROGER C. SCHULTZ
DIRECTOR
ARMY
NATIONAL GUARD
ON
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL POSTURE
JULY
18, 2001
Mr.
Chairman, Congressman Snyder, Committee
Members, I am honored to appear before you
today. On
behalf of over 350,000 soldiers today, I
extend my appreciation for your continuing
support.
My first priority is providing for the
readiness of our units and your support has
made a difference.
As we sit here today, we have 14,900
soldiers from the Army National Guard deployed
from their homes.
Over 2,100 are deployed in the Balkans
and in Southwest Asia.
The rest are on training missions and
operational exercises around the world.
Last year we responded to 512 missions
in 64 countries in support of The Army.
We have deployed to 87 countries
already this year, committing approximately
2,523 man-years to the theater
Commanders-in-Chiefs for stability and support
operations, representing an increase of 27
percent from this time last fiscal year.
The
Army National Guard plays an increasingly
significant role in the National Military
Strategy, with six of our divisions currently
included in the Joint Strategic Capabilities
Plan. Fulfilling
our obligation to this strategy and ensuring
we are ready when called is paramount.
Following the lead of the 49th Armored
Division, Texas National Guard, six more Army
National Guard divisions are scheduled to
assume command of the Stabilization Force
mission in Bosnia, with the 29th Infantry
Division, Virginia National Guard scheduled to
deploy October 2001 through April 2002.
Every State, Territory and the District
of Columbia has supported missions in the
Balkans.
While I remain concerned with the
length and frequency of deployments and their
impact on units, families and employers, we
have concluded a mobilization attrition
analysis that indicates that at the macro
level, current deployment activity does not
adversely impact
retention.
As a result of the dramatic increases
in our utilization, we have developed programs
that address the changing needs of our
members, their families, and their employers;
our Guard Family.
Family Readiness Programs and Quality
of Life initiatives are essential to help
soldiers maintain a balance among family
commitments, work, and military requirements,
to ensure readiness and maintain unit
strength.
The Army National Guard surpassed its
recruiting goals and finished Fiscal Year 2000
with personnel end strength at 353,045.
This number is 3,045 above the
objective of 350,000.
By combining recruiting, attrition
management and retention functions into one
Strength Management Philosophy, we have
created a partnership within our units by
building trust and cooperation between the
recruiting force, the full-time support force,
and unit leadership.
I report today that the ARNG will
achieve our paid end strength objective for
the Fiscal Year 2001.
This success raises concern as we look
toward closing out this year and entering
Fiscal Year 2002.
As the Prior Service market continues
to decline, we have made up that shortfall in
availability with increased Non-Prior Service
accessions.
This increase in Non-Prior Service
soldiers strains already limited initial entry
training seat availability and increases
demand for bonus and incentive program
funding.
We also continue to address our
shortage of Company Grade Officers.
We are working with Cadet Command to
increase the number of Reserve Officer
Training Corps graduates flowing into our
units and encouraging the Adjutant Generals to
increase the number of lieutenants
commissioned through their State Officer
Candidate School Programs.
We must look for creative ways to
address the shortfall of lieutenants and
remove dis-incentives such as loss of Student
Loan Repayment Program eligibility upon
commissioning.
My greatest concern is lack of
sufficient Full Time Support in our units.
Over time, Full Time Support
authorizations as percentage of requirements
have steadily declined. We are currently at only
57 percent of Full Time Support requirements. Full Time Support personnel fill vital positions in the
units. They
provide stability and institutional knowledge
at every organizational level.
They are particularly critical in that
portion of the work force that supports the
unit’s administrative, payroll, supply,
training, maintenance, and recruiting and
retention efforts.
Full-Time Support personnel provide the
training, administration, technical,
functional and military expertise required to
make a unit function more efficiently and
effectively.
For
364 years, the Army National Guard has been an
essential component of America’s military.
The future will demand an
ever-increasing operations tempo and the Army
National Guard must anticipate the
requirements of today’s world while we plan
for tomorrow’s challenges.
Your continued support will ensure that
we maintain our momentum and meet those
demands.
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