SUMMARY PAPER

Summary Paper



Summary Paper

Introduction

This paper is aimed at describing an organizational change that our organization is likely to make. The author is an Officer in the Army Reserve stationed at Schofield Barracks Honolulu, Hawaii. The organizational change that is discussed in this paper is sending more Reservists to Afghanistan and getting rid of the Soldiers that are not achieving well and identifying the key stakeholder involved and the impact the change would have on them.

Wherever the Army commits forces in the world - Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Philippines, Iraq - soldiers in the Army Reserve are an integral part, providing critical support, force protection and augmentation. No longer a “force in reserve,” the Army Reserve is a full partner across a broad spectrum of operations, from major combat operations to homeland defense, from peacekeeping to humanitarian missions. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism have only intensified the pace of operations for the Army Reserve, reinforcing the need for constant readiness and speedy, flexible mobilization.

Background

We have been, and are now, in changing and uncertain times. The evolution of the Army Reserve as an operational force is a reflection of the need to provide flexible and responsive capabilities in a complex security environment. A decade of persistent conflict has honed the skills of a ready, integral and proven component of our expeditionary force (Tim, 2010).

The coming decade requires our continued engagement around the globe as an operational force in support of our National Security Strategy. The strategic decisions and direction chosen at this juncture sets the framework for the next decade, and the future of the Army Reserve.

Army Reserve forces are no longer supplemental reinforcements, but a crucial element of the Army's overall deployable strength and war fighting team. We provide integral support units and specific functions as an element of the operational force, with a specialized range of capabilities (Miles, 2001).

The Operating Force

The Army Reserve is structured to provide forces for full-spectrum operations and steady state security cooperation missions. Many civil affairs, medical, transportation and information operations capabilities reside exclusively, or predominately, within the Army Reserve. Under Army Force Generation, our ability to predictably and routinely mobilize trained and equipped Army Reserve units, both reliably and responsively, is essential to meeting the operational requirements for our nation's security (Christopher, 2008).

The Generating Force

Army Reserve units support force generation through initial-entry military training, mobilization support and professional military education, as well as sustainment of Army units and personnel (all components) for full spectrum operations. Given its structure, geographic spread and experience base, the Army Reserve is well suited for future generating force activities and missions. This capacity to augment the training base, mobilization stations and institutional or garrison activities is critical to the Army's ability to train, equip and deliver combat forces worldwide. Under the ARFORGEN model, the generating force may also be used in an operational role to provide foreign military training abroad or assist with domestic disaster response (Muse & Stamper, ...