Army Chemical Review

SUMMER 2012

Army Chemical Review presents professional information about Chemical Corps functions related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, smoke, flame, and civil support operations.

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By Colonel Clark H. Summers A ccording to the recently released 2012 Defense Strat- egy Review ("Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense"1 VLJQL¿FDQW UH- ductions in resources committed to military readiness are an- ticipated, while challenges to U.S. strategic national interests are predicted to simultaneously increase. To meet requirements outlined in the 2012 Defense Strategy Review, Regular Army– Reserve Component (RC) interoperability must be increased. Creative, no-cost or low-cost methods of achieving this goal should be carefully considered. Options include— Ɣ Integrating Regular Army Soldiers directly into RC formations. Ɣ Opening command and branch-qualifying assignments to HLWKHU 5HJXODU $UP\ RU 5& RI¿FHUV Ɣ Making Regular Army–RC collective training mandatory for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) operational units. 7KH 8 6 $UP\ &KHPLFDO; &RUSV; LV D UHÀHFWLRQ RI WKH traditional model for American military forces—a rela- tively small, standing Regular Army supported by a broad militia- or community-based RC. Throughout its 95-year history—particularly following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the Cold War in 1989—the active Chemical Corps, like the Regular Army, has been maintained only at levels nec- essary to meet operational contingencies, with the RC expect- ed to meet the greatest strategic needs. This model has allowed for the expansion or contraction of forces based on the budgets DQG UHVRXUFHV QHFHVVDU\ WR PHHW ZDU¿JKWLQJ GHPDQGV The Army faces a number of unique strategic challenges today. Although campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan are com- ing to an end, the strategic environment remains one of endur- LQJ FRQÀLFW WKXV GHPDQGLQJ D VXVWDLQHG OHYHO RI UHDGLQHVV 2 However, in keeping with the traditional American response to HQGLQJ PLOLWDU\ FDPSDLJQV VLJQL¿FDQW UHGXFWLRQV LQ UHVRXUFHV and funding are now underway.3 These reductions are the result of a 38 percent cut in Department of Defense (DOD) Summer 2012 budgets throughout the next quadrennial period.4 Plans in- volve cutting Regular Army personnel from 570,000 to 490,000 by 20175 EDW WHDPV by 15.6 and reducing the number of brigade com- WKH SULQFLSDO XQLW RI RSHUDWLRQDO ZDU¿JKWLQJ And unlike past downsizings, the end strengths of the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) and the Army National Guard will remain constant,7 rather than increasing due to the in- activation of large, formerly Regular Army formations. U.S. Army CBRN forces are already operationally dependent upon the RC. Two of three U.S. Army Forces Command chemical brigades are RC—one USAR and one Army National Guard. Of 11 chemical battalions, six are RC. And 58 of the Army's 78 chemical companies (or 74 percent) are RC.8 In the years DKHDG WKLV UHOLDQFH RQ 5& IRUFHV ZLOO EH SDUWLFXODUO\ VLJQL¿- cant. U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta designates the countering of weapons of mass destruction and the provision of defense support of civil authorities as primary missions of the U.S. Army.9 Chemical units provide the critical capabili- ties needed to meet the demands of these missions; therefore, they must be operationally effective. Given the reliance of the Chemical Corps upon the RC, maximizing the operational effectiveness of CBRN forces requires increases in Regular Army–RC interoperability. RC forces must be strengthened to provide the greater bridging capabilities necessary to sustain operational needs as Regu- lar Army forces are constrained and reduced. "Strengthening forces" has traditionally meant "increasing spending," but this will not be a viable approach for the foreseeable future. Instead, strengthening the RC will require creative, budget- neutral approaches or approaches that provide clear cost ben- H¿WV IURP WKH RXWVHW RWKHU DSSURDFKHV DUH QRW OLNHO\ WR EH implemented. No-cost or low-cost options that should be care- fully considered by Regular Army and RC Chemical Corps leaders include integrating Regular Army Soldiers directly into RC formations to improve unit readiness, opening command and branch-qualifying assignments to Regular Army and RC RI¿FHUV DQG UHTXLULQJ DQQXDO 5HJXODU $UP\±5& FROOHFWLYH training for all CBRN operational units. 9

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