JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Rotary Club of Jacksonville hosted Air
Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, on Monday
at the Omni Hotel here, where McKinley spoke about the current state of the
National Guard and the challenges that ahead for the U.S. military.
McKinley, a Jacksonville native, spoke about the recently released defense
strategy that will guide the nation's defense into the future. The strategy,
announced Jan. 5, emphasizes trimming the force while investing in key areas
such as: intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs; countering
weapons of mass destruction; and combating cyber-terror threats. McKinley
emphasized the National Guard is well-positioned to support this new plan.
"I will tell you, as a proud National Guardsman, that the National Guard was
built to help in this new emerging strategy," he said.
McKinley said that President Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta took
"a very bold and courageous step" in releasing this strategy to address the
fiscal challenges of controlling the budget and maintaining our national
security.
"These decisions were not made lightly," said McKinley. "They were made with
the most senior leadership of our uniformed services briefing the president
of the United States and the National Security Council. And this is the
military they believe will lead us through 2012 and into the next decade
prudently, fiscally and with the ability to handle those types of emergencies
that may occur."
McKinley said he believes the U.S. military is still sized properly to handle
these challenges, especially in the National Guard where units are better
trained and equipped than they were just 10 years ago.
"Your National Guard and the Reserve components are at the top of their
game," said McKinley. "For the next several years, we believe we are the
answer to our nation's security needs, and we are the answer to our needs
here at home in Florida in case we have a natural disaster. We are well-led,
well-equipped and we are very, very proud of the opportunity to wear the
uniform of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force."