ARLINGTON, Va., - The National Guard is optimistic about finding "middle ground" despite the challenges it faces over the next several years, the chief of the National Guard Bureau said April 20.
"The National Guard is optimistic about finding the middle ground that preserves what we have all worked so hard to build over the past nine years, serves our citizens well both home and abroad, and recognizes and conforms to the fiscal challenges that are the reality of a close future," said Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley told attendees at the FORSCOM Command Readiness Program at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Ark.
McKinley also outlined the three strategic priorities for the National Guard.
First, he said the Guard must maintain its role as a full-spectrum force.
"From catastrophic events at home to deployments abroad, the Guard and Reserve must seamlessly integrate with the broader force," he said.
Second, he said the Guard must strive to maintain the significant investment in readiness made over the last eight years.
McKinley said Guard units must be trained, equipped and ready for semi-routine deployments.
"This is going to be a particular challenge," he said. "We are the best-trained, best-equipped Guard in history, but after all modern wars, we have put the Guard back on the shelf … . What will we do this time?"
McKinley said budgets are becoming challenging, both as supplemental appropriations dry up and challenging economic environment persist.
"The Army Guard is the best equipped in history, but will face challenges - particularly with respect to Humvees and trucks in the near future," he said. "We are going to have to be careful stewards."
He added that the Guard will have to take its fair share of cuts in future years' budgets.
McKinley also said the Guard must remain accessible.
"We must institutionalize the processes - funding, training and equipping - that will sustain what I consider an already operational reserve component," he said. "We can't afford to go back to a strategic reserve."
Finally, McKinley said we must ensure the Guard is prepared to carry out its homeland defense and disaster response mission.
"Paramount to the Guard's existence is its constitutionally based relationship to the governors and the citizens of its states," he said. "Fortunately, we have always been able to do both the state and federal missions.
"I think it is part of my job from time to time to point out that we do in fact serve two masters, and primarily the governors of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia."