<<  <  >  >>

Readiness is

Is total active-duty force readiness needed,

Introduction

and can more functions be placed in the

defined by the

reserves? (Note: Throughout the paper,

Joint Chiefs of

unless otherwise specified, the term "re-

Readiness is defined by the Joint Chiefs of

Staff as the ability

serves" is used for both the National Guard

Staff (JCS) as the ability of forces to deploy

and the reserve forces of the individual ser-

quickly and perform initially in wartime as

of forces to

vices.) Even the two Major Theater Wars

they were designed to do.1 Readiness is con-

deploy quickly

(MTWs) against Iraq and North Korea--

sidered one of the most important elements

and perform ini-

which are the cornerstone of U.S. military

of military capability. Even though readiness

planning--look more remote. Saddam

is actually only one of four elements of over-

tially in wartime

Hussein's military is in shambles, and North

all military capability, its importance renders

as they were

Korea is unable even to feed itself.

it the subject of most of the current debates

One of the few new ideas for a post­Cold

on defense. Depending on how it is counted,

designed to do.

War force structure is the proposal by Sen.

at least one-third of the current defense bud-

John McCain (R-Ariz.) for tiered readiness.

get is spent on the readiness--or the opera-

The senator advocated making some forces

tions and maintenance--portion of the bud-

more ready than others or placing more

get. That percentage reaches well over 50 per-

forces in the reserves, or both.2 Former sena-

cent if other related items such as personnel

costs are included. Besides generally better

tor Gary Hart of Colorado has gone even fur-

equipment, perhaps nothing separates the

ther in his recent book, The Minuteman. He

U.S. armed forces from other military forces

suggests "restoring an army of the people" by

more than their high state of readiness. Many

relying heavily on the reserves.3

military experts would consider the latter

Opponents of any decrease in readiness

more important than the former.

cite two major examples of unreadiness. The

Few people have really questioned the

first is Task Force Smith--which was a hasti-

concept of readiness since World War II and

ly dispatched, unprepared U.S. Army unit

the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. During

sent from Japan to South Korea in the early

the Cold War, with the Soviet-led Warsaw

days of the Korean War. Task Force Smith

Pact quite literally poised next door to strike

was routed by the North Korean Army.

into Western Europe with little or no warn-

Second is the so-called Hollow Force of the

ing, readiness was an important issue--espe-

1970s when, for example, ships were unable

cially after the sneak attack by the North

to get under way for lack of spare parts and

Koreans on South Korea in 1950. The impor-

adequately trained and experienced crews.

tance of readiness has been illustrated time

However, a closer look at both of those

and time again: smaller, well-trained Israeli

cases reveals a different picture. Readiness

forces easily defeated larger, ill-trained Arab

per se was only one of many factors that

armies; a small, elite British force far from

caused the problems and may not have even

home defeated Argentinean conscripts in the

been the most important. In fact, those

Falklands; and well-trained, U.S.-led forces

examples may well support the case "for"

easily vanquished Iraq, which, at least on

tiered readiness. However, before we turn to

paper, looked like a formidable force.

those implications, a closer look at readiness

Readiness is certainly important. In fact, if

definitions and measures, as well as Task

military leaders had a choice between first-

Force Smith and the Hollow Force, is needed.

rate equipment and first-rate readiness, most

would probably choose the latter.

What Is Readiness?

However, with the end of the Cold War

and no major threat on the horizon until at

least 2015--according to the Pentagon's own

As Richard Betts explains in his book

assessment--two questions have been raised:

Military Readiness: Concepts, Choices, Conse-

2