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The kind of forces

ing armies. In short, the kind of forces truly

question of whether the United States should

needed in today's environment lend them-

really intervene in such crises--which is

truly needed in

selves to what Senator McCain has called a

beyond the scope of this paper34--none of

today's environ-

"tiered readiness" force.

those past responses has required a large

ment lend them-

standing army. Any crisis that needs a

Tiered Readiness: Radical Innovation or

response could be dealt with by the Navy and

selves to what

Reality?

the Air Force. The forces of the Navy and the

Senator McCain

Senator McCain has introduced the notion

Marine Corps have been more than adequate

has called a

of tiered readiness with three different levels of

to respond to most crises since World War II.

military forces:35

There are examples of failures--such as the

"tiered readiness"

capture of the Pueblo, the Israeli attack on the

force.

· Tier

Liberty, and the bombing of the Marine bar-

I--Forward-deployed and crisis

racks in Beirut--but none of them had any-

response  forces:  Forward-deployed

thing to do with readiness. In all those cases,

forces, such as the Navy and Marines, and

American forces were in places where they

quick response forces, such the 82nd

probably should not have been. Those opera-

Airborne division flown in by round-trip-

tions again raise questions about bad leader-

capable aircraft, would be deployed in a

ship and bad foreign policy decisions but do

matter of days.

· Tier II--Force buildup: This buildup

not raise the question of readiness.

Readiness "of What?" Determining the types

would include initial divisions of the

of forces that need to be ready is also impor-

Army's contingency corps--up to two

tant. With the old Soviet threat long gone

divisions--and follow-on naval and air

and no other major power expected until at

forces and reserve components. Tier II

least 2015, General Meyer's Hollow Force

forces would be deployed in a matter of

concerns about rushing five divisions quickly

weeks.

· Tier III--Conflict resolution: These forces,

to Europe are also gone. Rare crises may arise

in which the United States should intervene.

including the remainder of Army units

However, from a readiness viewpoint, if

and more reserves, are needed infrequent-

ground forces are needed to respond, the sit-

ly. They would be deployed after several

uation could be handled by quickly deploy-

months and would thus have time to

ing light Army units, such as the 82nd

fully prepare.

Airborne, backed up by Marines aboard Navy

ships off the coast. It was exactly this force

At first glance, the senator's plan might

that was deployed to dissuade Saddam from

look radical, but there is really nothing new

going into Saudi Arabia; that deployment

about the concept of tiered readiness. Since

made possible a six-month buildup of coali-

ancient times there have always been at least

tion forces. The increased use of preposi-

two tiers of military readiness. Those tiers have

tioned equipment afloat could add to those

consisted of a small standing force and

capabilities. Personnel from heavier mecha-

reserves--usually just citizens--who join the

nized and armor units could be quickly

active military during times of crisis. The rea-

flown in by Air Force C-17s and matched up

sons for the two-tiered system were the same in

with their equipment, which can be disem-

ancient Athens and Rome as they are today.

barked from sealift ships. In about the same

Standing forces are expensive to maintain and

time that it took to deploy Task Force Smith

are really needed only during emergencies. The

to Korea, the United States--with today's

two-tiered system lasted for centuries, ending

capabilities--could deploy a fully capable

at the turn of the 19th century when Napoleon

division.

started raising large standing armies.

Most responses to crises have been by

In more modern times, most military

Navy and Marine Corp units, not large stand-

forces have effectively had five tiers (three in

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