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The question arose again after the end of the

Although with current commitments, the

Cold War. Many analysts considered the

Navy is not as adaptable to a Seamless Total

whole NATO expansion debate to be simply

Force as either the Army or the Air Force, it

a "smoke screen" behind which to retain the

still has programs that could be implement-

outdated U.S. presence in Europe.46 There are

ed and tested.

also legitimate questions about whether

The Real Goal: Increasing Overall

South Korea is getting a free ride.47 The situa-

Military Capabilities

tion in Korea is admittedly dangerous, but

Finally, readiness is only one of the four

the South Korean forces of today are not the

elements of overall military capability. Cur-

ill-equipped, ill-trained forces of 1950.

rently, it may not even be the most impor-

Besides, today the U.S. military could, if dire

tant. The major problem facing all the ser-

circumstances were to require it, respond

vices is weapons procurement. Replacement

with an entire division of well-trained and

rates for weapons are running at about one-

well-equipped troops from the United States

third of requirements. Some of the savings

in about the time it took to send the 500-

garnered from relying more on the reserves

man ill-prepared Task Force Smith.

could be used to fund increased procure-

Worse, overseas deployments can actually

ment. The cost of reserve forces is only about

undermine the military's ability to prepare to

20 percent of that of active-duty forces. Some

fight. The United States now has 20,000

of the savings generated by relying more on

ground and air personnel in the Middle East.

the reserves could also be used to increase

That deployment has caused the most severe

military pay. With full employment, jobs in

morale problems the Air Force has experi-

the civilian sector--especially in areas requir-

enced since the Hollow Force days of the

ing high skills, such as aircraft maintenance--

1970s. As a result, Air Force personnel are

are more attractive to military personnel. The

leaving in droves. This exodus is a harsh les-

robust civilian economy has also required the

son for those who argue that readiness is nec-

military to induct more people who did not

essarily increased by overseas deployments.

finish high school. As noted before, one of

Somewhat ironically, many analysts are

the major factors behind the Hollow Force

now questioning all of the various peace-

was the combination of low pay and

keeping requirements of the active Army.

increased use of recruits who had failed to

They are proposing that more of those

finish high school. An increase in pay would

responsibilities be given to the reserves. In

probably improve the quality of recruits.

fact, most of the civil control and military

The need for specific military capabilities

police functions needed for peacekeeping

Some ships could

and readiness standards depends on foreign

currently reside in the reserve forces. More

become part of a

policy decisions, not military decisions. This

important, however, one should ask whether

"surge" Navy,

paper has essentially assumed current

it is advisable to intervene in places like

requirements. But there are legitimate ques-

Bosnia and Somalia.

which would

tions about why the United States still has

respond to crises

troops in Europe, Korea, and the Middle East

Conclusion

from U.S. ports.

and whether it really is wise to intervene in all

the Somalias and Bosnias of the world. In the

late 1960s, after the full recovery of Western

The degree of military readiness needed

Europe from World War II, legitimate ques-

depends on the threat. During the debate

tions were raised about why American troops

over NATO expansion, proponents argued in

were still stationed in Europe. Combined, the

favor of enlargement because "we have

countries of Western Europe had a greater

already had to fight twice in Europe in this

gross national product and population than

century." When asked about threats and why

either the United States or the Soviet Union.

we need a large standing army, high govern-

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