The chief of the Army Reserve is working on a plan to align its theater commands to the Combatant Commands around the world, to help shape the operating environment–one of the three “principle and interconnected roles” for the Army as identified by Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno.
“I would argue the shaping piece is where we make the biggest impact,” said said Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Talley, 32nd Chief of Army Reserve and Commanding General Army Reserve Command at a recent Defense Writers breakfast, because the Army Reserve is a complementary force. “It’s enablers. We represent most of the combat service support and combat support to the active component.”
It is the role of the Army Reserve to enable the “prevent, shape, win” roles derived from updated strategic guidance from the president and secretary of Defense.
“I’ve proposed to Gen. Odierno and Secretary (John) McHugh, and Gen. (David) Rodriguez at Forces Command that I want to take the theater commands we have in the Army Reserve and align them to (Army Service Component Commands) ASCCs and COCOMs,” Talley said.
Those theater commands would also have a forward deployed cell, to be called the Army Reserve Engagement Cell at ASCCs and COCOMs, that would “plan, prepare and provide” enablers for the commands. They would also be able reach back daily and weekly for staff planning.
The active Army is also plans to have regionally aligned brigades, promoting familiarity with an area and increasing engagement and partnership work with nations in that region.
“What is the best way to shape your operational environment, if you’re a combatant commander at AFRICOM or SOUTHCOM or PACOM,” he said. “It would be to bring in those enablers…those engineers, medical (personnel) and logisticians.” They could participate in exercises or training, but in that operational environment. And at the end of the training, they’ve provided a well, medical support, or schools, using the technical skills resident in the Reserve.
“That’s a great way to train and use the unique capabilities of the Army reserve in shaping the operational environment of combatant commands,” Talley said. “I would argue–and that’s my opinion–that’s a great way to get a better return on the investment for America in shaping foreign policy using our military in a different sort of way….We’re doing that already but we need to step our game and do more of that.
The gain would be to the Combatant Commander, in goodwill generated through exercises, and at the same time it would aid recruiting and retention for the Army Reserve.
Thinking about AFRICOM, Talley said the new engagement cells would look at the needs of the operational environment. He’s thinking about putting a two-star medical doctor Individual Mobilization Augmentation (IMA) position there. That person would already be a successful doctor and as an IMA would be able to examine the medical needs and how the Army Reserve could bring in medical support, as most of the medical community in the Army is in the Reserve. A question would be how to bring medical personnel in for training opportunities in a coordinated fashion to help people in a way that would support the needs and guidance from the AFRICOM commander. Who better to advise the COCOM than a two-star Army Reserve doctor who knows the capabilities of the Army Reserve and is skilled physician, he said.
“We’ll use the Army Reserve in a different way,” Talley said. “And this expertise and help would be of use in other commands, “perfect for the Army Reserve.”
Many people don’t realize the Army Reserve right now provides a lot of support directly to COCOMs.
For example, the Army Reserve provides 3,500 reserve soldiers to Pacific Command, forward positioned in direct support of the command.
“I have 11 general officers that are already in the AOR (area of responsibility) providing support,” he said. And the Army Reserve does this around the planet.
“We need to provide a little more organizational structure…I’m thinking about redistributing some general officers in the Army Reserve that would as IMAs be aligned with some of these COCOMS, to help provide engagements between senior leaders and the COCOM and Army Reserve Engagement Cells as they link back.
“So far the response has been positive.”
The alignments will provide stability and capability. “Everyone I’ve mentioned theater alignment to, they have embraced it,” he said.
Talley is writing the plan that is being shared with Rodriguez and his Forces Command team as well as the Army Staff. “We’re doing that now, and it’s being very well received. Not only within the Army but within the Joint Forces,” he said.
“I don’t see any down side,” he said. “It’s a win for recruiting, retention, cost effectiveness. So far, no push back everyone loves the idea and we’re moving pretty quickly.”