In the last decade the U.S. Army reserve component has moved from a strategic to an operational reserve. This has driven a clear requirement for greater reserve integration amongst the active component. To accomplish this the Army and the Joint force have expanded the use of multi component units (MCUs) to improve efficiency and readiness across the active and reserve components of the DoD. A BETTER PEACE welcomes Darren Buss and Rick Giarusso to discuss the employment of MCUs in support of the the Army and Joint missions in keeping with the Total Force Policy. They join podcast editor Ron Granieri to explain the challenges and successes of marrying up the different components in support of real world missions.
…As you expand that to a larger scope with these larger Army headquarters it’s more people and it’s a little harder…there are consequences when you’re trying to recruit and retain a reserve component element to meet that high level of operational tempo
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Darren Buss is a Colonel and an aviation officer in the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of the AY20 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College.
Richard Giarusso is a Lieutenant Colonel and a logistics officer in the U.S. Army Reserves. He is a graduate of the AY20 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College.
Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command employs National Guard, Active Duty and Reserve units to successfully carry out its crucial mission. The unit patches of 1st Space Brigade (active and reserve components), the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, and the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (a multi-component Army National Guard brigade headquarter), left to right.
Photo Credit: Carrie David Campbell