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Military Reserves

Members of a country's military reserves pursue full-time civilian careers and are not on active duty, though they may be called upon at times of emergency. RAND provides military and political decisionmakers with objective research and recommendations on how to attract, train, and maintain an effective military reserve force.

Report

Sustaining the Army's Reserve Components as an Operational Force

This report identifies emerging policy lessons regarding the use of, and reforms to, the U.S. Army's Reserve Components (RCs) as an operational reserve derived from analyses of their contributions to recent contingency operations.

Jun 12, 2017
Research Brief

Assessing the Army's Ability to Regenerate Its Active Component End Strength

This analysis modeled the Army's ability to increase ("regenerate") its active component end strength over five years -- starting from end strengths of 450,000 and 420,000 -- to provide the number of deployable troops available in 2010.

May 3, 2017
Report

Evaluating the Army's Ability to Regenerate: History and Future Options

This analysis modeled the Army's ability to increase ("regenerate") its active component end strength over five years -- starting from end strengths of 450,000 and 420,000 -- to provide the number of deployable troops available in 2010.

May 3, 2017
Commentary

Reservists and the National Guard Offer Untapped Resources for Cybersecurity

More than 100,000 personnel in the Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve have some degree of cyber competence, including thousands with deep or mid-level expertise. They could help defend the cyber terrain on which America's national security, prosperity, and democracy depend.

Apr 18, 2017
Report

Paid Duty Days for Army Guardsmen and Reservists: A Comparison of Fiscal Year 2000 with Fiscal Years 2010 to 2013

This report examines how the number of paid duty days for Army guardsmen and reservists has changed over the past several years, compared with before 9/11.

Apr 3, 2017
Report

Transforming Taiwan's Reserve Force

As the political-military challenge from China grows, Taiwan's reserve force may need to play a more prominent role in Taipei's approach to deterring Chinese aggression. Changing its reserve force size, structure, roles, missions, equipment, and training could help Taiwan offset PLA advantages.

Feb 22, 2017
Report

Developing Senior Leaders for the Reserve Components

Leader development is one of the most important priorities for the U.S. military. How can the development of senior leaders in the reserve be improved? And how can leader development policies serve the goal of an effective and integrated Total Force?

Jan 19, 2017
Research Brief

Reserve Component General and Flag Officer Requirements

RAND researchers assessed whether the system, management, and number of reserve component general and flag officers were appropriate.

Oct 14, 2016
Report

Strengthening Prior Service–Civil Life Gains and Continuum of Service Accessions into the Army's Reserve Components

This report combines quantitative and qualitative methods to understand service member decisions upon exiting the Regular Army, particularly the decisions of whether, when, and how to affiliate with the Reserve Component.

Sep 27, 2016
Report

A Methodology for Modeling the Flow of Military Personnel Across Air Force Active and Reserve Components

This report describes the Total Force Flow Model developed for the Air Force by RAND to help improve Air Force capability to analyze and capitalize on military personnel flows across the total force.

Jun 30, 2016
Research Brief

Employment Assistance for Reserve Component Members

RAND researchers reviewed previous research, conducted informational discussions with employment program managers, and identified ways to improve efforts to provide federal job placement and related employment services for reserve component members.

Mar 24, 2016
Report

Job Placement Assistance for Military Reservists

There are 40 federal programs, resources, and offices that provide job placement assistance that can be accessed by reserve component members. There is potential overlap among the programs and clearer guidance on how to navigate them is needed.

Mar 24, 2016
Report

Reserve Component General and Flag Officers: A Review of Requirements and Authorized Strength

Increased use of the reserve component has renewed interest in the question of the appropriate number of reserve component general and flag officers. RAND researchers conducted a review of requirements for reserve component general and flag officers.

Feb 8, 2016
Commentary

Understanding the Abrams Doctrine: Myth Versus Reality

As the NCFA finishes up its work on the future of the Army it is worthwhile to note that the strategic context in which the Army operates and is organized has changed over time, resulting in different calculations of costs and risks.

Dec 9, 2015
Report

Demystifying the Citizen Soldier

This report analyzes the National Guard's centrality to American national security, the idea that it prevents the United States from fighting controversial foreign wars, and its claim to embody the concept of the citizen soldier.

Dec 3, 2015
News Release

U.S. Military Drawdown Could Affect Gains in Service Member Diversity

Planned, large-scale personnel reductions in the U.S. military could inadvertently reduce gains made in the racial and gender diversity of the force since the 1990s.

Oct 26, 2015
Research Brief

Implications of Force Drawdowns for Demographic Diversity

The Department of Defense (DoD) has been conducting a large reduction of its military force. DoD drawdown policies that target certain groups (by experience, specialty, or aptitude) could have adverse effects on demographic diversity.

Oct 26, 2015
Report

U.S. Military Drawdown Could Affect Gains in Service Member Diversity

Planned, large-scale personnel reductions in the U.S. military could inadvertently reduce gains made in the racial and gender diversity of the force since the 1990s. Conducting adverse impact analyses prior to making drawdown decisions could allow the services to identify interventions earlier in service members' military careers.

Oct 26, 2015
Report

Air National Guard Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Domestic Missions

Air National Guard remotely piloted aircraft — or drones — may be useful in responding to a variety of domestic threats and potential emergencies. However, there are congressional concerns, as well as operational and policy constraints to be addressed.

Jun 22, 2015
Report

Have Beyond Yellow Ribbon Programs Met Their Goals?

Beyond Yellow Ribbon funding supports programs intended to provide critical outreach services to personnel returning from deployments and ease their transition into civilian life. An assessment of 13 such programs can help stakeholders and congressional policymakers as they consider future BYR allocations.

May 4, 2015

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RAND Topic:
Military Reserves

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