Saw this episode on 60 minutes last night.

The report talks about the problems maintaining job security in the face of deployments (and enduring problem), but it points out what I think will be a huge issue in coming years: The utilization of the NG and Reserve as an operational rather than strategic reserve force. As the piece notes, Guardsmen and Reservists already face employment discrimination because of frequent deployments and I only see that trend worsening as regular deployments/activations become institutionalized. If trends continue, many capable people will either quit the Guard/Reserve or not consider joining in the first place for fear of damaging their prospects for civilian employment and/or advancement. As a reservist currently myself, this concern is quite personal, particularly since I've been in high-optempo Reserve and Guard units since I left active duty.

I think there is some merit to the argument in the 60 minutes piece that by utilizing less expensive Guard and Reserve forces, all the government is doing is shifting the financial burden elsewhere - mainly onto civilian employers and the Guardsmen/Reservists themselves. I know many fine and talented individuals who've already left the service because of this issue. I don't think DoD has fully considered the second and third order effects this policy will likely create. Increasingly, I think DoD will be forced to hire more full-time technicians and ARG personnel, as well as further exploit "virtual" full timers (that the NG/Reserve have long depended on) - those that stay in status thanks to man-day money. These latter folks are a lot like contract personnel in many ways.

Anyway, I see major problems looming in the next decade because of these new policies. Comments?