Analysis / Reform

Reducing the Number of Guard/Reserve General/Flag Officers by 25 Percent

Assessing Defense Reform Series

— Mark Cancian
Photo courtesy of US Army National Guard: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimgreenhill/9492678680/

Summary

Because the number of Guard/reserve GO/FOs has been growing while the number of Guard/reserve troops has been constant, there would appear to be some opportunity for reductions. However, a 25 percent cut would be large and disruptive. Further, the loss of reserve three-star positions will likely be seen as a serious loss of influence in the reserve community. Download Report Here

Cite this Page

Mark Cancian, "Reducing the Number of Guard/Reserve General/Flag Officers by 25 Percent," Center for Strategic and International Studies, July 27, 2016, last modified July 27, 2016, https://defense360.csis.org/reducing-number-guardreserve-generalflag-officers-25-percent/.

Mark Cancian is a senior adviser with the CSIS International Security Program. He joined CSIS in April 2015 from the Office of Management and Budget, where he spent more than seven years as chief of the Force Structure and Investment Division. Previously, he worked on force structure and acquisition issues in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and spent over three decades in the U.S. Marine Corps.

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