The CNGR Final Report

The Commission on the National Guard and Reserves released its final report on January 31, 2008. Making almost 100 recommendations to adapt and transform the National Guard and Reserves to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, the commission report is a sobering description of the health of America’s citizen soldiers, and a clear road map, that if implemented, points the way to a strong and viable Guard and Reserves in the future.

While many of the problems the commission report describes and the recommendations it makes are not new, the commission breaks new ground in several areas and brings the full range of recommendations, old and new, into a single authoritative report that truly is “the most comprehensive, independent review of National Guard and Reserve forces in the past 60 years.” The commission’s recommendations on what more the Defense Department needs to do to prepare for a catastrophic attack on the homeland are particularly important and should not be ignored.