Military Review English Edition March-April 2016 | Page 104

headquarters. Several corps headquarters have a
small number of USAR soldiers assigned to the staff,
most notably in the Army Reserve engagement teams
(ARETs). The ARETs integrate USAR units into corps
training events. However, although there are opportunities for small units or individual soldiers, USAR
training requirements often take precedence over AC
exercise participation. The Army continues to make
progress in integrating the unique capabilities of each
of its components to support the needs of the global
combatant commands, as outlined in the 2015 U.S.
Army Capstone Concept and Army Posture Statement:12
As part of the Army’s Total Force Policy, the
U.S. Army Forces Command is leading the way
by partnering every Guard and Reserve division
and brigade with a Regular Army peer unit. The
Army is also piloting a program to assign Guard
and Reserve personnel directly to each Regular
Army corps and division headquarters.13
Assigning RC personnel to AC units allows the
Army to effectively meet operational requirements and
facilitates integrated training.

Conduct Army Total Force Training
The Army must change the way it thinks about the
roles of the RC by conducting ATF training at combat

training centers (CTCs), regional training centers
(RTCs), and home stations. Integrated training opportunities abound, such as ATF warfighter exercises and
CTC rotations. Currently, AC maneuver units conduct
training at CTCs, while RC units train at RTCs. To
better support ATF, the CTCs and RTCs should be
integrated or combined. With the Army’s focus on mission command, it is imperative that AC and RC units
train collectively. The Army Posture Statement speaks
to this requirement when it states that the Army “will
develop and field a robust, integrated tactical mission
command network linking command posts, and extending out to the tactical edge and across platforms.”14
One example of current integrated training is First
Army (AC) units providing RC company-level tactical
training at one of three RTC sites. Another example is
platoon- or detachment-sized RC sustainment units
supporting AC formations with subsistence items and
bulk petroleum.
Further employment of RC units as exercise participants at CTC rotations will expand and enhance
skill sets under tactical conditions and replicate the
roles sustainment units play in AC deployments. RC
forces could also be integrated in warfighter exercises
and simulation programs