Efficiencies from Applying a Rotational Equipping Strategy

摘要

The past near decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan has changed the way the force is managed. To meet the demands of protracted conflict in those theaters, the Army has adopted a rotational deployment strategy based on the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) model. In this model, units rotate through various levels of readiness, with a portion (approximately one-third) immediately available for deployments as part of a full-spectrum force. With this new strategy, and unlike the tiered readiness strategy of years past, all units pass through high-readiness phases during a portion of their ARFORGEN cycle. While many of the Army's policies have adapted to the ARFORGEN model, the equipping policies still largely reflect Cold War tradition to provide active, Reserve, and National Guard units with 100 percent of their authorized equipment at all times during the ARFORGEN cycle. Since units are rotating through various states of readiness-and at times can be multiple years from any deployment-the utility of such an equipment policy is questionable.