Reserve Forces: Cost, Funding, and Use of Army Reserve Components in Peacekeeping Operations

摘要

During our March 1998 testimony before the Subcommittees on Military Readiness and Military Personnel, House Committee on National Security, Representative Taylor expressed an interest in increasing the use of Army Reserve and Army National Guard personnel for peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and other locations, including Macedonia. Representative Taylor noted that the provision of additional funding may need to be resolved to accomplish this objective. To assist the Congress in determining the necessary funding level, Representative Taylor asked us to provide information on the cost and use of reservists in a peacekeeping operation. This letter provides (1) the Army's incremental cost estimate to mobilize, deploy, and pay a reservist called up for active duty; (2) information on the Department of Defense's (DOD) fiscal year 1998 supplemental funding request for military operations and fiscal year 1999 budget amendment for military operations, which include funds for the use of reservists in Bosnia and Macedonia; (3) the type of reserve units that would be used in these missions; and (4) the number and type of Army reservists deployed for Bosnia operations since 1995. To accomplish our objectives, we interviewed Army officials and obtained pertinent documentation from them.