Saxby Chambliss: “I preface my comments by stating something to which no Member of the Senate will disagree, and that is that the way our…”

“I preface my comments by stating something to which no Member of the Senate will disagree, and that is that the way our Nation uses the Reserve components of the U.S. military has fundamentally changed over the last 15 years. Reserve components have changed from a 'force in reserve' to an absolutely essential component of the warfight. Almost every operation the military engages in today, and career field in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps are represented by our Guard and our Reserve. The Reserve components are now and continue to become a true operational reserve without which our military cannot operate. This is reflected primarily in the rate of deployments and mobilizations of the Reserve components. This rate of utilization, which has increased three or fourfold over the last decade, necessitates that we reexamine the way we manage the Reserve.”