The last two days of ROA have been pretty fun, and with great information from Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz about the way ahead for the Army Reserve. I have to say that I think we’re lucky to have the Chief of the Army Reserve that we have. He knows firsthand the challenges that Reserve Soldiers face just to serve, and he lived it himself. (the photo above is not of LTG Stultz but it's the same exact location, and it's from my lousy camera phone - sorry).

Also, these are not his EXACT words, unless it's in quotes. I paraphrased and some stuff is a bit harsher than what he actually said. Just warning you before you try and quote him off this! please don't :)

Here are some of the highlights:

Stultz outlined his “imperatives” that he plans to tackle within the next 12 to 24 months and they are all designed to help the Reserve become a more operational force and help the Soldiers do it.

SHAPING THE FORCE
1. Retain the best talent
2. Facilitate true continuum of service
3. Eliminate the cross-leveling of Soldiers for deployment
4. Push LTCs and SGMs who are not deploying and actively contributing to retire in order for younger, more eager generation to excel

CONTINUUM OF SERVICE
1. Focus recruitment on existing service members to boost number of CPTs, 1LTs, SSGs, and SFCs
2. Take resources from existing recruitment efforts and refocus on existing active duty/reserve component vs. non-prior-service members
3. Eliminate cross-leveling, redefine deployment to include homeland activations, stop the immediate cross-leveling of new recruits for OCO
4. “In my estimate it will take us at least two years. It’s not going to happen overnight.”
5. “We need to get better at managing careers.”
- Start with AGRs
- HRC tries to assign AGRs with little background on the soldier
- Reinstitute a board run by the army reserve to select AGRs. HRC shouldn’t choose, people who are less qualified can get positions if they’re on the list first
6. “Effective immediately, commanders in the field have the authority to put lieutenants and captains in command without permission from USARC.”

OPERATIONALIZING
1. differentiate AR versus NG
2.  resource the AR as operational force
3. reduce turbulence in the deployment schedule
4. ARFORGEN works for AR because it allows predictability but we need to really get it working properly – cost will be $1 billion per year or more to “work”
5. This is so important because the Reserve holds more than 50% of support operations and active duty needs to utilize USAR troops to be successful – long-term

ENTERPRISE
1. Maximize productivity, efficiency and responsiveness in four areas
- human capital
- materiel
- readiness
- services

BRAC
1. “we don’t have the facilities right now to move in the way which is required by law”
2. Two years the AR will have to execute most of BRAC without the proper facilities, manning

SUSTAINING THE FORCE
1. virtual installation
2. family programs
3. employer partnership
4. promotions for LTs and CPTs should be sooner – with the deployments the young officers are getting a lot of active duty experience but not promoted at the same time
5. we need to level the playing field for AGRs becaue they are limited in what they can do because AGRs can only fill AGR positions --- Should be able to interchange AD and AGR positions to better fill the entire Army force
6. Your job as a leader is to figure out how to reach each Soldier and team based on their background
7. The uncertainty of the economy makes it difficult to leave USAR and NG because it’s like having unemployment insurance