Head of Army Reserves: We're becoming a 'broken force'

Bradley Graham, doing a great job of reporting on the front page of Thursday's Washington Post, writes about this shocking development in an article entitled "General Says Army Reserve Is Becoming a 'Broken' Force":

The head of the Army Reserve has sent a sharply worded memo to other military leaders expressing "deepening concern" about the continued readiness of his troops, who have been used heavily in Iraq and Afghanistan, and warning that his branch of 200,000 soldiers "is rapidly degenerating into a 'broken' force."

In the memo, dated Dec. 20, Lt. Gen. James R. "Ron" Helmly lashed out at what he said were outdated and "dysfunctional" policies on mobilizing and managing the force. He complained that his repeated requests to adjust the policies to current realities have been rebuffed by Pentagon authorities.

The three-star general, who has a reputation for speaking bluntly, said the situation has reached a point at which the Army Reserve is "in grave danger of being unable to meet" its operational requirements if other national emergencies arise. Insistence on restrictive policies, he continued, "threatens to unhinge an already precariously balanced situation in which we are losing as many soldiers through no use as we are through the fear of overuse."

The situation in Iraq is continuing to deteriorate with dozens of deaths in the past week -- including the slaying of Baghdad's Governor. This story underscores the fact that the problems in the country are not relegated to the immense bloodshed, however.

If America is to thrive in the 21st century, it is immensely important that it has a strong and thriving military force. For America to have dominant military, it needs a functioning Army Reserves. It's that simple. Perhaps it's time for the administration to figure out a way to fix the Reserves by no longer relying upon it for most of the burden of Iraq...