National Guard in the Expeditionary Army: Cultural Implications of Increased Frequency of Deployment on the Army National Guard

Publisher Marketing: Since 1916, the Army National Guard has been organized, funded, and missioned as the nation's primary strategic reserve to the Army. However, after the 11 September 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Guard began an extended period of combat deployments, federally mobilizing almost 210,000 soldiers by April 2005. The primary question this thesis seeks to answer is: What are the cultural implications of sustained federal mobilizations and deployments on the Guard? The size and duration of the federal mobilization requirement put tremendous strain on the Guard organization, sparking concern about its continued health and ability to respond to the nation's needs. The Guard is experiencing a period of intense stress as it struggles with the continuing demands of the Global War on Terrorism. Many organizational and structural challenges reveal themselves as a result of the Guard's abrupt transformation from a strategic reserve to an operational part of an expeditionary Army. The cultural implications of this transformation, however, appear to be primarily positive. Changes in demographic, mind-set, and motivation for service combine to produce a sweeping cultural evolution that can only increase the readiness and effectiveness of the Guard as an operational fighting force.