Mustering for war: Army National Guard mobilization for the Global War on Terrorism

Abstract

"Operation DESERT STORM in 1991 was the first test to rapidly mobilize Army National Guard combat power for a contingency operation, and included combat brigades. The Army approached the DESERT STORM mobilizations through the affiliation program, namely the Roundout Program. While DESERT STORM was a resounding success by expelling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's army from Kuwait in February 1991 and vindicating the Total Force policy, it revealed serious issues with the expeditious mobilization of Guard combat power. Operation DESERT STORM foreshadowed many mobilization issues the Army National Guard faced in subsequent decades, involving manning, unit equipment, health readiness, and training"--