The Departments of the Army and the Air Force have signed a memorandum of agreement under which the Army will mobilize approximately 9,000 Army National Guard soldiers to augment security at 163 Air Force installations in the United States.
"We are leveraging all of our active and reserve assets, in the spirit of joint operations and inter-service cooperation," said Thomas F. Hall, assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs. "Our intent is to reduce the burden on the Air Force security forces personnel, in particular those Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members who are serving into a second year of mobilization. We believe this is a prudent and judicious use of our reserve component forces."
The Army will augment security to enhance force protection at stateside Air Force installations for up to two years while the Air Force phases in permanent solutions to address its long-term force protection needs. Long-term solutions might include internal shifting of military resources to stressed career fields, contract security, and making better use of technology.
National Guard soldiers mobilized for this mission can expect to be ordered to active duty for one year. Mobilization figures for both services will fluctuate in the upcoming months as the mobilization, transition, and demobilizations occur.
