Congress’s National Guard Quick Reaction Force: An Ill-Advised Military Requirement
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By Donald McGregor
June 26, 2021
A recent article in the MilitaryTimes, “Creating a D.C. National Guard quick-reaction force is a bad idea,” provides some prudent resistance to the recent push by the U.S. House of Representatives to establish and fund a National Guard quick-reaction force (QRF). However, the argument falls short about what drives sound military planning—that is, what is the requirement and, more importantly, what is the threat driving it? Without understanding these two issues, filling the requirement becomes whatever you suppose it to be, and produces unnecessary recommendations, pointless debate and, worse, wasteful taxpayer expenditures.
Background
In May 2021, the House of Representatives unveiled a $1.9 billion supplemental appropriations bill to address security shortfalls highlighted in the Jan 6th U.S. Capitol riots. The bill would provide $200 million to establish a “quick reaction force” staffed by the National Guard. A recommendation from a non-partisan Task Force, directed by the Speaker of the House, to “identify actions or decisions…to improve the security of the Capitol.”
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/06/26/congresss_national_guard_quick_reaction_force_an_ill-advised_military_requirement_783086.html
