Priority

The Reserve Component operates under a patchwork of more than 30 separate duty statuses which were created over several decades. These statuses were not designed as a coherent system; they evolved piecemeal from World War II through post-9/11 operations.

National Guard equipment is federally owned. That equipment – such as aircraft, vehicles, and communications systems – is often used while responding to State Active Duty (SAD) missions, including natural disasters and civil emergencies.

National Guard cyber Soldiers and Airmen operating in state Title 32 face barriers to participating in federal cyber missions requiring federal Title 10 authorities. These limitations prevent the Guard from accessing critical equipment, attending valuable training, and contributing to national cyber operations at the speed and scale required.

Army National Guard Divisions must have parity in aviation force design and personnel authorizations with the Active Component Army inclusive of future combat systems. The current lack of parity risks interoperability with the Active Component, threatens overmatch against our enemies, and ties the hands of commanders.

The Army National Guard operates 858 UH/HH-60 Black Hawks, with a majority, UH-60Ls, reaching or exceeding their expected useful life by 2031. Increased overseas deployments and domestic operations coupled with reductions in Army Reserve rotary wing aircraft and no modernization strategy for ARNG aircraft places immense pressure on the existing UH/HH-60 fleet.

The Nation relies heavily on the ARNG's HMMWV fleet to respond to the homeland and be ready to deploy. These missions are accomplished with a fleet that averages 25 years old - beyond the expected useful life of the vehicle.

Since 9/11, the National Guard has transformed from a strategic reserve to an operational force. Guardsmen deploy overseas, respond to disasters at home, conduct cyber operations, and secure the homeland—often alongside Active Component forces. Yet, when it comes to GI Bill benefits, not all service counts.

National Guard aviation must be equipped for the war fight while being prepared to respond to the needs of the homeland. This unique dual-status mission puts significant strain on the Army National Guard's aviation fleet enhancing capabilities, increasing safety and effectiveness of the National Guard.

The National Guard represents a significant percentage of the Total Force. However, both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard do not receive enough military construction funding to ensure overall readiness of National Guard facilities.

The National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA) is vital to ensuring the readiness and lethality of National Guard equipment and weapons systems through innovation and servicemember-driven requirements.

The USAF fighter fleet is the oldest, smallest, and least ready in its 78 year history. 13/24 Air National Guard Fighter Squadrons lack a recapitalization plan commensurate with combat capability needs identified in the 2026 National Defense Strategy.

The Air National Guard C-130H Hercules fleet requires continued funding for modernization and C-130J recapitalization to ensure its aircraft can successfully engage in overseas contingency operations and respond to homeland emergencies well into the future.