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The director of the Army Guard looked back on a busy two years and ahead to modernization efforts during a public discussion at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen sat down for a conversation as part of the CSIS International Security Program.
He opened by discussing a “very dynamic” 24 months for the Army Guard.
“I think it’s become very common for most Americans to turn on their TV and go to a website and see the Army National Guard and the National Guard supporting their government and their citizens,” Jensen said.
Wildfires, COVID-19, hurricanes and other domestic responses have captured headlines across the nation, the general noted. But he said it was the Guard’s preparation for the warfight that allows the Guard to have the adaptability and flexibility to respond.
On any given day, about 27,000 Army Guard soldiers are mobilized on Title 10 orders in support of the warfight, Jensen said. Another 12,000 are deployed at home in support of domestic missions.
At the peak of 2020, more than 120,000 Army and Air Guardsmen were activated in support of domestic and overseas missions.
When asked about the stresses of having that many Guardsmen on duty, Jensen noted the difficulties the entire nation faced, but noted that the majority of the Guard force was not mobilized.
When asked if the Army Guard could grow, Jensen pointed to successful end strength missions in recent years and said he would “accept that mission immediately” if asked to increase the size of the Army Guard.
“Could we grow another 13,000 in the Army Guard? I’m pretty confident we could,” he said. “I think the young men and women in America look at the National Guard and they look at that service as purposeful service — a way to give back to their community and nation.”
For the future force, Jensen said the Army Guard is tied in closely with Army headquarters on modernization efforts.
“There’s no desire to take the Army National Guard and move it back to a strategic reserve,” he said.
The full conversation is available online.
