Updated March 9, 2021
The Army’s New Regionally Aligned Readiness and
Modernization Model
Why Is Army Readiness Important
can deal with a lot of tempo, but unpredictability
to Congress?
results in an incredible amount of stress on the
The Army defines readiness as the capability of its forces to
force.
conduct the full range of military operations, including the
Past and Current Army
defeat of all enemies regardless of the threats they pose.
Readiness Models
Readiness, then, is a function of how well units are manned,
The term “
equipped, trained, and led. Congress, in its lawmaking,
Readiness Models” refers to a process by which
oversight, and authorization and appropriations roles, plays
the Army generates ready forces that are made available to
a vital role in ensuring the Army is capable of conducting
Combatant Commanders for operations. From the 1980s
its full range of military operations.
until 2006, the Army employed a Tiered Readiness Model
with units manned, equipped, and trained at different levels
The Army’s Proposed Regionally Aligned or tiers (often referred to as “C” ratings or levels) focused
Readiness and Modernization Model
on fighting potential overseas adversaries. Reserve
(ReARMM)
Components (RC) (Army National Guard [ARNG] and
In the past, the Army has claimed it has suffered from poor
U.S. Army Reserve [USAR]) were largely relegated to the
readiness due to a number of factors, including personnel,
role of strategic reserve (i.e., to be employed in the event of
equipment, training, a high operational tempo (generally
a crisis or emergency exceeding the Regular Army’s [RA’s]
defined as a soldier’s and/or unit’s time away from home
capacity). In 2006 in the aftermath of September 11, 2001,
station for training or operations), and lack of funding. In
and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Army adopted the
October 2020, the Army announced its new Regionally
Army Force Generation Model (ARFORGEN), designed to
Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model (ReARMM),
provide fully manned, equipped, and trained forces for
which it hopes to have in place by 2022. This model is
rotational deployment for those conflicts. ARFORGEN
intended to better balance operational tempo (OPTEMPO)
consisted of three distinct annual cycles (a postdeployment
with dedicated periods for conducting missions, training,
Reset cycle, a Train and Ready cycle; and a Deploy cycle)
and modernization. The Army maintains that to correct its
through which all units progressed in order to achieve a
readiness problems, it has invested significant resources and
prescribed level of readiness. Under ARFORGEN, most
leadership to improve readiness and equipment
RA units operated on a three-year cycle and RC units were
modernization so units have the most up-to-date equipment.
on a five-year cycle (RA: two years preparation, one year
available; RC: four years preparation, one year available).
The Army admitted its past “readiness focus resulted in an
unsustainable OPTEMPO and placed significant demands
In 2014, as the United States began to decrease troop levels
on units, leaders, and soldiers and families and stress on the
in Iraq and Afghanistan and refocused on threats from
force.” The Army expects ReARMM will not only improve
Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, the Army determined
readiness and modernization but also ease the stress on both
ARFORGEN was no longer adequate for its needs. The
soldiers and their families.
Army began implementing the Sustainable Readiness
Model (SRM) in FY2017. The Army’s goal under SRM was
The Current Readiness and
to achieve two-thirds (66%) combat readiness of RA and
Modernization Challenge
ARNG brigade combat teams (BCTs) by 2023. Unlike
Lieutenant General Leopoldo Quintas, Deputy Commander
ARFORGEN, under SRM, there were no fixed progressive
of Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), describes the
cycles for RA units, and the RC was to remain on a five-
Army’s current readiness and modernization challenge as
year train up and deployment cycle. At present, the Army
follows:
employs SRM to generate forces.
Today, Army units operate in an environment of
How ReARMM Is Intended to Work
unpredictability, and arguably even instability.
Reportedly, ReARMM was intended to allocate Army units
Units are placed on rotational missions based on
to different theaters for approximately one year to assist
their availability, and these missions vary in
them in developing expertise in the parts of the world to
location, length, manning, readiness requirements
which they could likely deploy during a conflict. Units
and equipment just to name a few. Modernization
would also acquire new and theater-specific equipment for
today occurs when we can find a window to fit it in,
potential operations. The model also intended to provide
or simultaneous with other activities. Every week,
soldiers more predictability so units would have time to
month and year is filled with constant change and
refine doctrine, and reorganize units if necessary based on
high tempo for soldiers. Our soldiers and families
theater-specific requirements.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s New Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model
According to the Army, ReARMM is currently approved
Does the Army plan to release information on Guard
for planning purposes to integrate and synchronize force
and Reserve extended phases (cycles?) prior to October
employment and modernization across the Total Army (RA,
1, 2021? Why isn’t this information presently publically
ARNG, and USAR). Some of ReARMM’s advantages are
available?
said to include the following:
ReARMM represents the Army’s third readiness model
aligning units against regional priorities;
in 14 years. Because these models significantly
influence the manning, equipping, and training of Army
optimizing time available to plan, train, and modernize;
units, is it possible changing readiness models every
four to five years, in and of itself, has also contributed to
creating predicable windows to field capabilities to
stress on Army forces, soldiers, and families?
units;
What input have regional Combatant Commanders had
enabling the Army to transform into a multi-domain
in the development of ReARMM and what role are they
force and provide a predictable supply of ready units for
expected to play in its day-to-day execution? Is there a
the Army and the Joint Force; and
mechanism to inform the Army if ReARMM units are
meeting or not meeting the Combatant Commander’s
building predictability for the RC, equippers, and
expectations?
personnel managers.
Does ReARMM align with or support the other
The Army claimed ReARMM was designed to facilitate
Service’s readiness models, and how does this affect the
consistent, manageable OPTEMPO, increase predictability
readiness of the Joint Force?
for training and force employment, and prioritize
modernization efforts. Originally under ReARMM, the
The Reserves are a major source of Army forces and
Army intended to create predictable six-month cycles to
capabilities. What role did the Reserves play in
field new equipment to units as opposed to the current
developing ReARMM? ARFORGEN and SRM had
practice of delivering equipment to units during their
different “rules” and processes for the Reserves. Will
training cycle. Also as part of ReARMM, the Army
this also be the case with ReARMM?
intended to have at least three units of the same size, type,
and modernization level aligned against known Joint Staff
How does ReARMM intend to better manage and
requirements for forces. It was also to provide rotational
potentially reduce OPTEMPO for soldiers and units?
forces, with no overlap between rotating units, for
How does this differ from previous readiness/force
Combatant Commands. Army units aligned under a
generation models?
Combatant Command were to have had the same assigned
modernization level to ensure commonality of equipment
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy on October 13, 2020,
and weapon systems. The Army also noted ReARMM
noted the Army’s readiness focus is on individual,
would not create additional forward stationing of units or
squad, platoon, and company-level training. The goal is
immediate changes to existing regional alignment of Army
to build unit-cohesion at lower-levels to address spikes
forces.
in suicide, sexual assault, and potential
racism/extremism issues. How specifically does
ReARMM Implementation
ReARMM intend to address these issues?
Reportedly, after completing exercises and testing, the
Army plans to implement ReARMM for all Army
What additional resources (e.g., personnel, equipment,
components beginning October 1, 2021—the start of
training, and facilities) will be required to fully
FY2022. Active forces are now to cycle through eight-
implement and sustain ReARMM?
month phases of modernization, training, and mission
eligibility instead of the six-month cycles planned for in
Related CRS Products
2020. Guard and Reserve units will have extended phases,
CRS Report R46216, The Army’s Modernization Strategy:
though the time lengths were not provided by Army
Congressional Oversight Considerations, by Andrew
officials.
Feickert and Brendan W. McGarry.
Potential Issues for Congress
CRS In Focus IF10831, Defense Primer: Future Years
While the Army has publicly stated its expectations for and
Defense Program (FYDP), by Brendan W. McGarry and
perceived benefits of its Regionally Aligned Readiness and
Heidi M. Peters.
Modernization Model, little has been discussed about how
the model actually functions. Furthermore, a change of this
CRS In Focus IF11409, Defense Primer: Army Multi-
magnitude for the Total Army raises a number of potential
Domain Operations (MDO), by Andrew Feickert.
issues for congressional oversight, including, but not
limited to the following:
CRS Report R46559, The Fundamentals of Military
Readiness, by G. James Herrera.
Why is the Army now using eight-month cycles for
Active forces as opposed to the previously planned six-
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
month cycles?
IF11670
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Army’s New Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11670 · VERSION 2 · UPDATED