Peacekeeping and Related Stability Operations: Proposals for Army Force Structure Changes

RS22473 -- Peacekeeping and Related Stability Operations: Proposals for Army Force Structure Changes

July 10, 2006

Summary

The U.S. Army is in the midst of an extensive overhaul of the organization of its forces. Although designed to make the Army more efficient in combat operations, the change to a "modular force" and the reallocation of functions between active and reserve forces also meet some of the criteria that have long been argued as necessary to enable the Army to better perform peacekeeping and related post-conflict operations, now generally referred to as stabilization or stability operations. Over the years, a number of different proposals have been advanced, some of which involve creating specialized forces that are dedicated, at least part time, to preparing for and deploying to such missions. The Army has long rejected proposals for dedicated peacekeeping forces as they would divert funds from combat resources and undermine the concept of a general purpose, "full-spectrum" force. Alternate proposals for augmenting personnel for such missions involve non-military options.