Manning the U.S. Army

During 1989, the world witnessed the decline of the "threat" from the USSR and the apparent unraveling of the Warsaw Pact. The American public and Congress used these events to begin questioning the need for the current Department of Defense structure. The size of the Defense budget and the size of the national debt makes these actions predictable. As Defense cuts are being proposed and evaluated, it is the responsibility of those in Defense to ensure an eye is kept on future national security interests. The DOD and the services must remain viable forces during this period of change and restructure. This book examines the challenge of meeting the manpower requirements of a reducing Army; how to provide the flexibility for future expansion; the capability of current systems of recruiting and the draft to meet these needs; the potentials of the proposed national service corps, and concludes with recommendations.