Considering a Cadre Augmented Army - RAND Corporation

-24- A Budgetary Analysis of Cadre
one year. After being deployed, a cadre unit either returns to a simplified mobilization stage
(without having to recruit and train all new personnel) or moves to the demobilization stage
depending on the demand for forces. The demobilization period is the period in which cadre
leaders are reassigned to their peacetime tasks and junior personnel are separated.
The major concerns with cadre units during wartime are deliberation, filling, training,
and demobilization. The most salient concern with cadre units during wartime is fillingwhere
to get the personnel to fill out cadre units. In the second paper of this dissertation, we
consider three options: increased recruiting, activation of individuals from the IRR, and
offering bonuses to RC personnel to join a cadre unit. All three options have their
drawbacks. Increased recruiting alone is unlikely to meet the wartime demands of cadre units
for junior personnel because it is constrained by the supply of individuals willing to enlist. 4
Activating IRR personnel who have just separated from active duty is unpopular and
offering bonuses to RC personnel will decrease cost savings from a cadre augmented force.
Filling is the factor that appears to most constrain the mobilization of cadre units. In Paper
II, we find that training cadre units is not much of a concern because there is enough excess
capacity in both the individual and collective training system. Deliberation is more of a
concern because there may be a significant delay after the beginning of hostilities before
cadre units are activated. The responsibilities for activating cadre units would likely lie with
the DoD, but would be dependent upon increased appropriations from Congress. The final
issue, demobilization, will require the DoD to decrease recruiting targets and increase first
term separation rates. It will take some time after a war is over to demobilize a cadre force
____________
4 This depends on the cadre mobilization rate discussed in Section 1.3.4.