The Standby Reserve Training Corps: An Alternative Mobilization Manpower Policy

The purpose of this study is to develop a rationale for the establishment of a new category of Army Reserve one that is distinct from either the National Guard or the existing categories of the Army Reserve. This new category would be manned by volunteers in the 18-20 year age group, and would be called the Standby Reserve Training Corps SRTC. The primary purpose of the SRTC is to shorten the 113 day delay from the time the draft is implemented until the first inductees reach the battlefield. The extent to which the SRTC can alleviate mobilization manpower shortages depends on the size of the shortfall and the structure of the program. Volunteers in the SRTC would incur a six 6 year obligation to be fulfilled by attending eight 8 weeks of Basic Combat Training BCT in two 2 week increments during the summer months for four 4 consecutive years, and by serving in a pre-trained manpower pool for a period of two 2 years following completion of training. The key to the success of this program is the integration of the training superstructure of the USAR Training Divisions with existing training facilities and with the recruiting capabilities of the Recruiting Command.