Sharing the Burden and Risk: An Operational Assessment of the Reserve Components in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Institute for Defense Analysis (2016)

This report assesses how well Reserve Component (RC) forces performed during Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn (2003–2011). It finds that RC units generally matched their Active Component (AC) counterparts in mission execution and were essential to sustaining operations. However, DOD lacked preparedness for large-scale mobilizations, leading to challenges in readiness, training, and integration. The report recommends stronger AC-RC coordination, revised mobilization policies, and standardized data collection to support future operational planning and ensure effective use of RC forces in joint missions.