Reserve Component Use, Balance, Cost, and Savings: A Response to Questions from the Secretary of Defense

Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense Reserve Forces Policy Board (2014)

This report—written in response to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s request for guidance on the optimal use, balance, cost, and efficiencies of the Reserve Components—finds that the Reserves are a vital, cost-effective element of national defense. It recommends that they be actively employed in both strategic and operational roles, rather than kept in reserve for major conflicts. The report highlights that the Reserves make up 39% of military personnel for just 9% of the defense budget and offer significant value.