Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has charged his staff to take action on 20 recommendations made by the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves.

He also presented alternatives to three other commission recommendations to department leaders.

Four of the recommendations are in line with current policies or practices, so no additional action needs to be taken.

Officials can implement nine of the recommendations by making changes within the department. Three require changes in law. Four require coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

In a May 10 memorandum, Mr. Gates charged the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the undersecretary of defense for policy, the Guard Bureau chief and the commanders of U.S. Northern, Southern and Pacific commands with advocating for reserve-component civil-support requirements and resources.

He also called for a legislative proposal requiring an annual report to Congress outlining civil support requirements and resourcing.

Mr. Gates agreed with the commission's recommendation that the Guard Bureau chief not be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 0CS), but he says policy changes should formally make the Guard chief an adviser to the defense secretary and the JCS chairman.

The secretary also proposed a legislative change that would not limit the grade of the Guard chief to a three-star position.

Mr. Gates disagreed, however, with the commission on making either the U.S. Northern Command's commander or deputy position a mandatory reservecomponent officer's billet.

Instead, he wanted to "[e]nsure the new joint officer management policies and procedures provide for the appropriate joint duty credit for officers assigned to the National Guard bureau staff."

This would make those Guard officers eligible for other joint billets in the future.

Mr. Gates also is directing an executive order to establish a council of governors that would advise his office and the secretary of homeland security.

On the other hand, he disagreed with the commission's recommendation that governors direct federal troops responding to their states in the event of an emergency.

Initially, the commission was to report on the proposed National Guard Empowerment Act, which aims to increase the authority of Guard leaders.

Instead, the commission broadened its March 1 interim report, Strengthening America's Defenses in the New security Environment, to include U.S. Northern Command, the departments of Homeland Security and Defense and state governors.

The commission reported that only changes would pull together the nation's security team and break down "institutional stove pipes" between agencies.

The March 1 commission report and Mr. Gates' May 10 memorandum in response are available in the "National Guard Empowerment Act of 2007" section of the NGAUS Web site at www.ngaus.org.

The commission's final report is due in January.

© 2007 National Guard Association of the United States Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.