Army National Guard and Reserve leaders visit troops in Afghanistan

Photo By Lt. Col. Anthony Deiss | Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, right, chief of the Army Reserve, shakes hands with a deployed Army Reserve Soldier during a town hall meeting with Jan. 21, 2011, at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan.  

CAMP EGGERS, AFGHANISTAN

01.21.2011

Story by Capt. Anthony Deiss 

196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade

CAMP EGGERS, Afghanistan – Senior leaders from the Army National Guard and Army Reserve met with deployed National Guard and Reserve soldiers today at Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan, to speak about issues that concern soldiers both at home and abroad.

Army Maj. Gen. Raymond Carpenter, acting director of the Army National Guard, and Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, chief of the Army Reserve, talked about issues ranging from changes in the National Guard and Reserve, recruiting and retention, deployment cycles and soldier resiliency.

Carpenter and Stultz have been conducting a battlefield tour across Afghanistan this week to meet with senior military officials in Afghanistan about the efforts and support of the National Guard and Reserve as a key component of the operational force in support of the war effort.

“The Army can’t do what they do without you. Prior to 2001, the Guard and Reserve was the strategic reserve, but now you’re a part of the operational force,” said Stultz. “You’re appreciated and you’re needed and were doing everything we can to get more resources and capability put into your formations so you can maintain that trained and ready force.”

“We find ourselves nine years into two wars with an all-volunteer force. I don’t think the people who envisioned the all-volunteer force ever expected it would be able to sustain itself over that period of time,” added Carpenter. “This is due to the outstanding men and women we have serving in our organizations. Your commitment to the mission, your country and each other is something to be proud of.”

During the town hall meeting, Ssldiers had the opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns about future force structure in the reserve component and recruiting and retention.

“We in the National Guard, not unlike the Army Reserve, are seeing recruiting rates that are unprecedented,” said Carpenter. “The retention rates we are seeing are also unprecedented and that’s huge.

“This is something we ought to be proud of, both from the leadership perspective and also from your perspective, because the people that are making that happen are the people with bars, with stripes and with rockers – the leaders.”

Carpenter and Stultz will continue their tour this week as they travel throughout the country to meet with more leadership and Soldiers across the country.

• Date Taken: 01.21.2011
• Date Posted: 01.21.2011 08:03
• Story ID: 63919
• Location: CAMP EGGERS, AF