This monograph discusses the importance of the Enhanced Readiness Brigades to Total Army missions of the future. Participation on the modern battlefield in a force projection Army will be very difficult for these National Guard Brigades and their leaders considering the current structure and training deficiencies. This monograph examines these problems and proposes solutions that will enable the Enhanced Readiness Brigades to become a viable force for executing either state or federal missions. This monograph first examines the history of the National Guard Roundout Brigades, specifically that the Army designed them for a European scenario versus the Warsaw Pact. Next, this paper discusses the National Guard training environment and its distractions. It continues with an overview of the mobilization of three Roundout Brigades in Operation Desert Storm and the reaction of the U.S. Congress and Army to the perceived failure of the Roundout concept. Then it assesses the adopted solutions to fix this problem, specifically some legislation, Bold Shift, and the Enhanced Readiness Brigade design and mission. After considering what Total Army leaders and units will need to be successful on the unpredictable future battlefield, this paper identifies problems with senior leaders and staff training, mobilization criteria, the Army training base, and an over-reliance on the post-mobilization phase. Nonetheless, current pieces of legislation and Army training programs, if arranged properly, can solve this puzzle for future Total Army success.

ADA 293629 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)