Senate And Joint Chiefs At Odds Over National Guard Role

By Adrianna McGinley

In a rare collective appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee, all Service Chiefs testified against a proposal that would give the National Guard Bureau Chief a permanent seat on the Joint Chief of Staff.

General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he values the role of the reserve force, but does not believe it is necessary to give a permanent seat to the National Guard.

“It’s unclear to me what problem we are trying to solve,” Dempsey said, noting that the head of the National Guard already attends meetings with the Joint Chiefs.

National Guard Bureau Chief General Craig McKinley testified in favor of attaining the position, saying the National Guard serves a unique role in U.S. defense because of its ability to serve in wide variety of situations.

“That is really where I’m zeroing in on,” McKinley said. “To institutionalize the role of the National Guard Bureau Chief in becoming that spokesperson, through the Joint Chiefs of Staff, through the chairman, to the Secretary of Defense, to give my best military advice, when asked, so that we don’t miss a beat in this very new age of asymmetric challenges that face our nation.”

When Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) asked General Dempsey if there was any indication that the Army and Air Guards were not being sufficiently represented by the respective Chiefs, Dempsey responded, “absolutely no indication. Not only is there no indication, it just isn’t accurate. They are represented by the two Service Chiefs.”

Department of Defense General Counsel Jeh Johnson, who was called on to testify about the legal implications the legislation may have, said he found, “no outright legal barriers to enacting this legislation. Nothing in the constitution prohibits it.”

Johnson did however warn against possible legal ambiguities concerning the extra power a National Guard vote may give to the Army and Air Force, which would raise questions of balance.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) noted that same concern emerged in 1978 when the Marine Corp was given a permanent seat among the Joint Chiefs, as it is considered part of the Navy. The panel agreed, but acknowledged that it has not been an issue.

Graham made clear his stance on the legislation saying, “the citizen soldier’s time has come, you’re going to get a seat at the table General McKinley if I have anything to say about it.”

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) pointed out that the proposal is one thing Congress seems to agree on, telling the witnesses, “please don’t deny us this moment.”