According to Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Talley, chief of the Reserve and commanding general of Army Reserve Command, budget cuts are preventing the Reserve from meeting modernization standards. The Reserve is having to create its own readiness by breaking units — which forces soldiers to work in multiple capacities — and moving around its resources in order to fulfill mission requirements.
Talley told Army Times that while the demand for Army Reserve soldiers is growing, readiness is “degrading.” Though the Army is working to address modernization concerns, budget cuts are “not only affecting readiness, they’re hurting interoperability,” Talley said.