Chamber Says More Certainty Vital to Reserves and Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce welcomed a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing today that highlighted the key challenges caused by the increased deployment of Guard and Reserve troops around the world.

"The employer community strongly supports our troops and values the leadership ability that Guard and Reserve employees bring to the job," said Andrew Howell, Chamber vice president for Homeland Security. "Greater predictability of troop deployment, though, is vital for businesses in planning for their future as our armed forces are deployed for longer periods of time."

The Pentagon has released figures, through the end of February 2005, showing that the Army Reserve is more than ten percent below their recruiting targets for the year and the National Guard is 24 percent behind their goal.

"There is some apprehension that the current reserve model not only fails to recruit and retain the top reserve forces but also that a long-term, unpredictable deployment system will weaken the employer-reserve component partnership," added Howell.

The Chamber urges the Department of Defense to reach out to businesses and explain the current mission of the Guard and Reserve, as well as to help businesses understand what is expected of them as the war on terrorism continues for the indefinite future.

"The war on terrorism requires a wholesale re-assessment of the reserve component," said Howell. "We will work with Congress and the Department of Defense to develop a long-term strategy that will help America's small businesses as they support their employees serving our nation."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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