National Guard and Reserve Funding, FY1990-2001

CRS Report for Congress
National Guard and Reserve Funding,
FY1990-2001
Mary T. Tyszkiewicz
Analyst in National Defense
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
This report provides data on trends in funding for the National Guard and Reserve
components of the U.S. Armed Forces from FY1990-FY2001. The percentage of
National Guard and Reserve (NG&R) funding has held fairly steady over this period at
7-8% of the Department of Defense (DOD) budget. The NG&R budgets range from a
high of $28.2 billion in FY1992 to a low of $22.7 billion in FY1997, as measured in
constant FY2001 dollars. Personnel end-strength for the NG&R has decreased from a
high of 1,154,570 service members in FY1991 to a low of 870,917 in FY1999. This is
a 33% decline over that period. This report will be updated as new data is available.
This report provides data on trends in funding for National Guard & Reserve¹
components and end-strength levels for Fiscal Years (FY) 1990-2000 and the budget
request for FY2001.² The reserve components include the Army National Guard, Air
National Guard, Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Air Force
Reserve. The National Guard and Reserve units of the U.S. military have somewhat
different heritages. The National Guard descends from the British and colonial American
militia traditions, in which armed citizens would drill and be ready to defend their localities
and homes. The National Guard is thus a dual state-federal force, functioning both as the
militia of the states under the control of state authorities and as a federal military reserve
force. In contrast, the Reserves of each service are purely federal forces, created in the

20^th century.

¹ End-strength level is defined as number of military personnel on duty as of the last day of the
fiscal year (September 30th).
² FY2000 data in Tables 1-3 represent a DOD estimate and include Administration-proposed
supplemental appropriations and rescissions. The FY2001 data in Table 1 represents the
Administration's February 2000 request and does not include changes due to congressional action.
FY1990-1999 data in Tables 1-3 represent actual figures.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

Trends
In recent years, Congress has perennially debated whether the Pentagon adequately
funds Guard and Reserve components. Each year in the 1990s, Congress has added
money to the Pentagon's Guard and Reserve budget. Table 1 shows National Guard and
Reserve funding for FY1990-2000 and the FY2001 budget request, by appropriations title.
Appropriations titles are the most general category in the annual DOD appropriations bills
approved by Congress. The major titles for National Guard and Reserve funding are
military personnel, operation and maintenance (O&M), procurement, and military
construction. The last column of Table 1 shows end-strength levels for FY1990-1999.
Personnel end-strength for the NG&R has decreased from a high of 1,154,570 service
members in FY1991 to a low of 870,917 in FY1999. This is a 33% decline over that
period.
New equipment for National Guard and Reserve forces is normally procured in
regular appropriations procurement accounts for each of the services. This account
category is shown in Table 1 as the "Service Procurement Accounts." In addition,
Congress has sometimes set aside funds in a separate NG&R procurement account for³
additional equipment not requested by DOD in the active service accounts. This account
category is shown in Table 1 as "NG&R Procurement." It is important to remember that
most Guard and Reserve equipment is funded in the active component accounts. The
NG&R procurement account is for additional equipment over and above equipment in the
active component accounts.
Table 1 shows National Guard and Reserve funding in budget authority ⁴ in current
year dollars. Tables 2 and 3 show the same data for FY1990-2000 by appropriations title
and component (respectively) in constant FY2001 dollars. Constant dollars measure the
cost of goods and services in terms of prices in a given (constant) year. Fixing the
purchasing power of the dollar to a given year eliminates changes in prices due to inflation
in comparing budgets from year to year.
As Figures 1 and 2 show, measured in constant FY2001 dollars, National Guard and
Reserve (NG&R) funding has held relatively steady as a percentage of the DOD budget
from FY1990-1999. The total has varied between 7-8% of the Department of Defense
(DOD) budget and ranges from a high of $28.2 billion in FY1992 to a low of $22.7 billion
in FY1997, as measured in constant FY2001 dollars.

³ The NG&R procurement account is not the only, or even the primary source for Guard and
Reserve equipment. Guard and Reserve units get "cascaded" used equipment from the Active
Forces, which are not accounted for in these totals.
⁴ Budget authority (BA) is the authority provided by Congress via law to the DOD to enter into
obligations for the provision of goods and services. Current dollars are the dollar value of goods
and services in terms of prices current at the time of purchase.

Table 1: National Guard & Reserve Funding by Appropriations Title
and End-Strength Levels, FY1990-2000
(budget authority in millions of current year dollars)
^Military^{Operation &}^NG&R^Service^Procurement^Military¹^Total^End-²
^Personnel^Maintenance^Procurement^Accounts^Construction^Strength
^FY1990
^{Army National Guard}^3,297.0^1,868.0^331.8^1,916.2^230.0^7,643.0^444,224
^{Air National Guard}^1,067.0^2,030.0^238.7^906.9^236.0^4,478.6^117,786
^{Army Reserve}^2,204.0^872.0^88.9^577.8^99.0^3,841.7^310,071
^{Naval Reserve}^1,572.0^923.0^148.8^246.5^54.0^2,944.3^152,789
^{Marine Reserve}^314.0^78.0^118.6^40.9^NA^551.5^44,530
^{Air Force Reserve}^663.0^1,020.0^64.0^234.6^46.0^2,027.6^83,813
^Total^9,117.0^6,791.0^990.8^3,922.9^665.0^21,486.7^1,153,213
^FY1991
^{Army National Guard}^3,320.0^2,026.0^805.7^860.2^313.0^7,324.9^446,121
^{Air National Guard}^1,106.0^2,327.0^647.5^426.5^181.0^4,688.0^117,786
^{Army Reserve}^2,243.0^946.0^71.1^224.5^77.0^3,561.6^309,681
^{Naval Reserve}^1,620.0^1,022.0^658.8^301.4^80.0^3,682.2^151,510
^{Marine Reserve}^291.0^85.0^160.0^42.6^NA^578.6^44,933
^{Air Force Reserve}^629.0^1,086.0^155.1^126.2^39.0^2,035.3^84,539
^Total^9,209.0^7,492.0^2,498.2^1,981.4^690.0^21,870.6^1,154,570
^FY1992
^{Army National Guard}^3,734.0^2,382.0^344.2^626.2^246.0^7,332.4^426,528
^{Air National Guard}^1,286.0^2,532.0^558.0^501.9^236.0^5,113.9^119,083
^{Army Reserve}^2,516.0^1,099.0^103.7^196.4^117.0^4,032.1^302,850
^{Naval Reserve}^1,864.0^941.0^383.9^114.6^53.0^3,356.5^142,314
^{Marine Reserve}^380.0^101.0^158.0^32.6^NA^671.6^42,256
^{Air Force Reserve}^797.0^1,255.0^362.0^151.8^11.0^2,576.8^81,874
^Total^10,577.0^8,310.0^1,909.8^1,623.5^663.0^23,083.3^1,114,905
^FY1993
^{Army National Guard}^3,466.0^2,418.0^399.2^686.0^227.0^7,196.2^409,919
^{Air National Guard}^1,244.0^2,667.0^413.8^518.5^323.0^5,166.3^117,162
^{Army Reserve}^2,255.0^1,083.0^32.2^131.5^45.0^3,546.7^275,900
^{Naval Reserve}^1,709.0^910.0^131.2^115.6^16.0^2,881.8^132,395
^{Marine Reserve}^358.0^84.0^205.0^19.5^NA^666.5^41,738
^{Air Force Reserve}^732.0^1,283.0^125.0^54.4^32.0^2,226.4^80,562
^Total^9,764.0^8,445.0^1,306.4^1,525.5^643.0^21,683.9^1,057,676
^FY1994
^{Army National Guard}^3,449.0^2,236.0^193.4^979.4^295.0^7,152.8^396,928
^{Air National Guard}^1,259.0^2,665.0^339.9^256.8^241.0^4,761.7^113,587
^{Army Reserve}^2,155.0^1,073.0^126.3^424.0^99.0^3,877.3^259,856
^{Naval Reserve}^1,594.0^761.0^146.7^62.8^24.0^2,588.5^107,627
^{Marine Reserve}^347.0^91.0^120.3^30.2^NA^588.5^40,711
^{Air Force Reserve}^788.0^1,363.0^241.7^96.3^73.0^2,562.0^79,621
^Total^9,592.0^8,189.0^1,168.3^1,849.5^732.0^21,530.8^998,330
^FY1995
^{Army National Guard}^3,462.0^2,442.0^120.9^594.4^189.0^6,808.3^374,930
^{Air National Guard}^1,280.0^2,782.0^245.0^187.1^249.0^4,743.1^109,825
^{Army Reserve}^2,177.0^1,240.0^133.0^149.0^56.0^3,755.0^241,300
^{Naval Reserve}^1,415.0^848.0^107.9^72.6^(2.0)^2,441.5^100,597
^{Marine Reserve}^353.0^85.0^75.7^44.4^NA^558.1^40,933
^{Air Force Reserve}^777.0^1,473.0^90.9^55.2^57.0^2,453.1^78,267
^Total^9,464.0^8,870.0^773.4^1,102.7^549.0^20,759.1^945,852

^Military^{Operation &}^NG&R^Service^Procurement^Military¹^Total^End-²
^Personnel^Maintenance^Procurement^Accounts^Construction^Strength
^FY1996
^{Army National Guard}^3,353.0^2,448.0^100.9^780.2^137.0^6,819.1^369,975
^{Air National Guard}^1,313.0^2,774.0^260.4^296.9^165.0^4,809.3^110,484
^{Army Reserve}^2,129.0^1,118.0^90.0^190.5^73.0^3,600.5^226,211
^{Naval Reserve}^1,385.0^839.0^40.0^16.5^19.0^2,299.5^97,956
^{Marine Reserve}^385.0^103.0^100.0^59.4^NA^647.4^42,077
^{Air Force Reserve}^790.0^1,517.0^176.2^181.7^36.0^2,700.9^73,668
^Total^9,355.0^8,799.0^767.5^1,525.2^430.0^20,876.7^920,371
^FY1997
^{Army National Guard}^3,405.0^2,298.0^100.8^859.0^78.0^6,740.8^370,044
^{Air National Guard}^1,348.0^2,742.0^224.3^286.9^185.0^4,786.2^110,022
^{Army Reserve}^2,060.0^1,141.0^113.7^91.3^56.0^3,462.0^212,850
^{Naval Reserve}^1,420.0^890.0^199.7^29.5^38.0^2,577.2^95,317
^{Marine Reserve}^394.0^110.0^102.8^29.0^NA^635.8^41,997
^{Air Force Reserve}^787.0^1,505.0^39.6^130.4^53.0^2,515.0^71,986
^{NG&RE, Other}^3.7^3.7
^Total^9,414.0^8,686.0^784.6^1,426.1^410.0^20,720.7^902,216
^FY1998
^{Army National Guard}^3,459.0^2,447.0^68.8^524.0^122.1^6,620.8^362,444
^{Air National Guard}^1,382.9^3,081.8^302.9^318.6^190.4^5,276.7^108,096
^{Army Reserve}^2,040.0^1,211.1^73.7^84.4^74.2^3,483.3^204,968
^{Naval Reserve}^1,394.0^924.0^78.7^76.2^47.3^2,520.2^93,171
^{Marine Reserve}^394.7^116.4^73.7^26.2^611.1^40,842
^{Air Force Reserve}^802.9^1,653.3^49.2^262.3^30.2^2,797.9^71,970
^Defense-wide^10.0^10.0
^Total^9,473.5^9,433.6^647.0^1,301.7^464.2^21,320.0^881,491
^FY1999
^{Army National Guard}^3,636.2^2,805.6^20.0^1,017.1^151.3^7,630.2^357,469
^{Air National Guard}^1,452.0^3,216.1^212.0^355.6^185.7^5,421.4^105,715
^{Army Reserve}^2,182.9^1,258.5^20.0^143.4^102.1^3,706.9^206,836
^{Naval Reserve}^1,450.6^982.0^60.0^107.0^31.6^2,631.2^89,172
^{Marine Reserve}^401.3^127.0^20.0^548.3^39,953
^{Air Force Reserve}^856.7^1,790.2^20.0^199.4^34.4^2,900.7^71,772
^Total^9,979.7^10,179.4^352.0^1,822.5^505.1^22,838.7^870,917
^{FY2000 (Est.)}
^{Army National Guard}^3,605.2³¹⁴⁵^29.8^951.4^236.2^7,967.6
^{Air National Guard}^1,529.0^3224.3^29.8^560.8^262.4^5,606.3
^{Army Reserve}^2,292.0^1461.6^29.8^222.6^110.8^4,116.8
^{Naval Reserve}^1,473.4^954.0^19.9^204.8^28.3^2,680.4
^{Marine Reserve}^412.7^138.2^19.9^570.8
^{Air Force Reserve}^892.6^1,773.3^19.9^190.2^64.1^2,940.1
^Total^10,204.9^10,696.4^149.1^2,129.8^701.8^23,882.0
^{FY2001 (Request)}
^{Army National Guard}^3,747.6^3182.3^1,049.5^59.1^8,038.5
^{Air National Guard}^1,627.2^3446.4^362.3^50.2^5,486.1
^{Army Reserve}^2,433.9^1,521.4^182.7^81.7^4,219.7
^{Naval Reserve}^1,528.4^960.9^91.7^16.1^2,597.1
^{Marine Reserve}^436.4^134.0^570.4
^{Air Force Reserve}^981.7^1,885.9^142.9^14.9^3,025.4

^Military^{Operation &}^NG&R^Service^Procurement^Military¹^Total^End-²
^Personnel^Maintenance^Procurement^Accounts^Construction^Strength
^Total^10,755.2^11,130.9^1,829.1^222.0^23,937.2
^Sources:^{Military personnel, operation & maintenance, and military construction data from DOD Comptroller,}
^National^Defense^Budget^Estimates,^various^years;^procurement^data^from^DOD^Procu^{rement Programs (P1-R)}^,
^{various years; end-strength data from Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Reserve Affairs).}
^Notes:^{NA = not available. Totals may not add due to rounding errors.}
^{1. Marine Corps Reserve military construction included in Naval Reserve figures.}
^2.^{End-strength level is defined as number of military personnel on duty as of the last day of the fiscal year}^th
^{(September 30}^).
Table 2: National Guard and Reserve Funding by Appropriations Title:
Fiscal Years 1990-2000
(budget authority in millions of constant FY2001 dollars)
^NG&R^Service^Procure-^Military^NGR^DOD^NGR^{% of}
^FY^Military^Personnel^O&M^Procure-^ment^Constr.^Total^Total^DOD
^ment^Accounts^Total
¹⁹⁹⁰^11,903.6^8,866.7^1,293.6^5,121.9^868.3^28,054.2^379,900^7.38%
¹⁹⁹¹^11,519.9^9,372.0^3,125.1^2,478.6^863.1^27,358.8^354,700^7.71%
¹⁹⁹²^12,957.2^10,180.1^2,339.6^1,988.9^812.2^28,278.0^336,600^8.40%
¹⁹⁹³^11,626.6^10,056.0^1,555.6^1,816.5^765.7^25,820.3^318,200^8.11%
¹⁹⁹⁴^11,171.7^9,537.6^1,360.7^2,154.1^852.6^25,076.6^292,800^8.56%
¹⁹⁹⁵^10,807.4^10,129.0^883.2^1,259.2^626.9^23,705.7^291,900^8.12%
¹⁹⁹⁶^10,460.7^9,839.0^858.2^1,705.5^480.8^23,344.2^284,500^8.21%
¹⁹⁹⁷^10,305.4^9,508.5^858.9^1,561.1^448.8^22,682.8^282,400^8.03%
¹⁹⁹⁸^10,157.0^10,114.2^693.7^1,395.6^497.7^22,858.3^277,200^8.25%
¹⁹⁹⁹^10,487.3^10,697.1^369.9^1,915.2^530.8^24,000.3^292,600^8.20%
²⁰⁰⁰^10,494.5^11,000.0^153.3^2,190.3^721.7^24,559.9^287,900^8.53%
^Notes:^Totals^may^not^add^due^to^rounding^errors.^{CRS calculations based on deflators from the DOD Comptroller.}
Table 3: National Guard and Reserve Funding by Component
Fiscal Years 1990-2000
(budget authority in millions of constant FY2001 dollars)
^Army^Air^Army^Naval^Marine^Air
^FY^Nat'l^Nat'l^Res.^Res.^Corps^Force^Total
^Guard^Guard^Res.^Res.
¹⁹⁹⁰^9,979.1^5,847.5^5,015.9^3,844.2^720.1^2,647.3^28,054.2
¹⁹⁹¹^9,163.0^5,864.4^4,455.3^4,606.2^723.8^2,546.0^27,358.8
¹⁹⁹²^8,982.5^6,264.7^4,939.5^4,111.8^822.7^3,156.7^28,278.0
¹⁹⁹³^8,568.9^6,151.8^4,223.3^3,431.5^793.6^2,651.1^25,820.3
¹⁹⁹⁴^8,330.8^5,545.9^4,515.8^3,014.8^685.4^2,983.9^25,076.6
¹⁹⁹⁵^7,774.7^5,416.4^4,288.0^2,788.1^637.3^2,801.3^23,705.7
¹⁹⁹⁶^7,625.1^5,377.7^4,026.1^2,571.3^723.9^3,020.1^23,344.2
¹⁹⁹⁷^7,379.1^5,239.4^3,789.8^2,821.2^696.0^2,753.1^22,682.8
¹⁹⁹⁸^7,098.6^5,657.4^3,734.6^2,702.1^655.2^2,999.8^22,858.3
¹⁹⁹⁹^8,018.3^5,697.1^3,895.4^2,765.0^576.2^3,048.2^24,000.3
²⁰⁰⁰^8,193.7^5,765.4^4,233.6^2,756.5^587.0^3,023.5^24,559.9
Notes: Totals may not add due to rounding errors. CRS calculations based on deflators from DOD
Comptroller.

Figure 1. National Guard And Reserve Funding by
Appropriations Title
(budget authority in constant FY2001 dollars)
^30,000
^25,000
^20,000
^15,000
^10,000
^5,000^{Constant FY01 $ in Millions}
¹⁹⁹⁰¹⁹⁹¹¹⁹⁹²¹⁹⁹³¹⁹⁹⁴¹⁹⁹⁵¹⁹⁹⁶¹⁹⁹⁷¹⁹⁹⁸¹⁹⁹⁹²⁰⁰⁰
^{Fiscal Year}
^{Mil Pers}^O&M^{NG&R Proc.}^{Service Proc}
Figure 2. National Guard and Reserve Funding by Component
(budget authority in constant FY2001 dollars)

³⁰⁰⁰⁰
²⁵⁰⁰⁰
²⁰⁰⁰⁰
¹⁵⁰⁰⁰
¹⁰⁰⁰⁰
^{Constant FY01 $ in millions}
⁵⁰⁰⁰
¹⁹⁹⁰¹⁹⁹¹¹⁹⁹²¹⁹⁹³¹⁹⁹⁴¹⁹⁹⁵¹⁹⁹⁶¹⁹⁹⁷¹⁹⁹⁸¹⁹⁹⁹²⁰⁰⁰^{Fiscal Year}
^ARNG^ANR^USAR^USNR^USMCR^USAFR