Efforts to relieve high personnel tempo include expanding the use of reserve forces. Disparities between benefits received by reservists on active duty and active component troops will have to be addressed to give reservists equal status, the report states. Reservists on active duty for less than 31 days, for example, do not receive medical care, insurance and other benefits. The report also recommends creating a tax credit for employers whose reserve component employee is called to active duty for a contingency operation. Community and family services is the third area the panel studied.
Single parents are more common than in the past.
Panel members reported there are about 1 million children under age 12, including about 475,000 of preschool age. Community and family service programs such as financial and family counseling and child care are hard-pressed to keep up with demand. Overall, the task force recommends verifying the need for these services and developing ways of measuring program effectiveness. The panel also wants DOD to balance the use of public and private resources, and stabilize funding for community and family service programs. Specific recommendations include providing financial management counseling during basic training or at service members' first permanent duty station and providing optional programs for spouses.